Volunteering 2023

[golden egg]

On 7/7/2023 at 5:23 PM, Leyrulion said:

Just reflecting on my week and it was really really fun. 

Monday and Tuesday were unexpectedly an absolute blast. I don't remember getting to my tent on Monday night. And Tuesday we actually had to queue to get into places in SE corner. 

Crew bars wise, what everyone has said is true. They're bouncing Mon, Tues but a lot quieter when the festival is on. Being in silver Hayes and having the ability to leave my group and go to the nice compost loos was a bonus.  

I enjoyed that it was the same people for all 3 shifts mostly, so you actually got to really know people over the week. Comparing who we saw and plans was great. 

Night shift went faster then I thought, someone brought a speaker and huge 3kg bag of sweets which was a life saver. 

I didn't particularly like the occasional kitchen caterer they had. By far the worst catering experience I've had with Oxfam. Small portions of relativity basic food. I know they have struggled with costs but a 500ish calorie chili with side salad after a night shift is not going to help you recover.  I hope they can find someone else for next year if they can't improve the offering. 

Met four tet briefly which was interesting. 

Being a first time supervisor was actually fun and I'd recommend it at Glastonbury if you can as you get to move around a bit more and there's a team leader on the gate I worked, so anyone being a genuine arsehole just got sent to him. 

Sunday shift finished early so we got to see all of Elton. I didn't use my supervisor authority much but glad I was able to let the guy with the Elton John tattoo sneak off a little early as well. "Just go whilst no one's looking". I hope he made it to the front.

Would recommend it as an option, certainly not the same as being at the festival as a punters but definitely a good 2nd!

Which gate were you on?

[Tr234]

Does anyone know when oxfam refund the deposit?

 

Edit: 4 to 6 weeks for Glasto

Edited July 13, 2023 by Tr234

[stuie]

On 7/6/2023 at 1:45 PM, Leyrulion said:

 

I was a first time supervisor this year on Gate C and made a point of working with the other supervisor to try to rotate people out of standing positions where possible when they were clearly flagging.

We were fortunate because we had options for doing that over the gate. 

Some people just want to sit and hide for 8 hours, some want to get involved and be active. If you can work with that a bit it makes it easier for everyone.

I wonder if I worked with you? I was also a supervisor on pgc, same as last year, which was hotter.  I’m always really aware that people need to come out of the sun and try to change round as much as possible. Had a great time there this year, all the stewards and other supervisors were brilliant! 

[stuie]

I’m thinking of doing Wilderness with Oxfam on my own.  Anyone from here doing this fest? 

After Glasto, I’ve just had a bonkers Noisily with my mates and now want to do something different. Maybe a bit more chilled with a pinch of party here and there but nothing too crazy. 

It looks like a lovely festival! 

[Jay Pee]

5 hours ago, stuie said:

I’m thinking of doing Wilderness with Oxfam on my own.  Anyone from here doing this fest? 

After Glasto, I’ve just had a bonkers Noisily with my mates and now want to do something different. Maybe a bit more chilled with a pinch of party here and there but nothing too crazy. 

It looks like a lovely festival! 

Wife worked a stall there a few years ago and enjoyed it (kind of) but was firm on stating it is miles away from the sort of festival vibe we normally are drawn to.

Plus beers were ludicrous prices and a shite choice. That was about 6 year's ago.

All that said, just march to beat of your own drum and just chill when off shift 

[Leyrulion]

5 hours ago, stuie said:

I wonder if I worked with you? I was also a supervisor on pgc, same as last year, which was hotter.  I’m always really aware that people need to come out of the sun and try to change round as much as possible. Had a great time there this year, all the stewards and other supervisors were brilliant! 

Possibly, D shift we had.im 

5 hours ago, stuie said:

I’m thinking of doing Wilderness with Oxfam on my own.  Anyone from here doing this fest? 

After Glasto, I’ve just had a bonkers Noisily with my mates and now want to do something different. Maybe a bit more chilled with a pinch of party here and there but nothing too crazy. 

