Volunteering 2022

[Alex DeLarge]

First time doing Oxfam and will definitely be my last. 

A supervisor called me a bad steward for giving security one of our chairs. So when they came back and asked for the other I told the security guard no. Got a bunch of nasty verbal abuse and my supervisor said nothing when I told them.

Another supervisor left us out in cold for almost five hours instead of rotating, and then didn't really apologise.

Also, my shifts were okay - but the hour walk to and from the gate without being told whether the bus was coming was ridiculous. Hearing all the stuff I wanted to see come from the stages was just way too depressing.

I know some of you love it, but my god I do not want to do that again. Its not a 'free ticket' when you spend half the festival exhausted or trying to drag yourself around. 

[joeltg]

18 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

First time doing Oxfam and will definitely be my last. 

A supervisor called me a bad steward for giving security one of our chairs. So when they came back and asked for the other I told the security guard no. Got a bunch of nasty verbal abuse and my supervisor said nothing when I told them.

Another supervisor left us out in cold for almost five hours instead of rotating, and then didn't really apologise.

Also, my shifts were okay - but the hour walk to and from the gate without being told whether the bus was coming was ridiculous. Hearing all the stuff I wanted to see come from the stages was just way too depressing.

I know some of you love it, but my god I do not want to do that again. Its not a 'free ticket' when you spend half the festival exhausted or trying to drag yourself around. 

That's fair enough and I completely get why some people would find it a slog. Sorry to hear you didn't have a good one buddy. 

I guess Oxfam varies alot in terms of roles and I would happily explore other work routes in the future as well. 

Edited June 28, 2022 by joeltg

[amfy]

57 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

First time doing Oxfam and will definitely be my last. 

A supervisor called me a bad steward for giving security one of our chairs. So when they came back and asked for the other I told the security guard no. Got a bunch of nasty verbal abuse and my supervisor said nothing when I told them.

Another supervisor left us out in cold for almost five hours instead of rotating, and then didn't really apologise.

Also, my shifts were okay - but the hour walk to and from the gate without being told whether the bus was coming was ridiculous. Hearing all the stuff I wanted to see come from the stages was just way too depressing.

I know some of you love it, but my god I do not want to do that again. Its not a 'free ticket' when you spend half the festival exhausted or trying to drag yourself around. 

It varies a lot. Consider it for other festivals. Glastonbury should be easier because the shifts are spread over more days, but logistically it’s tough & smaller festivals are not only easier, but you are far more likely to be placed on or near a stage.

Supervisor experiences vary greatly - supervisors are just other volunteers who’ve said they’ll be a supervisor, so it’s a mixed bag. I’ve rarely had a bad one though.

We were at stickleball - so far out it’s not on the map - another mile after Ped Gate D. At the mini bus they said sticklinch & stickleball were priority but didn’t monitor people getting on, and Gate D volunteers got on whilst some volunteers at sticklinch were left to walk. Things like that could be managed better.

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by amfy

[March Hare]

49 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

First time doing Oxfam and will definitely be my last. 

A supervisor called me a bad steward for giving security one of our chairs. So when they came back and asked for the other I told the security guard no. Got a bunch of nasty verbal abuse and my supervisor said nothing when I told them.

Another supervisor left us out in cold for almost five hours instead of rotating, and then didn't really apologise.

Also, my shifts were okay - but the hour walk to and from the gate without being told whether the bus was coming was ridiculous. Hearing all the stuff I wanted to see come from the stages was just way too depressing.

I know some of you love it, but my god I do not want to do that again. Its not a 'free ticket' when you spend half the festival exhausted or trying to drag yourself around. 

Shame you didn’t enjoy it but you should feed back to them. It helps them shape future festivals.  It’s definitely not a free ticket and shifts can be an hour from camp with a physically demanding walk because of the hills.  Even on closer positions (mine was 30 mins from camp) I felt it because the return was all up hill.

One thing I’d like to see is people only getting 1/3 shifts in positions 60 mins away. I’m sure it could be done with a bit of planning eg if you have a shift at Pennards, the other two are one of the closer vehicle gates or gate A/B/C.

[Stave]

20 minutes ago, amfy said:

We were at stickleball - so far out it’s not on the map 

You're not kidding - both me and the missus did two shifts there....overnight Friday and Sunday afternoon....it was soul destroying....fortunately we managed to get a lift there for both shifts and a lift back on the Saturday morning. We did get to finish early on the Sunday (about 20:00 ish) so we just decided to go straight to the Other for PSB.

Would I do it again with Oxfam?

I'm still undecided - I was lucky in 2019, had great shifts which made me want do it again.

This year has certainly changed my view, I wouldn't want to risk being at Stickleball gate again !

