Couriers running on auto

The new automatic vans used by the courier service at this year’s Fieldays have granted safer travel but more difficult crowd control.

“We had manual vans last year and it’s hard work with manuals. Especially when the weather’s wet, things get slippery” Vaughan Chetwynd, the courier hut coordinator said. “The vans are autos this year which is great. It helps a lot, especially when you’re getting through crowds of people, you can just keep your foot on the brake all the time.”

But they almost run a little too smoothly. “You can’t really hear the engine with the automatics” Chetwynd explained. “We have to get through an absolute mass of people. Sometimes you can drive up to a person, so they’re right in front of you, and you have to stop because they haven’t heard you, you can’t put the horn on because that would scare them, so you just have to wait until they realise you’re there, and it can take a long time.”

With nine vans, nine drivers and 12 alternating adult volunteers from Kaipaki School, it’s hard to believe some are unaware of the courier service.

“Some people down at the sites don’t even realise we do this service,” Shona Boulton, a volunteer from Kaipaki School, said.

“But it’s been busier this year than last, so I think our advertising in the exhibitors’ book is working.” Chetwynd said.

“It’s a good service, it helps the exhibitors because they know they can make a sale without any problems of how to get it out of the site.”

Not only do the couriers bring outside items into the site, but when exhibitors sell a large or heavy item, the couriers will pick it up and look after it until the buyers can get it on their way home.

They even cater to the elderly, picking them up and dropping them off at their cars when needed. But people aren’t the only live passengers the couriers deal with.

“We do get some livestock like chickens and things, because they sell chickens on site,” Michelle Gaskell, a courier volunteer, said.

“We started it 15 years ago, me and Mum. Joe Verryt and Mum were the instigators of the whole thing. We used to pop around with one vehicle. I guess they didn’t have the need for it back then because it was a bit smaller, but now look what it’s become.”

Although they cannot touch guns, ammunition or alcohol, the couriers deliver just about anything else.

Water blasters used to be one of their main movables until last year when water blast exhibitors changed their sales approach.

“They didn’t sell from stock here last year, they took orders and gave free courier delivery to the home so we didn’t have to go and collect them.” Chetwynd said.

But the weight of the water blasters doesn’t compare to the life-size carvings at the chainsaw wood carving demonstrations.

“They are very hard to move, they are so heavy.” Chetwynd said.

Boulton added: “There was a carving last year where a couple of guys had to wrangle it into a camper van’s door, that was a mission.”

Chetwynd noted that all their drivers are a part of the volunteers foundation, adding: “The most important thing is to go home and have a good night’s sleep each day, it’s quite tiring.”

With the vans gaining around 50-100kms a day running the service, it helps that Hyundai provide the vehicles and the fuel.

And what’s more, the courier service is entirely free of charge, with the Fieldays Society making a donation to Kaipaki School each year for their help.