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Dec 08

Behind The Scenes: The Date Change

By Community, Nest 2025

Hey Nestlings!

You’ve seen a lot of communications this year about event dates. Maybe you’ve voted in surveys, written comments, contributed to conversations… Ultimately the decision was made to shift the dates to the half-term holiday for 2025 and revert back in 2026 to the way we have been doing things, and then reassess for future years. 

In this piece, we want to bring you in behind-the-scenes, and share with you the process of how this decision came to be. You might learn something about how the Burning Nest sausage gets made! You may even be inspired to join the organising team yourself. 

The Background

The last two years, Burning Nest has run so that Strike Monday (i.e the end of the event) falls on the late May bank holiday. However, this is ever-so-slightly out of kilter with the half-term break that usually starts on that same bank holiday. In 2018 and 2022, the event started on the bank holiday and corresponded with half-term. A common concern is that by not falling during half-term, we automatically exclude families, teachers and the like from ever being able to attend. 

Every year we get feedback about the event date. So this year we opened a community consultation.

Community Consultation

We initially reached out to the community asking for thoughts on a Google form. We got a bunch of people engaging which was amazing, but we also realised there was no way for people to see the comments people had submitted... curses. This meant there was a limit to discussion or for people to consider some of the excellent points raised.

So we moved to Loomio. This allows more of a forum-style comment section, and we were stoked that people also engaged with the discussion over there. However, we acknowledge that switching part-way through meant we lost some people, potentially had some double-voting, and it all got a bit confusing. We learnt pretty quickly from this so won't be doing that again!

The Results

Here's where it gets sticky. When we split ourselves across two different platforms, we also found ourselves with two opposing sets of results. The Google form data showed a clear preference for moving, while the Loomio results suggested we should keep the dates the same. Using Loomio feedback from the community we were able to make a consensus decision-making process and not a popularity pool.

From the community input in Loomio we understood the most common sentiments against moving the dates were:

  • The likelihood of having less people in the event as it is harder to some get holiday from work
  • The event will clash with Fire in the Mountain and Flim Flam therefore won't be able to come
  • The change in the demographics of people and ages might inhibit radical self-expression

And the pro movement of the dates were:

  • Inclusion, by giving the possibility to more people to attend the event

There were plenty of other excellent discussion points which we'll come back to in a minute, but let's take a second on this one, cos it in itself is a tricky one!

The Debate

The org team had a lively debate on this - especially because ultimately both sides of the coin come down to inclusion. Our theme camps are a really valued part of our event, and we know that they contribute a lot to the energy of Nest. But ultimately we couldn't get away from the idea that the dates as they are automatically exclude those families who might want to attend; by contrast, if members of a camp choose to go to another event instead, this is a loss to us but ultimately their call.

Some of the questions around this:

  • Does this apply to all members of any given theme camp? 
  • Would we make the same calls no matter which camp was attending or not attending?
  • Do we have a guarantee that keeping the dates the same would automatically mean any given camp would be present?
  • Is there potential for other camps or art projects to arise if an existing one bows out?
  • And so on and so forth (it really was a lively debate).

Ultimately, the suggestion was made (and agreed) that we set the dates during half term for one, but not both of the next two years, to maximise the potential for inclusion.

But Which Year??

While changing the dates either 2025 or 2026 next felt like a logical decision, there were still a number of points to address.

We agreed unanimously that while the council have always been happy with our safeguarding and procedures, that if Nest dates fell during half term we personally would like to have more robust measures in place. Starting with a families lead and a safeguarding lead to make sure we assess all aspects of Nest with these hats on.

We discussed testing increased measures for 2025 with a view to moving in 2026, but recognised that it would likely be parents who might take up these additional safeguarding roles, and therefore we might struggle to recruit if the dates weren't during half term to begin with.

We agreed to ask the community for help, and gauge the response. If we got sufficient volunteers, we could proceed with discussions around moving dates for 2025. September meeting was adjourned here with a view to voting in October.

The Response

As ever, you folks blew us out of the water. We got a massive response from people interested in both roles - enough to validate that people were really passionate about the ability of families to come to Nest. And as always, the more the merrier - if this is an area you care about, please do get in touch with our Vols lead.

The Vote

So then to the vote - even though you know how it ended!