 

 

[amfy]

2 minutes ago, Stave_1974 said:

 

Totally where I’m at! I’d volunteer for Oxfam again, but not sure whether I would at Glastonbury. The thing is....have they the will to change anything when there is an endless supply of volunteers at the moment?

Edited June 28, 2022 by amfy

[March Hare]

With posts so far away it’s hardly surprising some people pack up tents and camp with the public

Edited June 28, 2022 by March Hare

[Alex DeLarge]

3 minutes ago, March Hare said:

One thing I’d like to see is people only getting 1/3 shifts in positions 60 mins away. I’m sure it could be done with a bit of planning eg if you have a shift at Pennards, the other two are one of the closer vehicle gates or gate A/B/C.

This felt like a no brainer to me. Having three people tell me about their Wednesday/ Thursday/ Friday shift right next to the Oxfield was a kick in the teeth.

That being said - if anyone knows the two blokes and one lady from Dundee who worked on ped Gate D - they were absoloute legends and made my shift fun.

[balti-pie]

Sorry it wasn’t for you, but you gave it a crack and things out of your control and influence knackered it up by the sounds of things. It won’t suit everyone, and at times the shifts are to be endured and just plain got out of the way. There’s other ways to work it, or hopefully the ticket fairy is your mate this year 👍 

[Alex DeLarge]

Thanks @balti-pie- don't wanna knock anyone else's experience because clearly you all love it. Hope you had a lovely weekend mate.

Edit: also I assume by your username... UTV?

Edited June 28, 2022 by Alex DeLarge

[balti-pie]

5 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

Thanks @balti-pie- don't wanna knock anyone else's experience because clearly you all love it. Hope you had a lovely weekend mate.

Edit: also I assume by your username... UTV?

No, not UTV I’m afraid, though I’ve had a pie at Villa Park, and a very decent one it was too! I’m Spurs 👍 

I had the early shifts and to be honest by the time Sunday came around I was quite happy it was the last day and I could go home! Saturday to a week Monday is a fair old stretch of time in a tent. It’s so up in the air as to what shifts you get, I’m sure they could switch it around a bit and make it a bit more egalitarian - fella I got chatting to only had two shifts, and one of them was response team so sitting in a car eating biscuits for eight hours. That was a right result for him, but three shifts over the other side of the fest with one of them making you miss a beloved act would definitely suck, and you can’t help but lose heart for it. Don’t blame you at all. 

[Leyrulion]

Made friends with someone who managed to get into the SE corner stewarding and that looked a lot better then Oxfam tbh. At least things were happening! There's a tentative offer there of a post next year if they don't fill them, I think first refusal is local school/community volunteers which is fair enough. Apparently they still had space right up to festival start so that's a good back up plan!

[blue6field]

I was really lucky with shifts, 3 shifts on Gate C which was only a 15 min walk from camp, missed most of the Friday as was day shift, trade off was getting all of Sat and Sun in the festival, Night Shift was a slog but was my first shift so good to get it out of the way! Would consider it again if I could be guaranteed the same rotation but I know this isn’t possible. 
 

on the whole a pretty positive experience, would as a first choice, go as a paying punter next year, but wouldn’t rule out volunteering if the need arose.

[Talcroft]

Sorry to hear the Oxfam experience wasn't always the best. This year was my first with Shelter and on the whole it was very good. Communication was slow to begin with but it all came together. Good campsite 2mins outside gate C with daily showers (though sometimes cold) and 2 meal vouchers per shift. Dreadful portaloos though. And having to arrive on their coaches, which were only from Bristol this year, was a ballache. (We got back-up parking spaces in the end due to the train strike, so it worked out OK.) 

I lucked out with my shifts: Weds 11am-7pm, Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 7pm-3am. On the bar so always something to do, and I got Park bar which was the perfect level of busy-ness. 

I will be trying for punter tickets in Oct, but will happily volunteer for Shelter again if it doesn't pan out. 

[philipsteak]

On 6/28/2022 at 11:48 AM, amfy said:

Glad you enjoyed it! Overall, Oxfam is a good way of festivalling.

Last time we got earlies but had the 2-10 shift pattern which was fine. Our friends got earlies with the 6-2 pattern this time and it was a whole different kettle of fish. They were already quite broken at the start of the festival, & I’d imagine getting 3 nights is even harder.

Having not got earlies this time we did console ourselves with it not being as long on site. It is a long time to be there!

However, the shifts we got this time did make us think twice about whether we would do Glastonbury with Oxfam again. At other festivals, you can easily see a fair few bands and rest up between shifts, but at Glastonbury, the distance between stages is so huge, and once you’ve been on your feet for 8 hours a couple of times, your ability to ‘bimble’ in true Glastonbury style is significantly reduced!

