KRIII Feedback – Voluntary Action Leicestershire
70 volunteers
696.75 hrs of volunteering
7 days
37 shifts
13 locations
Earliest start: 7.30am. Latest finish: 9.30pm
Some comments roughly grouped into feedback on Leicester, the
events and volunteering . . . .
On Leicester
We ended up going to a café with a woman we had met in the queue who had come
especially to Leicester from Worcester. She was originally from Yorkshire but felt it
was totally right that Richard should remain in Leicester. She said that Leicester
seemed such a nice place that she would hope to come back for a longer visit.
On leaving DMU a man with a Scottish accent asked me the way to the train station.
He said that he thought that Leicester is a wonderful city and so cleaner (and) nicer
than Nottingham . He said that he was here because of the King Richard111 event
but he has found that there are so many other things to see in Leicester, whereas
Nottingham only has the castle!
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to you both for giving me the opportunity to
help during the Richard III reinterment.
I have had the most wonderful time and feel honoured to have been able to help
even in such a small way.
This has been my first visit to Leicester and I can honestly say it has been a most
positive experience. VAL seems to me to be a wonderful organisation and Leicester
itself a great city. I have been welcomed and treated warmly by everyone I have met.
I will continue to do my bit for Leicester by spreading the word of my own experience
and coming back to see more at a more leisurely pace.
I was talking to many people outside the cathedral today. There was a lady with a
severely disabled son who was disappointed about access yesterday however she
was very happy with the cathedral today and our willingness to help. Also a mother
and daughter from York said that Leicester has been very welcoming and they are
now quite happy for Leicester to have Richard as we had done him proud.
Woman from St Louis: I’ve been all around this country but I never found Leicester
before. I’m so glad I’ve discovered this place.
We visited Leicester yesterday to witness the return of King Richard's Remains and
were greatly impressed by both the thought that had gone into the organisation and
also the helpfulness of everyone we met be thT the people running answering
telephone queries, those running the Park and Ride buses and the good people of
Leicester in general. The Horse drawn procession from St Nicholas Church was
particularly moving and impressive and concluded a really wonderful day.
Thank you and well done Leicester.
On the event
Today when I was at the information tent, a guy from Glasgow who had just visited
the cathedral came up to me and asked for directions to Bow Bridge. Another man in
the tent looking at the brochures said he was on his way to Bow Bridge and they
could walk down together. So off they walked, complete strangers engaged in
conversation about Richard III. I found it very moving how people connect.
The encounters which most poignantly demonstrated to me the huge efforts certain
people had made to travel to Leicester were after the procession ended, when the
crowds were dispersing. On two separate occasions I came across quite frail elderly
people, who had travelled to Leicester on their own and who couldn’t work out how to
walk back to St Margaret’s bus station. One charming elderly man told me that he
had got up at 5am to get a coach up from Kent and he was visiting just for the day. I
asked if he was a member of the Richard III Society, and he said no, he had just
become fascinated by the story and had to see for himself. A very elderly, stooped,
American man was another delightful character who needed to be guided towards
the bus station at the end of the day.
Lots of people who came from the cathedral just came over to tell us they had been
to see him and wanted to share it with someone.
As I was setting off to walk home, still wearing my volunteers’ sash and bag, I was
approached by a couple from Wales, who had visited especially to see the
procession. They had spotted that I was holding a guide booklet and they asked me
for it, saying they hadn’t been able to get one earlier. This last encounter further
emphasised my impression that people were genuinely wanting information and
something to keep to remind them of the occasion. They seemed thrilled to have
witnessed a unique historic event. The simplicity of the coffin and the solemnity of the
procession had also been very moving for a lot of people.
One slightly disappointing aspect from my time in Pocklingtons Walk, and something
that couldn't really be helped, was that the people who had waited patiently for a
couple of hours, many quite elderly who didn't want the crowds of the main areas,
were suddenly swamped as the cortège approached, by people who had already
seen it once and who had dashed round to see it again! I really felt for them.
