On this day in 1985 (Saturday 13th July) the “Live Aid” concerts were held at both Wembley Stadium and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. In 1985 Gurpreet was born, Dave was planning to join the Royal Marines (1987) and Simon was considering a Police career (1988).
Festival season is upon us, which means travel, tents and hopefully the time of your life. But how can you keep your valuables safe when you’re dancing the night away in your wellies.
Here at Valkyrie we thought it would be a good idea to remind you how to stay safe during these events:
- Leave unnecessary valuables at home. Take very little worth stealing. Keeping your belongings safe
- Try taking nothing more than your phone, your debit card and your ID (if you’re lucky enough to get asked your age) and keep it with you in a small waterproof bag/cover
- Take an additional power pack with you for your phone to ensure it stays charged
- Try to avoid taking large sums of cash with you, instead use the machines on site or check in advance if traders will take card payments
- Some festivals now run ‘cashless’, allowing you to load your wristband with credit in advance. Check with your event if this is available and load up before you go
- Consider utilising a secure locker – some festival now provide lockers to protect your personal belongings from theft. These can usually be booked in advance and are open 24 hours a day, so you can access them anytime at the festival
- When you go to sleep, put your valuables in your sleeping bag with you or in your pockets
- Beware of pick pockets and don’t keep valuables exposed whilst in crowds. It’s better to keep them in secure inside pockets, attached to you, or in a bumbag/money belt
- If you do have your valuables stolen, report it immediately to the security staff. If you’re eligible to claim on your insurance, you’ll need a police report. Before you go to any festival check what your home insurance and travel insurance cover
- Never leave valuable items in your tent when you are not there. Thieves often unzip tents or cut holes in them to grab things that are easily accessible
- Stay in contact with your friends, consider using the ‘buddy-buddy system’, where you look out for a friend, and they look out for you. Organise a time and meeting place with your buddy in case you get lost or want to go off to see different things. Don’t always rely on your phone, as your battery may go flat, or you may have no signal, or the network may become overloaded
- Stay aware of your surroundings and situationally aware, keep an eye out for aggressive behaviour from other and avoid, remove yourself from aggressive situations as well. Try to avoid getting into arguments, fights or altercations
- Know your alcohol limits – you don’t need to stay completely sober, but you should avoid getting totally drunk. Being intoxicated can be dangerous at festivals, as people may use this to take advantage of you. It’s best to avoid this situation
- Listen to the communication that the festival tells you, they should clearly communicate to you the safety measures they have in place. If you follow their guidelines, you’ll be much safer and reduce the likelihood of being a victim of a crime.
Remain vigilant at all times and in an emergency, always call 999.
If we can be of assistance – E: Security@valkyrie.co.uk | T: +44 (0) 2074 999 323