We did however, have plenty still to talk about. Including some things we still don't have the answers for! We discussed:

  • The importance of clearly communicating expectations to parents regarding caregiving
  • Which days of the week to start and end on
  • How Temple burn might be impacted on Sunday night, if people need to go back to work on Monday
  • Strike volunteer numbers and the risk of these decreasing
  • Theme camp build and strike timeline impacts
  • And more!

Ultimately, the date change passed with just over 60% of Circle Links voting to make the switch for this year.

Conclusion

Seriously, we put in a lot of time trying to make sure we considered all of the outcomes to try and do the best by everybody. We know it's not going to be foolproof - but we really did our best. Hopefully that shows in this extremely long article too - we're aiming for transparency so you can see how we got here.

The intention is to revert to the usual dates for 2026 and assess how it all went, along with any changes we need to make to our new safeguarding roles and processes going forward.

So if you're keen to be a part of it - let us know! Our Vols team is only an email away 😉

May 15

Easy Peasy Food Plan – Thriving Guide

By Education, Nest 2024

A question we get all the time from new burners: what do you eat?!

If you’re not equipped with a van or a fully-fledged camp cooking set-up, it can be a little intimidating to start planning meals. But fear not! I, as an extremely lazy camper, have a list of ideas for you on the lowest maintenance meals that I use as my go to.

BREAKFAST

  1. Fruit

  2. Croissants or muffins etc will last you the first couple of days

  3. Oats stacked with toppings - try Nutella and buckwheat chips, cinnamon and brown sugar, or peanut butter with nuts and seeds to make it *delicious*

NON-COOK LUNCH & DINNER

My go-to is reeeally stacked sandwiches - nice cheese, thick layer of hummus, some chutney, baby spinach, slices of cucumber/tomato/bell pepper, avocado, maybe some tinned tuna or similar if you eat meat.

NON-COOK SNACKS

  1. Baby food pouches

  2. Granola bars

  3. Chocolate

  4. Gummy lollies of some description

  5. Fruit, esp bananas cos you can get em green and they last well

  6. Crackers & cheese, chutney, grapes etc

  7. Crisps & dips

  8. Trail mix - good bumbag snack too

EASY COOK MEALS

  1. Noodles, but fry up some egg for on top

  2. Veggie stir fry and boil in a bag rice

  3. Cous cous with veg, chickpeas & tinned tomato

  4. Wraps

  5. Pasta

  6. Falafel mix (pre-made, just fry)

  7. Nachos - make with tinned tomato and beans + whatever veg is left + nacho chips + cheese/guac/salsa

  8. Risotto mixes in a packet can be good too, with optional veg

If you're organised, I recommend having a few frozen meals in their individual takeaway-style tupperware. They defrost over the first couple days while keeping the rest of your cooler cold; then reheated curries are great.

Bonus: Did you know you can make instant mashed potato and packet gravy and it's baaaasically KFC in a field?

A note on veg:

A quick google is easiest to figure out what keeps well unrefrigerated. I eat my bag of baby spinach at the start of the week, carrots go bad after a few days, but bell pepper keeps surprisingly well, for example. Then just eat according to what's going bad.

And a note on planning:

I personally tend to eat a snacky breakfast and then one main meal on a burn day - there's so much happening that I don't want to spend time in camp cooking and I’m often less hungry than usual when my sleep schedule is out of whack. Having some treats in your bag for when you get hungry in the evenings (jelly snakes or lollipops, whaddup) is always good for a quick top up if you’re gonna be dancing til the wee hours! Or you may find you’re hungrier than normal being out in the fresh air all day - it’s pretty individual. But as with all things radical self-reliance, it pays to be prepared rather than risk going hungry.

And hey, if all else fails - you can always sign up for volunteer shifts and be fed through the Volunteer Kitchen instead 😉

 

Written by Emma, our marvelous Volunteer Kitchen Lead.

 

Feb 07

Bringing Art to Burning Nest in a Post-Brexit World

By Art, Nest 2024

Dear International Nestlings,

We welcome you to join us at Burning Nest this year! And if you are that way inclined, we want for you to be able to bring your artistic creations to Nest as well.