I think one of the highlights was the Indian dad who had lived here for 22 years, born
in India, amongst the crowds at the clock tower with his wife and three children. He
wanted to know all about the history, including Henry Tudor's claim to the throne and said that he would not want to live anywhere else in the world and that England
was the best country in the world! I sent a professor in mediaeval studies to The
Guildhall to spend an hour as he had time to spare and he thought the whole event
was amazing! People had travelled 11 hours on a coach from Cornwall - and
everyone from all over the country said they would not have missed this for anything
and they told us we were doing a great job!
I was stationed outside the Cathedral today and without exception all the
visitors were most complementary about how King Richard's re-internment was being
handled. An American lady made a special effort to come up to me and say how
impressed she was and couldn't believe the atmosphere and the good natured feel of
the event.
Meantime I met a couple of ladies who were displaying a sign - I wasn't expecting to
see a sign (please see attached photograph) so I just had to ask about the story
behind it. The story was poignant and so I wanted to share this with you. Margaret
York had been in the KRIII society and had been a supporter all her life. I was told
that she left money in her will for the search/excavation of his remains but sadly she
passed away before the final discovery was made. The ladies wanted to make sure
that Margaret York’s name was represented on the day his remains were brought
back to Leicester. I think you will agree it’s a very poignant story!
The positive attitude good will factor and general friendliness of all the people I
met from all corners of the globe is something I will never forget.
I thought the atmosphere captured on Sunday was unique, but it continued
throughout the week and was even more magical on Friday evening.
On volunteering
Yesterday was amazing, I loved every minute! I was so proud of Leicester.
What a wonderful day it was yesterday and your organization (and Heather's) was
brilliant. It was great to feel part of such an historic event and I feel honoured to have
been included as a volunteer. Again, many thanks.
First of all I want to say a big "thank you" for volunteering during the Richard III
event, it was very formative for me.
Just to say thank you for having me at KRIII it was amazing and wonderful to come
across so many people mate so many french and Spanish, and talk to so many
people now it time to come back to our usual Life I shall keep in my heart that
experience and each day will remember yesterday. Thank you.
I had one of the best days ever at Jubilee Square kiosk yesterday!! I'm loving this
volunteering business - met some great people and helped an awful lot more!
Today it was my turn to be in the crowd, queuing with a friend to go inside the
cathedral. During several hours of waiting we were very impressed by all the
volunteers and by an excellent atmosphere, with people chatting to total strangers
and keeping places in the queue if someone needed to go to the toilet or going into
the Richard III visitors’ centre shop.
Thanks for your text of appreciation earlier - it was a very enjoyable day, a credit to
the City and all of you who put in so much time and effort in organising it so well. I
have to admit it surpassed my expectations.
Everyone I spoke to was appreciative of there being someone on hand to ask
questions of. Predictably the most asked question was 'where is it going to be best
to stand'?! The information booklets went down really well too, especially when they
realised they were free!
The volunteers I encountered then, and at the cathedral yesterday (Monday), were a
credit to the whole occasion. They were friendly, helpful and not patronising in any
way. A truly historic day.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of volunteering at Bow Bridge on Sunday for
the cortege of KRIII. The crowds were great and I had people who came up to me
once the procession had passed to say thank you for looking after them - that was
such a nice touch and it made my day even more special!
Whilst I was on duty a man, wearing a white rose, came up to me and said that he
wanted to thank me and all the volunteers for all their hard work.
Just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed being involved with the
volunteering for Richard 111, it's certainly been an amazing and memorable
experience.
Ken, Michelle and myself sashed up and as we made our way to the cathedral we
were stopped several time (everyone recognised the sashes) and were thanked for
the fabulous effort Leicester had made and particularly all the volunteers for making
the events so special with their friendly manner and helpfulness, I was recognised
by one lady from the Sunday at Bow Bridge and she chatted away telling me about
everything she had seen, it was wonderful and very humbling .
We mingled around the cathedral ,Jubilee gardens and Lanes ,then helped to
move the crowds back for the fireworks ,asked by the Showsec people as they felt
the volunteers had a such a good rapport with the public.
Ken even had to escort the Bishop to the Cathedral as he had forgotten his pass and
wasn't allowed past the barriers -good job we were there or he wouldn't have been
allowed in!
I was shattered by the evening, but in a good way.