Here is a list of all the questions that you may have about Westpoint and the answers to them.
If you have a question that is not answered here, please email on info@gracechurchtogether.org.uk
Westpoint FAQ
Each year Commission produces a handbook, stuffed full to the brim with information to help you make the most of your time at the event. This should be your first port of call for any general enquiries about the event
The handbook is available now as a PDF (click here), and a hard copy will be given to you at check-in when you arrive.
This year commission have also created a wonderful smartphone and tablet app to accompany the handbook. It can be obtained from the following places:
Our free luggage van loads up on Tuesday evening and travels down to Westpoint on Wednesday with our set up team. All your luggage will be unloaded and in the marquee waiting for you when you arrive.
You can put any of your Westpoint luggage on the lorry - just make sure it's labelled as you will be amazed at how many people have the exact same case / box / whatever as you!To put anything on the van bring it to the Grace Centre's rear car park (via Leigh Road) between 6:30pm and 7:30pm on Tuesday 20th August.
In emergency on Tuesday evening, ring us on 07720 765 972.
Luggage Pick Up:The lorry will return on Monday evening and you will need to collect all your luggage from the Grace Centre rear car park, usually the vans will return to Chichester by early evening (5:30-6:00pm-ish).
Luggage Collection Alert: If you would like to be contacted when the vans are approaching Chichester, please click here to provide your name and mobile number
Finding WestPoint
The WestPoint arena is just one mile from junction 30 of the M5. It is well sign posted and easy to find.
If using a Sat Nav, the address is WestPoint Arena, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, EX5 1DJ
- Turn left off the A3052, signposted Westpoint Arena, and follow the signs to the main entrance.
- When you approach Welcome and Booking simply give them your name. No need for any paperwork this year.
- You will be given a handbook and wristband – please ensure you put your wristband on immediately and keep it on for the duration of the event.
- You will be given a parking permit, please complete the information and hang from your rear-view mirror.
- You will be directed to the Grace Church camp site, Pink 2, which is to the far end of the site, beyond the main arena, but don't worry there will be signage to direct you.
- When you arrive at the 'Grace Base' our wonderful set up and welcome team will be waiting for you with a cup of tea ready! They will direct you where to pitch your tent / caravan / campervan and there will be a small army of people to help you to get set up.
- Once you have unloaded your car and pitched your tent, please go and park your car in the main car park. Your car must be off site and in the car park by 10.00pm latest on Thursday
Cars are allowed on the Westpoint camp on Thursday but must be removed by and in the car park by 10.00pm latest on Thursday.
Cars will NOT be allowed back on the site for any reason until 7am on Monday
If you wish to leave before Monday (we will miss you - please stay!) you will need to carry all your luggage to the car park.
On the first day –
- The gates open at 10am for people to arrive.
- You register on the gate as you arrive by giving your name.
- You will be given a wristband and handbook.
- Once through registration drive round to the Grace Church site and set up your tent etc.
- There will be tea and coffee ready and waiting for you when you arrive on our site!
- The first meeting is at 7pm, and all cars have to be off site by 10pm.
- Many Grace Church people gather in the marquee about half hour before the main meeting and walk over and sit together. To let you know that this is happening, we will sound a fog horn on our site!
- Between the time you arrive and 7pm is free time to get set up, chat to people and find your way around Westpoint.
- The first evening meeting finishes at 9pm and “lights out” is 11pm across the site.
- Many Grace Church people gather in our marquee after the meetings to chat, socialise and get a drink.
There is a First Aid team on call 24 hours a day, there is also a 24 hour Emergency Department and walk-in-centre during the day at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, EX2 5DW.
In event of any emergency call 07403 922 392.
There are toilet and shower blocks at various places around the site.
The nearest one to us is just a short walk away from our plot at the corners of Yellow 1, 2 and 3
They are open 24 hours, but if you use the showers late at night or very early morning - please be considerate of others still asleep and avoiding singing in the shower!
The hub of Grace@Westpoint is our wonderful marquee. This year we will have our largest ever which is open all day for you to come and relax in. We will have a constant supply of hot water so you will be able to make hot beverages whenever you want. We will have a refrigerator full of milk (including Alpro) for everyone to use so you won’t need to bring any with you. You can use this milk for drinks or cereals – it will be freely available to all so you won’t have to worry about keeping yours cold. Because we will be storing so much milk, there will not be any space for you to keep any personal items in the fridge (except baby food and/or medications).
If you would like to bake cakes for general consumption with the drinks – please bake away and bring them down with you.
The marquee will contain a children and youth 'zone' within it meaning that we will no longer have to erect our second marquee (to collective sighs of relief from the setup team). The additional zone can be curtained off at times to provide a dynamic space in which our young people can relax and play
This is an excellent question. Catering for an event such as Westpoint requires a great deal of detailed planning, but also a degree of speculation as to what we need to purchase to cater for all of the 246 people who are coming this year.
In planning our stay, we use information learned from the previous years' events and feedback from you to shape the amount of food, paperware, and equipment we buy. The aim is to reduce waste, whilst not compromising on the quality of the Westpoint experience.
This year, we have reviewed what excess we had last year in perishables and have reduced the amount of food purchased in some areas where waste was identified. Whilst this may mean additional shopping 'on the fly', it is also good stewardship of our natural resources.