We were at Stickleball gate, so far out it’s not on the map. We joked that it might not even be in Somerset! For our 5.45 am start we had to be up at 4.15 (& that was without a wash!). Nothing happened there! Ever! The overnight on Saturday/Sunday was excruciating. 
 

When we woke on Sunday, we felt like we’d spent the whole festival wishing it away because we knew that overnighter was coming, & now it was pretty much over; and we hurt so much we didn’t think we had anything left for the first day that was really ours. Nonetheless, we started slowly, gradually built to a great night, and ended up still out in a crew bar at 2am.

For the first time in about 5 years we will be trying for tickets next time, but in the end, after all our reservations in the exhaustion of early Sunday  afternoon, Oxfam does remain a good option as back up! (& a great option for any other festival!)

Another Stickleballer here too. And yes, what a pointless position it was. Would imagine it'll change next year. Could easily be run from Sticklinch gate. I was a Team Leader (@Stave_1974 I was your team leader for those two shifts) so was much easier for me to get the minibus but did mean the early start was insanely early. 

It did feel unfair at times, being so far away, but over the years things have gone in my favour too, so swings and roundabouts. Harder to take if it's your first time and you get a shit one like that though. 

Despite the not ideal location and not ideal shift pattern I still managed to do plenty. Took it fairly easy the first couple of days and just ended up having some crazy long days. Even managed to see the sunrise on Monday morning. 

I can totally see why it isn't for everyone (one young couple on my gate left before their final shift. Not sure what they told Oxfam) but I'll keep doing it. I do agree that things could be changed to compensate for the shifts miles away.

Thing is, unless things change I'm guaranteed a spot, I have a great group of mates I met through stewarding who are a massive part of why I go back, and, one of these days, we're going to get fucking earlies, 2-10, in the oxfield. I know it. Its just a matter of time. 

On the earlies thing. One friend got them but nights. She did struggle, but just had a couple of relatively chilled days and then was raring to go for the weekend proper, dashing from stage to stage. 

[Stave]

5 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

Another Stickleballer here too. And yes, what a pointless position it was. Would imagine it'll change next year. Could easily be run from Sticklinch gate. I was a Team Leader (@Stave_1974 I was your team leader for those two shifts) so was much easier for me to get the minibus but did mean the early start was insanely early. 

It did feel unfair at times, being so far away, but over the years things have gone in my favour too, so swings and roundabouts. Harder to take if it's your first time and you get a shit one like that though. 

Despite the not ideal location and not ideal shift pattern I still managed to do plenty. Took it fairly easy the first couple of days and just ended up having some crazy long days. Even managed to see the sunrise on Monday morning. 

I can totally see why it isn't for everyone (one young couple on my gate left before their final shift. Not sure what they told Oxfam) but I'll keep doing it. I do agree that things could be changed to compensate for the shifts miles away.

Thing is, unless things change I'm guaranteed a spot, I have a great group of mates I met through stewarding who are a massive part of why I go back, and, one of these days, we're going to get fucking earlies, 2-10, in the oxfield. I know it. Its just a matter of time. 

On the earlies thing. One friend got them but nights. She did struggle, but just had a couple of relatively chilled days and then was raring to go for the weekend proper, dashing from stage to stage. 

Hello Phil, didn't realise you were an efester 😀, suppose likewise eh!?! Thanks to you, you made the whole depressing experience of working that gate so much more pleasurable, so thanks for that 😎

Having such an easy going Team Leader makes all the difference, I've had a few "job's worths" during my couple of times with Oxfam but I can honestly say you've been the best so far - keep up the good mate 👍

[philipsteak]

12 minutes ago, Stave_1974 said:

Hello Phil, didn't realise you were an efester 😀, suppose likewise eh!?! Thanks to you, you made the whole depressing experience of working that gate so much more pleasurable, so thanks for that 😎

Having such an easy going Team Leader makes all the difference, I've had a few "job's worths" during my couple of times with Oxfam but I can honestly say you've been the best so far - keep up the good mate 👍

Thanks, that's lovely of you to say. 

Having a decent team can make all the difference on a shift/position like that. No point beng a jobs worth, we're all just volunteers. Don't get me wrong, things should still be done properly when there are things to do, but on that gate there was nothing to do so why not take it easy. 

Hope you both have a great Boardmasters. 

Edited July 3, 2022 by philipsteak

[Kashkin]

I had a good experience with Oxfam. We were on VG6 so not a terrible walk away, and we were able to swap onto a pretty good shift pattern. I also loved camping in the Oxfield. However, I think if you had the worst shift pattern and a very distant location, it could be quite hard.

