1. GENERAL: Assign someone to look after the loos for the whole event, whether hired or the club's own loos. It isn't an unpleasant job if they are kept clean throughout. It becomes unpleasant if they are left unattended for long periods. The person has to be interventionist, bobbing into the loos frequently to wipe the seats and emptying well before they get full. The person should be obviously in charge - hovering around, dressed appropriately, cloth in hand. The competitors make a better effort to keep things clean and will let the loo officer know if something needs attention.

Users respond very well if there is a bowl of clean water provided outside the loos, replenished frequently + soap. A vase of flowers adds a nice touch.

2 The loo officer needs to know before the event exactly where they are to go. Ascertain beforehand where stuff can be dumped - you will need to do this several times during the event. Particularly important if the event is on a water catchment area.

3 The following notes apply if you are not using hired loos. Even if you are, a urinal cuts down queues significantly.

4 TIME: People arrive hours before the start of an event. Have some loos ready for use at least one and a half hours before the first start, preferably earlier. Assume 1_ to 2 hours to set up so for 10.30 first start start erecting at 8.30 a.m. at latest.

5. URINALS: Essential to have a gents urinal, if permitted, very clearly signposted before people get to the sit down loos to keep down demand - and so need to empty frequently - on the bucket loos. Males using the bucket loos merely as urinals pee all over the seats.

Equipment needed: spade, cotton camouflage screen with hooks and frame (interlocking pieces) from store (NOT hessian sacking!), string, 16 tent pegs & 8 guy ropes, big clear signs

Dig trench about 6 feet long, one foot wide and deep, well away from the screen - right in the middle of the screened area so they don't pee on the screen. It usually takes about an hour to dig the trench and erect the screen (but it can take much longer if the ground is difficult).

Don't leave any paper in the urinal or blokes will use it for other purposes.

After use, make sure the screen is dried out before going back into the store.

Big clear sign needed - 'Gents Urinal'

6 UNISEX LOOS: With the bucket loos which have individual tents, there is absolutely no need to separate the sexes and it causes queues to do so. Big label needed 'Unisex Loos'.

Equipment needed:

Tents and buckets, loo paper, elsan fluid, plastic gloves, cloth, lots of clean water, bowl and soap, big clear signs.

Work on one tent/bucket per hundred competitors but have one or two tents in reserve. Erect at least four.

Make sure the buckets are clean and that the tents are complete when you get them from the store.

Only put one loo roll in each tent on ground and one in tent pocket but keep checking when you wipe seats.

Takes two people one hour to erect four units ready for use.

After loos set up dig pit for waste - don't wait until the first bucket needs emptying. The pit needs to be deep enough to accommodate several buckets of waste. It needs to be out of the way of competitors but as near as possible to the loos for emptying convenience.

After event wash loos out well and dry tents before taking back to store. im/ 11/99

PS Angela Whitworth reckoned on 2 min/person / loo

Kilnsey with 1400 entries had 9 loos + urinal - seemed perfectly adequate

1. GENERAL: Assign someone to look after the loos for the whole event. It isn't an unpleasant job if they are kept clean throughout and are stocked with paper. It becomes unpleasant if they are left unattended for long periods. The person has to be interventionist, bobbing into the loos frequently to wipe the seats. The person should be obviously in charge - hovering around, dressed appropriately, cloth in hand. The competitors make a better effort to keep things clean and will let the loo officer know if something needs attention. With portaloos there shouldn't be a problem with getting too full.

Users respond very well if there is a bowl of clean water provided outside the loos, replenished frequently + soap. A vase of flowers adds a nice touch.

2 The loo officer needs to know before the event exactly where they are to go.

3 TIME: People arrive hours before the start of an event. Have some loos ready for use at least one and a half hours before the first start, preferably earlier. Assume 1_ to 2 hours to set up so for 10.30 first start start erecting at 8.30 a.m. at latest.

4 Don't divide by sex unless you have to - ie if they, or some, contain a urinal. If you can use them as unisex it speeds things up but they do need labelling.

5 Order one loo per 100 competitors and include 1 urinal.

6 Ask Bob Page for latest Loo supplier. The new toilet supplier Bob Page has found is;-
Convenience Hire. The cottage. Grange Farm. Oakworth. Keighley. BD22 0QR. Tel 01535 646463. On mobile speak to Danny Mitchell 07968 095168.
His rate for Marsden 2006 was £60 per toilet incl VAT. He promised to keep this rate for our next event. I found him very helpful and punctual.

Pay in cash?

im 3.02 APG 2006