It looks like a lovely festival! 

I'm doing it with Oxfam! It's lovely as a festival best described to me as "it's for people that want to say they've been to a festival without going to one"

It's often described as posh but I don't really get that. The poshest thing is probably that the toilets on a Saturday night have loads of toilet roll in them. 

and in terms of "nothing too crazy" there are definitely parts where it can get a bit wild! 

[Johnnyseven]

5 hours ago, stuie said:

I’m thinking of doing Wilderness with Oxfam on my own.  Anyone from here doing this fest? 

I've not been but had other Oxfammers at Glastonbury tell me it's rubbish and full of posh people complaining.

[philipsteak]

50 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

I've not been but had other Oxfammers at Glastonbury tell me it's rubbish and full of posh people complaining.

Rubbish is a bit harsh, but posh people complaining isn't a bad shout tbf from a volunteering perspective.

I got lucky the year I worked (2021) and was in the accessible camping field. Only a small field, guy running it was ace, punters were mostly lovely and as we were a small team and there weren't many of them, we got to know them a bit better and them us so they weren't just a face in the crowd and we weren't just a hi-viz and an ID number. 

Couple of mates working in general camping had a harder time of it and did deal with a fair few arseholes. They'd take a while to decompress after shift and they are experienced stewards/supervisors. 

Having said that, when off shift it was fine. Nice enough little festival, pretty chill, mostly friendly crowd (when they weren't kicking off to a steward about something). Not really my thing overall and almost definitely won't go back but don't regret doing it.

[Leyrulion]

15 hours ago, philipsteak said:

but posh people complaining isn't a bad shout tbf from a volunteering perspective.

There's a bit of that but it's not really my experience, i've had more aggy people at Glastonbury than I have at wilderness.

[stuie]

On 7/14/2023 at 5:55 PM, Jay Pee said:

Wife worked a stall there a few years ago and enjoyed it (kind of) but was firm on stating it is miles away from the sort of festival vibe we normally are drawn to.

Plus beers were ludicrous prices and a shite choice. That was about 6 year's ago.

All that said, just march to beat of your own drum and just chill when off shift 

 

On 7/14/2023 at 6:02 PM, Leyrulion said:

Possibly, D shift we had.im 

I'm doing it with Oxfam! It's lovely as a festival best described to me as "it's for people that want to say they've been to a festival without going to one"

It's often described as posh but I don't really get that. The poshest thing is probably that the toilets on a Saturday night have loads of toilet roll in them. 

and in terms of "nothing too crazy" there are definitely parts where it can get a bit wild! 

 

On 7/14/2023 at 7:07 PM, philipsteak said:

Rubbish is a bit harsh, but posh people complaining isn't a bad shout tbf from a volunteering perspective.

I got lucky the year I worked (2021) and was in the accessible camping field. Only a small field, guy running it was ace, punters were mostly lovely and as we were a small team and there weren't many of them, we got to know them a bit better and them us so they weren't just a face in the crowd and we weren't just a hi-viz and an ID number. 

Couple of mates working in general camping had a harder time of it and did deal with a fair few arseholes. They'd take a while to decompress after shift and they are experienced stewards/supervisors. 

Having said that, when off shift it was fine. Nice enough little festival, pretty chill, mostly friendly crowd (when they weren't kicking off to a steward about something). Not really my thing overall and almost definitely won't go back but don't regret doing it.

Thanks all. Sorry for late reply, I posted the question just before I disappeared down the covid rabbit hole after Noisily!

It kicked my ass this time, so now more than before, I feel Wilderness solo is the next one for me - chilled, mostly sober with a bit of a party.  Marching to the beat of my own drum as @Jay Peesays. 

I will however be on the look out for posh people who don’t like festivals 😂

[Greenelk]

Is Wilderness one of the Oxfam festivals that doesn't have a night shift.  I saw something in one of the WhatsApp groups saying there were a few?  I'm off to WOMAD next week to get my second volunteering badge. 