Understanding the legal landscape of bringing goods into the UK may seem daunting in a post-Brexit world. Or maybe you hadn't even thought about it at all! Either way, we've got you covered. See below for our handy reference guide.

For all the rest of it, like funding, communication, placement, LBT, practicalities, etc., check out the Art Grants page and submit an application! The next round of Art Grant reviews is on February 22nd, and the final round is April 22nd.

Bringing Art to Burning Nest - Outside UK InfoDownload
Jan 31

We Want You! To Write Long Form Content

By Community, Education, Nest 2024, Volunteering

Your experiences, opinions and values matter. Share your perspective with the wider Nest community, and help inspire them to participate at the Burn in ways you enjoy.

Have you had a great time doing volunteering shifts during the Burn?

Say why it's so great to be a Ranger or Greeter or cook in the Volunteer Kitchen or do MOOP Sweeps!

Did you create some amazing art? Put on a fantastic event? Bring together a really cool theme camp?

How did you do it? Your words could help others do something similar, with their own flavour of course!

Do you have any special stories from Nest relating to Burner Principles or your own personal values?

Share them, and inspire other Nestlings to Burn like you.

How Does it Work?

So you want to write an article! Fantastic! We're glad to have you on board.

  1. Choose a topic to write about
  2. Get in touch with us at comms@burningnest.co.uk. We'll have a chat to see if it's the right fit
  3. We agree on a timeline for writing and editing your piece. (You will be supported by the Comms team throughout!)
  4. Write your article according to the guidelines below. (Hint: the final product should look something like this piece!)
  5. We publish your piece here, in the News section of the website, and possibly post a blurb and link on social media and in the Carrier Pigeon Newsletter

General Guidance/Specification:

  • The article should be ~300 to ~800 words long
  • Break it up into sections with headers
  • Use 1 or more photos. Use your own, take from the community photo drive (no people without explicit consent), get something from the internet, generate with AI or make specific requests so someone else can find the right thing
  • You can choose to sign with your name and photo -- or remain anonymous!
  • Be respectful, stay positive. Represent Burning Nest well
  • Be mindful that first time Burners and Nestlings are among the audience. Speak to them, and avoid too much jargon
  • All articles will be reviewed and edited before posting

Potential Article Topics

Here is a list of some potential topics we'd love to see articles about. If you see one you'd like to pick up, please send a message to comms@burningnest.co.uk to see if it's the right fit.

  • Profile on kitchen
  • Profile on community team
  • Fluff the fluff out of build
  • Profile on Temple
  • Making an Art Piece
  • Applying for an Art Grant
  • Hosting a workshop
  • Starting a Theme Camp
  • Joining a Theme Camp
  • Hosting an event
  • DJing at a TC
  • Rangering
  • Doing Welfare shifts
  • Doing Gate shifts
  • Doing LBT shifts
  • Profile on Consent Team
  • What is Strike like?

Do you want to write about something else that isn't on this list? Let's hear about it! Send an email to comms@burningnest.co.uk.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Yours,

Treasure

Comms Link

May 17

Mobile Friendly WWW Guide

By Community, Nest 2023

What are you up to next week?

Yeah, sure we'll all be hanging out on the Glade... but what specifically will you be doing? Where and when?

The What Where When Guide dropped last week. Ticket-holders have received an email (subject: "Burning Nest 2023: Glitch in Reality") with a whole bunch of info, including a link to a password-protected page where you can download a mobile-friendly version of the WWW Guide. (If you are a ticket holder and can't find your info email, send a note to comms@burningnest.co.uk.)

There will be physical copies available on site for most participants, but not enough for everybody to have one. Anyway, in the meantime you can get ahead on your planning, and see what activities you're into!

A look inside the mind of one over-eager Nestling

By no means do you need to copy down every single listing in the WWW Guide that looks remotely interesting (even the ones that coincide with workshops you yourself are running!) That would be a bit much. On the other hand, if you enjoy that because it gives you a chance to process all the amazing events on offer next week, then now is your chance to do that ahead of the Burn! And you'll end up with a personalised WWW Guide tailored to your interests. Don't judge me!

Also, you can just use the digital WWW Guide directly. Or you can scribble on a physical copy picked up at Gate when you arrive. You do you!