[March Hare]

Just now, Kashkin said:

I had a good experience with Oxfam. We were on VG6 so not a terrible walk away, and we were able to swap onto a pretty good shift pattern. I also loved camping in the Oxfield. However, I think if you had the worst shift pattern and a very distant location, it could be quite hard.

Ultimately you are asking volunteers to do a 6am start an hour from camp when some people had all three shifts within 15mins of the Oxfield. 
I’m sure it’s been considered but if you’ve done two shifts at Gate B there is good reason for your third to be further away. And if you’ve done two at Gate D or further, give them one closer to home. It just makes it a little fairer.

[philipsteak]

5 minutes ago, March Hare said:

Ultimately you are asking volunteers to do a 6am start an hour from camp when some people had all three shifts within 15mins of the Oxfield. 
I’m sure it’s been considered but if you’ve done two shifts at Gate B there is good reason for your third to be further away. And if you’ve done two at Gate D or further, give them one closer to home. It just makes it a little fairer.

That was done for the stewards on Stickleball, but not for me. One lot did their first shift with me then two much closer (the road crossing and/or gate b I think) then I had another group (minus the two who left early) for the final two shifts who had much closer shifts for the first one. My friend was TL on Sticklinch and I think he had similar. 

[March Hare]

3 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

That was done for the stewards on Stickleball, but not for me. One lot did their first shift with me then two much closer (the road crossing and/or gate b I think) then I had another group (minus the two who left early) for the final two shifts who had much closer shifts for the first one. My friend was TL on Sticklinch and I think he had similar. 

That’s really good. I’m glad it’s happening as it definitely going to make a difference to peoples experience. I had three shifts on gate c, if one of them was further away I’d be cool with it and understand why.

Overall I have had a good experience with oxfam at half a dozen festivals.  It’s my first choice for Glastonbury via priority and that is, like you, partly driven by the people I steward and camp with.  We’ve met through Oxfam and it can be a sweet gig with a bit of luck.

[March Hare]

1 hour ago, Leyrulion said:

Made friends with someone who managed to get into the SE corner stewarding and that looked a lot better then Oxfam tbh. At least things were happening! There's a tentative offer there of a post next year if they don't fill them, I think first refusal is local school/community volunteers which is fair enough. Apparently they still had space right up to festival start so that's a good back up plan!

I saw the Greencrafts Village were looking for stewards in the run in and looks like a really good volunteering opportunity with good hours. 

[philipsteak]

21 minutes ago, March Hare said:

That’s really good. I’m glad it’s happening as it definitely going to make a difference to peoples experience. I had three shifts on gate c, if one of them was further away I’d be cool with it and understand why.

Overall I have had a good experience with oxfam at half a dozen festivals.  It’s my first choice for Glastonbury via priority and that is, like you, partly driven by the people I steward and camp with.  We’ve met through Oxfam and it can be a sweet gig with a bit of luck.

Just a shame it wasn't done for team leaders too. I guess the argument might be the TO needs to "know" their gate but there was bugger all to know on mine. 

[amfy]

30 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

That was done for the stewards on Stickleball, but not for me. One lot did their first shift with me then two much closer (the road crossing and/or gate b I think) then I had another group (minus the two who left early) for the final two shifts who had much closer shifts for the first one. My friend was TL on Sticklinch and I think he had similar. 

Our first was the road crossing right outside Oxfield on Wednesday afternoon, which I enjoyed and it went quickly due to being busy, but it was a very tough shift - red hot, and stood in dust and fumes all day! I would still rather have done 3 of those! Both our early and our overnight were stickleball . I think only one of the 3 should have been there, but even rotating staff through sticklegate and gullies would have at least broke it up a bit so that’s something to think about for next year. 

Thst said - we also benefitted from a great supervisor, Matt, who knew exactly when to ask us to stand up & be counted, and when to relax a bit.

[philipsteak]

On 6/28/2022 at 10:16 PM, amfy said:

It varies a lot. Consider it for other festivals. Glastonbury should be easier because the shifts are spread over more days, but logistically it’s tough & smaller festivals are not only easier, but you are far more likely to be placed on or near a stage.

Supervisor experiences vary greatly - supervisors are just other volunteers who’ve said they’ll be a supervisor, so it’s a mixed bag. I’ve rarely had a bad one though.

We were at stickleball - so far out it’s not on the map - another mile after Ped Gate D. At the mini bus they said sticklinch & stickleball were priority but didn’t monitor people getting on, and Gate D volunteers got on whilst some volunteers at sticklinch were left to walk. Things like that could be managed better.

 

Forgot to say earlier. On my last shift I finally saw a map that had Stickleball on it. In the Festaff cabin at Stickilinch gate they had one of the massive operational ones on the wall. Felt like a kind of validation that we actually existed