STEWARDS

Stewards at Events

What Are Stewards and Why Do You Need Them?

Stewards are your frontline for a safe, smooth event. These student volunteers (committee or general members) keep things running, guide your crowd, and are the go-to helpers when it matters most.

But stewards aren’t just helpful; they’re essential for a compliant event. College fire safety rules mean you must have enough trained people to help evacuate if something goes wrong. Get this right, and you protect everyone: your guests, your venue, and your group.

IMPORTANT: If 100+ people are coming, stewards are non-negotiable, even if you have professional security.

What Do Stewards Do?

Stewards help your event run safely and efficiently. Their responsibilities can include:

• Setting up and restoring the venue before and after the event
• Signing in attendees and directing them to their room or seat, ensuring room capacities are adhered to
• Watching out for hazards that could cause harm
• Assisting with evacuation: escorting attendees out of the building safely if needed
• Acting as a point of contact for attendees who have questions or concerns

NOTE: Stewards should be easily identifiable at your event. Consider high-vis clothing, specialised lanyards, or badges so attendees and venue staff can spot them quickly.

How Many Stewards Do You Need?

The table below gives a minimum guide for standard events. Your specific event may require more, depending on the nature of the activity, the venue layout, or whether multiple spaces are in use (e.g. pub crawls or events across several rooms).

NOTE: If your event spans multiple venues or spaces, you’ll likely need more stewards than this guide suggests. Think about coverage across all areas when planning.

Looking After Your Stewards

Stewards are giving up their time to help your event run well, so make sure you look after them.

Before the event:

• Prepare a briefing document outlining their responsibilities, the venue layout, and emergency procedures.
• Hold a briefing meeting before the event starts so everyone knows what to do.
• Set clear escalation procedures so stewards know who to contact if something goes wrong.
• Schedule regular breaks so stewards aren't on their feet for the entire event.

Sober Stewards

For any event or trip where alcohol is likely to be consumed, you must identify sober stewards during the planning and risk assessment process. Stewards should not consume alcohol before or during the activity.

IMPORTANT: If an attendee chooses to be sober, that does not automatically make them a designated sober steward. Sober stewards must be identified in advance and take on the role voluntarily. At least one committee member should also be overseeing this responsibility.

Next Steps

1. Identify your stewards early in the event planning process.
2. Check you have enough using the guide above, and consider your specific venue and format.
3. Brief your stewards before the event with clear responsibilities and emergency procedures.
4. Designate sober stewards if alcohol will be present, and record this in your risk assessment.
5. Make stewards identifiable on the day with high-vis, lanyards, or badges.

Still have questions? Check out the rest of our Knowledge Base articles or submit a ticket to the Activities Team.