Master of finding things

“Look at this – they've put it in the wrong place again. Hang on, I need to put this away properly first. Here at De Tempeleers’ warehouse, we’ve got thousands of props, materials and odds and ends. It might look a bit of a mess, but there’s a system. I know exactly where everything is. Just name it and I’ll find it – I’ve been volunteering here for 36 years. I used to be a set painter. When I retired, my neighbour invited me to come along – and I never left.

We’ve got a great team, mostly retired tradesmen. We’re available all year. As soon as carnival ends, everything comes back here: the prince’s float, ’t Mooswief, and all the set pieces for the carnival shows. There’s always plenty that needs repairing. In spring and summer, we’re here about 1 day a month. Other events like the Giant Parade also store things with us. From November until carnival, we’re at work in the warehouse almost every day.

It’s enjoyable work. We’re a real group of friends – we laugh and sometimes have a bit of a squabble. But we take the work seriously. I doubt we even go through 1 crate of beer in a year. It’s just coffee and soft drinks. Surprising, isn’t it? And every month, someone else brings a vlaai (sweet pie or tart from Limburg).

I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on this. You can sit at home on the sofa, but you’ll end up fading away. This keeps me active. And the work gives me the feeling that I still mean something to the city – even if it’s in a small way. Because nothing gets done without volunteers.”