Andy B chats with some of this year's delegates, and we find out what brought people to The Gathering.
We hear from veteran attendees, stewards, and a few first-timers.
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So here we are at the gathering, my name is Andy Boo, pure 24/7 Radio and we're getting to speak to some of the lovely people behind the scenes and all over the place. So what's your name sir? Well it's very kind of you to call me lovely for a start. Name's Kevin Ball, I live in O'Khampton in Devon. What is it you're doing here at the gathering? I'm one of the supervisors for the studio team. Okay so what's that involving? Supervising the stewards mainly. So here we are at the gathering 2024 in a field near Swindon and we're grabbing some interviews for the lovely people of Christian Vision for men and the gathering. So hello can you just tell me what your name is? Hi I'm Phil from Cotswell First Aid and we're able to provide medical support for the gathering this year and hopefully I guess for you you want a quiet weekend. Oh you said the cue word that's it. Yeah if we do nothing that's a good weekend for us. It's a win isn't it? Yeah it is but we're here just in case. Just tell me your name a friend where are you from and what's your name? My name is John Hockhoe and I'm from Salisbury Baptist Church. Salve you back to this church so not too far away from you. No it's been a nice little journey up this morning and we're here and it's great to be here. Have you been so you've been before I'm getting? Yeah this is probably my fifth time I've been here. Your fifth time and what brings you back year after year? It's just the fellowship the singing more than anything and the real teaching. So just tell me your name and where you're from. My name is Mike I'm from Cardiff. You're from Cardiff. Have you been to the gathering before? Once before yeah. All right so how long ago was that? Five six years ago. Five six years and you've come back. What brought you back this year? The naked man just there. The naked man who's just off camera. Yes that's fine. We all need somebody to encourage us. Not to get naked. No no no not that. Just to come to the gathering. So what's your name? Where are you from? Chris I'm from Cardiff as well. Well that would make sense since you've come together. So have you been before? No this is the first time. Your first time? First time. Okay so how are you feeling at the start of this? Yeah really looking forward to it. And I think it's nice to get away just hang out with some of the guys and yeah really really looking forward to see what this brings. You can be your name sir and where you're from. My name's Andy. We're from Sunny Lincoln here. From Sunny Lincolnshire. How long is taking you to get here today? Oh too long. Too long? About nine but we did stop off for a long breakfast. Hey that's always a good plan. What's your name? Where you from? Okay so I'm Joel Hatfield. I'm from Works Up. From Works Up? What's your name? I'm Dave from Wolverhampton. From Wolverhampton. Likewise Budai. Good old world. Right. Go back into English. So have you been here before? Yes. You've volunteered before. So you came back? Yeah so this is my third year of volunteering as a steward. I've also been a delegate for probably two or three years as well. I can't remember which year but yeah. And you keep coming back which is a statement in itself isn't it? Yeah absolutely. You can't boot this if you want to do some steward and this is the first place to come around. Just give me your name and where you are from. Hi I'm Daniel and I'm from Paul actually in Dorset. Paul in Dorset. What's your name sir? I'm Jason and I'm also from Paul in Dorset. I'm getting lots of people who are you know coming from the same places which I'm assuming is because you're in the same church or group. Yes yeah from the same church yeah yeah. Right so have you been to the gathering before? I have actually. I've come to everyone so far. Every single one. Yes I have yes. Wow yes. We are in 2011 or whatever. We're in the presence of that. Yeah yeah. In fact actually I was in the email that went round they said because I put a comment when they asked on Facebook about it and said that I'd been to everyone and they said look maybe you're a seasoned seasoned attendee like Daniel and I said hey you see. I've just met a veteran 10 years thinking that was impressive. Yeah yeah. That's not anything is it? So can you just tell me your name and where you're from? I'm Henry from Abarisworth. Henry from Abarisworth? Sorry from Abarisworth as well. Sorry from Abarisworth. Have you been here before? No this is my first year so I'm looking forward to it. Your first year. Alright initial reaction is what you're thinking is it excitement trepidation? It definitely I'm very excited. I've come in this with very much a sort of open sort perspective whatever I sort of learn from it and take from it. I know it will benefit me greatly and also I have to admit what it did say about being a random field near Swindon. It literally is a random field near Swindon. I love it. I love it. I'm Philip and I'm from West Sussex in Wervin. Okay and what are you doing here today? Helping out. Helping out. Helping out the best I can. I've got all the people arriving ready for the gathering in 2024. Have you been before? Never. First year. What are your thoughts so far? Have you come to Walter Starhart? I don't honestly it's bigger than I imagined. I'm not going to lie. I heard there was going to be a few thousand men here for this event. What does that look like camping? I don't come to these things that often so first time in like 40 years what can I say? Fabulous. I think everyone should come. What's your name? Where you're from? Ian from Eastleigh Eastleigh Baptist Church. Ian from Eastleigh Baptist Church. John from Eastleigh Baptist Church. There's a trend here. I've heard me from Eastleigh Baptist Church. Okay all right so have you been here before? Yes. You've been before and you want to come back? Yes. It's third time. Third time. What brought you back? It's just to reinstall my faith. Obviously my faith is up and down at the moment. Lot of health issues so you question your faith and this always builds me back up. It brings it back to me and it gives me that kick up the bum I suppose to re-engage. Yeah yeah great. Have you been before? Yes this is about my tenth or eleventh time I think. A proper veteran. Yes. A monger so you have a veteran among us. Yeah. What brings you back each year? I think just the atmosphere, the the setup, the vibe, it's just a great place to be for a weekend. This is my second time. You want to see it again? You're returning again? Yeah and I've definitely always come every year. It's this kind of atmosphere I want to be in. I enjoyed everything that happened last year and that's why I'm here again. Did you know pure 24/7 radio has a shop? Well we do. You can buy merchandise while supporting the work that we do here. Simply head over to www.pure247radio.org/shop. That's www.pure247radio.org/shop.
