Frequently Asked Questions
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I just tried to register for an event and was asked for my business details, why does the School need this information?
We’ll sometimes ask for occupational information on event booking forms to help us to make sure that you are receiving invitations and information that is relevant to you. Some of our events, like the Ben Jonson Drinks and Business Drinks are specifically geared towards professional networking and we look carefully at business details before sending invitations so it’s really important that this information is up-to-date.
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I arrived at an event 15 minutes before it ended and found that the bar had stopped serving.
Catering staff always stop serving 15 minutes before the end of events at School to ensure that the event ends on time. While we love having you with us, we have to make sure that the School’s busy social calendar fits around daily life for our boarders who need to get a good night’s sleep!
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I am not receiving notifications about events from the School.
We are very keen to stay in touch with all of our OWW but sometimes the details we have on file aren’t the most reliable. If you think you might not be receiving everything you should, take a moment to update your details by contacting alumni@westminster.org.uk.
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Why can’t I give my ticket to a friend on the night of an event?
If you find you won’t be able to attend an event, we very much hope that you will still put your ticket to good use and pass it along to another OW. Because of the security guidelines outlined above, if you wish to give your ticket to a friend so they can attend in your place you must let the Development Office know at least three days in advance so that we can be sure that they are confirmed and added to the official list.
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My friend was told they couldn’t attend an event at the School because it was full but there was lots of room on the night.
While some of our buildings do have capacity restrictions, it is more likely that the registration deadline had passed and they were refused for this reason and not because the event was full. We really do want as many OWW as possible to attend our events so please ensure you register early!
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Why do I need to register a week in advance for events? I used to be able to turn-up on the night.
Because of the tightening of security regulations set out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, the School has had to institute a stricter access policy in order to fulfil the child protection regulations for a boarding school. This means that the Development Office now must check in advance all OWW who attempt to register for an event and provide a copy of the final guest list to the School’s security team. If we are not able to verify – from our own records and paperwork – an OW’s status, as is the case on the door at all events, we are not allowed to admit that person.
We also need to support to the School’s in house catering team by providing them with final guest numbers at least one week in advance. While there is always the chance of a few ‘no-shows’, it’s not possible for us to push our numbers too far either way based only on our estimate of how many guests might not turn up.
Guidelines
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School Events
OWW are invited to many School events throughout the year, and while we always do our best to accommodate as many attendees as possible, there may be certain occasions (e.g. the Carol Service) where ticket numbers are very limited. Details of how to book for these events will be given on our website.
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Guests
Where possible, we are pleased to encourage OWW to invite guests to many OW and School events; however, due to high demand some of our events are open to OWW only. Invitations should state whether or not guests are permitted to attend but if this is in any way unclear please contact the Development Office.
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Tickets
Tickets are issued for most events. Please ensure that if a ticket is issued, you have this with you to present upon entry. To transfer ownership of a previously purchased ticket, ticket holders must contact the Development Office with the name of the new attendee no later than 3 days before the event in question. The Development Office must be advised if a ticket has been transferred. If the event is open to OWW only, tickets may only be transferred from one OW to another.
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Cancellations
Tickets purchased for events are non‐refundable.
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Seating Arrangements
The Development Office will make every reasonable effort to accommodate seating requests, however, please be aware that this may not always be possible.
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Behaviour
The enjoyment and safety of our guests is our highest priority, and therefore each member of the OW community has a responsibility to be considerate of others and conduct themselves in an appropriate manner when visiting the School and when attending all OW events. If an individual is deemed to be behaving in an unacceptable manner they will be asked to leave and may be refused admission to future events.