Additionally, we have taken on board feedback about the use of non-recyclable plates, cups and cutlery.
Therefore, we are reducing the disposable paperware and cutlery we're supplying and instead asking everyone who's camping on site to make use of their own reusable equipment. This includes, cups, plates, bowls and cutlery. Compostable disposables will be available for new-arrivals, day visitors and guests (although they are welcome to bring their own equipment if they wish).
We value your input into the efforts to sustainability of what we do at Westpoint and more generally as a church, so please let us know if there is anything else you believe we can practically do to help reduce waste.
The nearest supermarket is Tesco - Exeter Vale Extra.
It is 2 miles from Westpoint (8 minute drive) and is open 24 hours a day (10am - 4pm on a Sunday).
The address is Exeter Vale Shopping Centre, Russell Way, Exeter EX2 7EZ.
Directions:
- Come out of Westpoint car park and turn right on to A3052 (towards Exeter and M5).
- At the M5 interchange, go round teh roundabout (under the M5) onto the A379 (second exit of roundabout).
- Take the first right of the A379 into Russell Way.
- Follow this road to the left into Tesco.
Westpoint is a family friendly event! We want everyone to fully enjoy it.
As well as the separate children's groups each morning, we will be setting up a children and youth zone in our Marquee, along with a range of games and activities suitable for children, young people and everyone else! In the afternoon's there are loads of activities planned in the main Westpoint arena that are suitable for all.
We strongly recommend that all parents encourage their children and young people to go to all available meetings for their age group. It’s amazing what God can achieve in our kid’s lives over a weekend!
For everybody's safety and maximum enjoyment at Westpoint, we ask parents to supervise your children and young people whilst they make the most of Westpoint. If they use any of the games and equipment please make sure it is packed away once they have finished with them and left ready for everyone to have fun. To ensure your child’s safety it is paramount that you know your child’s whereabouts throughout WestPoint and particularly in the evening, so with that in mind please do not retire to your tent without them.
Hopefully you’re excited about attending WestPoint and about all that is available for your children, or maybe you’re thinking when will my children sleep?! Don’t panic - there is a curfew across the whole WestPoint site so we can all get some well-deserved and much needed sleep. At 11pm everything is shut down (except the loos of course!). Everyone is responsible for keeping the noise to a minimum after this time and making sure they and their families are tucked up in bed. We do understand that babies and young children may cry after this time and that’s fine. Lots of us have been there so don’t worry, we shall bring you warm cups of tea and coffee in the morning and a friendly face!
The main meeting times and speakers are:
- Thursday, 7pm to 9pm - Andrew Wilson
- Friday, 10am to 10:45am - Tim Blaber
- Friday, 7pm to 9pm - Hannah Anderson
- Saturday,10am to 10:45am - Tim Blaber
- Saturday, 7pm to 9pm - Andy McCullough
- Sunday, 10am to 12pm - Guy Miller
- Sunday, 6:30pm to 9pm - Guy Miller
As well as these, there is a huge list of amazing seminars that you can attend.
We would highly recommend that you attend all the main meetings and carefully look through the details for the seminars.
For anyone who can't make it to the main meetings, they will be broadcast on the internet.
On YouTube Live by following this link - Commission Together ChannelOnly you can really answer that questions, but here is a guidance kit list we have put together to help:
Camping and Cooking Equipment
- Tent or caravan and all associated bit (eg. ground sheet / pegs etc)!
- Sleeping bag or Duvet
- Air bed / camp bed / roll mat
- Pillow
- Torch and / or camping light
- Camping stove (and gas)*
- Plates / cups / bowls
- Cutlery
- Pots / pans
- Bowl / sponge / washing up liquid – for washing up
- Container for collecting / holding water
- Tin opener / peeler / bottle opener
- Camping table and chairs (there is a large marquee on our site with tables and chairs - you can eat meals in there if you want)
- Any food you wish to bring
- Tupperware containers or resealable bags are often handy
Toiletries
- Towel(s)
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shower gel / soap / flannel / sponge and any other wash items you use!
- Deodorant - please don't forget this! 🙂
- Comb / hair brushes
- Shampoo / conditioner
- Any make-up you want
- Portable mirror
- Note: we have a hair dryer in our marquee
Clothing
- Footware
- Trainers and/or shoes
- Wellies / walking boots - sometimes it can rain and be wet at Westpoint!
- Flip Flops / Sandals (without socks!) - sometimes it can be hot and dry at Westpoint!
- Underware for 5 days
- PJ's
- Any sports clothes if you fancy football / volleyball etc (No blades / studed footwear)
- A warm jumper / sweatshirt
- Some warm clothing including - coat, scarf, hat and gloves (especially if you get cold at night). Remember you may need to run across the field in the middle of the night to get to the loo!
- A waterproof or similar
- Your normal clothing – jeans / t-shirts / etc for 5 days
Extras you might want
- Bible & Book to read
- Phone charger (we have electricity in our marquee and phone charging is possible at times)
- A blanket/hot water bottle if you easily get cold
- Sun lotion
- Any regular medication or allergy treatment
- A teddy bear to cuddle at night!