people – paul fry

name Paul Fry
portrait photo
email southoverbs.torchmaking@gmail.com
How long have you been a member of SBS? 9 years
What roles do you currently play within the society? Committee, Torchmaking Lead, Marshal
What does this role/roles involve? As a member of Committee I am part of the group that meets monthly throughout the year to discuss and take decisions on matters that keep SBS functioning – though we are always keen to consult, and take advice from, SBS Captains, Team Leaders and other members where they have relevant skills or experience. Committee meetings quickly helped me understand just how much goes on ‘behind the scenes’.
As Torchmaking Lead I plan and coordinate some of the activities needed to ensure SBS has torches made ready for the Fifth. My role is to ensure there are sufficient torches available to be dipped and distributed to the Society on the Fifth. As membership numbers have increased, so too has the effort required to ensure we all have sufficient torches on the Fifth. Luckily SBS has a team of volunteers who have meet the challenge so far, though the seemingly everincreasing number of torches required, and restricted space at The Swan now mean torch making is at risk of losing the ‘friendly’ atmosphere that helped Lesley and I feel welcome when we first joined SBS. I would welcome help and suggestions as to how to avoid this becoming a problem.
As a Marshal, my main role is to help our Captains and Lieutenants ensure SBS processions are safe and well organised for our members, while also ensuring that SBS presents a good impression in front of the public and other Bonfire Societies. I do my best to ensure new members feel welcome, and know what to do, so that they enjoy their first processions. On the Fifth I help Marshal SBS Smugglers, so am often found in the noisier part of our processions – at times I may have to rein-in slightly over-enthusiastic members, but usually SBS are a well-behaved bunch, making life easy for us Marshals.
How long have you held this position/positions? Marshal 4 years, Torchmaking Lead 7 years, Committee 2 years
What other roles have you played? General volunteering (May Fayre, Events etc)
What do you most love about your role/s? Seeing SBS process on the Fifth, carrying the best-made torches in town, and knowing how few spectators (and possibly quite a few members too?) realise it takes a real team-effort all year round to make it all run so smoothly.