Limiting your phone use at a Burn

I acknowledge that promoting a mobile-friendly WWW guide is a little bit at odds with the most recent post advocating for no phone use at Burns. A beautiful contradiction! How wonderful! The Principles are meant to be interpreted.

I will say that if you are carrying your phone to view the WWW guide, I advise you keep it on Airplane mode and use it for functional purposes only. Don't get pulled out into the default world, people who aren't at the Burn or the faceless internet.

See you soon on the Glade!

I look forward to sharing my workshops with you (acro, partner dance and rope -- see if you can spot some of them flagged in the above list!) and joining you at yours and other peoples'!

-Treasure

Apr 17

How To Maximise Your Burn: Volunteer

By Nest 2023, Volunteering

With our 2023 event inching ever closer, we're stoked to share the last in our four part series on How To Maximise Your Burning Nest Experience (Or Any Burn, For That Matter!)

We're firm believers that you get out what you put in, and there are four excellent ways that even first time burners can get involved.

  1. Bring a Theme Camp

  2. Make Art

  3. Offer An Event

  4. Volunteer

Now comes (arguably) the best and most foolproof way to make sure your Nest is awesome:

4. Volunteer!

Volunteering is sensibly divided into two categories: year-round (pre-burn) roles, or on-site roles. Here are some examples:

  1. If you're an admin whiz, you might lend your brain pre-event to help with the organisational or legal side of event planning. This would be a pre-burn role.

  2. If you're pinched for time, you might find the best way to contribute is during the event - by helping out your fellow Nestlings as a Ranger, Welfaerie, running the Perimeter during a burn, etc. These are our on-site volunteers 🙂

Every Burner gets involved in one way or another. There's a reason Participation is one of our 11 Principles, and there are roles to suit everyone!

THE BEST BITS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING PRE-BURN

If you've never held a pre-burn role, it's easy to imagine that year-round or longer term roles can be intimidating. Sure - if you let them! Pre-burn roles are amazing (even as a first time burner) for building a deeper understanding of how Burn Magic comes together.

Here's some of the perks:

  • Get to know people outside of The Glade - including how they work, what they're into, and maybe even what other cool burn events they know about!

  • Build a whole new appreciation of what makes a burn possible

  • Spread your contributions out over time

  • Utilise skills that might not come into play on-site - spreadsheets, anyone?

  • Free up your on-site time to play, feeling good about your contributions to the event

  • Feel awesome in the knowledge that the burn couldn't happen without you!

Read more about longer-term roles on the organising page. Most roles are filled for Nest 2023 but if you like what other folks have done this year, consider joining the team for next year! And in the meantime...

 

WHAT ABOUT VOLUNTEERING ON SITE?

There are so many on-site roles required to make a burn what it is - we literally couldn't do it without everyone pitching in! So here are some of the best bits about flexing your Participation muscles on-site:

  • Heaps of cool roles that you can do with very little prior training

  • Training is often provided - build up your skills

  • Increase the number of familiar faces by bonding with your shift-mates over a few hours

  • Concentrate your participation into one epic week in The Glade - great if work or life commitments get in the way of year-round roles, and often lower total time commitments

  • Great way to serve and meet other Nestlings - not just the shift-mates you befriend, but for example, all the people you might greet while working Gate, or help in Welfare, or encounter on a Ranger shift

  • Volunteers on shift are entitled to a meal at the Event Kitchen! 1 shift = 1 meal. Pop in and get something to eat when you are tired from your volunteering or just sit and have a brew and some snacks.

  • Feel awesome in the knowledge that the burn couldn't happen without you!

 

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

We bet you thought we couldn't get any sexier. You were wrong.

Because this year, we've rolled all of our best kept secrets about how to volunteer into one tasty tasty spreadsheet.

You'll find positions in the kitchen, with the Fire Wardens, at the Gate, in Welfare, as a Ranger, and more. If every burner signs up for one or two shifts, we could easily cover them all in no time!

Find out how to sign up for each team in the sexy mega-sheet.

Please bear in mind the less desirable time slots... are you brave and generous and chivalrous enough to take on tougher shifts? Your peers will be EXTRA grateful! 

...oh, you're still here? Well, this is awkward. Go on, sign up! We'll love ya for it.

SEE ALL SHIFTS

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