Did Gate D at Glastonbury this year, and found the Wed overnight shift pretty hard going, with nothing happening at all for the last 3 hours (will take a speaker next year), but in  general really enjoyed the experience (my ankles, not so much)

[incident]

1 hour ago, Greenelk said:

Is Wilderness one of the Oxfam festivals that doesn't have a night shift.  I saw something in one of the WhatsApp groups saying there were a few?

It used to have no night shifts, but I think that a small number of people got them in the last couple of festivals.

[stuie]

Oh man… got annual leave approved and now there’s no Wilderness places left! 

What does anyone reckon on the chances of one coming up? 
 

[philipsteak]

14 minutes ago, stuie said:

Oh man… got annual leave approved and now there’s no Wilderness places left! 

What does anyone reckon on the chances of one coming up? 
 

If you're happy to keep the annual leave in place and risk it then spots do come up last minute. I got a place at Womad last year with about 6 days to go

[stuie]

16 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

If you're happy to keep the annual leave in place and risk it then spots do come up last minute. I got a place at Womad last year with about 6 days to go

Yeah I’m quite relaxed about it and if it doesn’t happen I’ll just go somewhere in the van for the weekend! Having already done a couple this year, I’m almost ready to go at short notice! 

[philipsteak]

30 minutes ago, stuie said:

Yeah I’m quite relaxed about it and if it doesn’t happen I’ll just go somewhere in the van for the weekend! Having already done a couple this year, I’m almost ready to go at short notice! 

That was pretty much my thinking last year

[svphie]

me and my friend are wanting to bag Oxfam spaces for Shambala as they come up. I've not done Oxfam (or shambala) before, does anyone know if we'll be able to request to be together if we're getting whatever spaces pop up at this point?

[incident]

4 minutes ago, svphie said:

me and my friend are wanting to bag Oxfam spaces for Shambala as they come up. I've not done Oxfam (or shambala) before, does anyone know if we'll be able to request to be together if we're getting whatever spaces pop up at this point?

You'd both need to acquire the spaces independently, but once you've done that you can put yourselves as shift partners.

There will be a point at which it's too late to do so, and I'm not sure exactly when it'll be, but it won't be this early.

[svphie]

55 minutes ago, incident said:

You'd both need to acquire the spaces independently, but once you've done that you can put yourselves as shift partners.

There will be a point at which it's too late to do so, and I'm not sure exactly when it'll be, but it won't be this early.

Thanks, I'm also a little concerned about us not being able to get spots within a week of each other, as it says 7 days for free cancellation (not sure I want to do it alone) ... hopefully a fair few will pop up in the next week!

[stuie]

1 hour ago, svphie said:

me and my friend are wanting to bag Oxfam spaces for Shambala as they come up. I've not done Oxfam (or shambala) before, does anyone know if we'll be able to request to be together if we're getting whatever spaces pop up at this point?

Shambala space(s) came up yesterday but have gone now.  Just letting you know they are still popping up. 

[stuie]

On 7/19/2023 at 1:03 PM, philipsteak said:

If you're happy to keep the annual leave in place and risk it then spots do come up last minute. I got a place at Womad last year with about 6 days to go

Well that was easier than I expected! Been checking a few times a day and I've just got lucky 🙂 

[Aragorn]

Anyone know what's happened to the recycling crew website and facebook page? 

[Harebell]

4 hours ago, Aragorn said:

Anyone know what's happened to the recycling crew website and facebook page? 

No idea! I just tried to look at them today, to give details to a friend who might be interested in volunteer next year but couldn't find the facebook page and the website didn't load either

[giantkatestacks]

16 hours ago, Harebell said:

No idea! I just tried to look at them today, to give details to a friend who might be interested in volunteer next year but couldn't find the facebook page and the website didn't load either

Yep same. Not panicking, will wait and see. Our charity has already come back and said that they are gearing up for 2024.

[stuie]

Shambala available with Oxfam at the moment. 

If you're up for it and can be ready to go tomorrow, now's your chance!