Volunteering 2024

[Lucy1411]

Hey, just wondering if anyone has experienced this. I did two festivals with oxfam but on the second I had to leave after completing 2 of my 3 shifts due to illness. Will I still get priority and my deposit back? It couldn’t be helped so I hope so?? Thanks 

[incident]

5 hours ago, Lucy1411 said:

Hey, just wondering if anyone has experienced this. I did two festivals with oxfam but on the second I had to leave after completing 2 of my 3 shifts due to illness. Will I still get priority and my deposit back? It couldn’t be helped so I hope so?? Thanks 

 

It can vary a lot, depending on how you handled it.

 

If you alerted oxbox to this whilst on site, and discussed it with them before you went home, then you should be fine (certainly for the deposit, and I think for priority).

 

If you nipped off without telling them, then you'll have been marked AWOL for the third shift which would cause problems.

Edited August 23 by incident

[Pinhead]

For my final shift at BD I felt terrible - not sure what it was even now - hadn't been going mad in between or anything. Anyway, discussed with supervisor who was a sound bloke and I carried on with the understanding if I felt progressively worse I'd duck out and response would take over. In any event I coped with it and didn't collapse in the end.

[Skip997]

Found a much better option than Oxfam 

 

See if you can suss it 

[stuie]

6 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Found a much better option than Oxfam 

 

See if you can suss it 

 

Better in what respect? 

 

I think you need to experience and understand Oxfam, before saying somethings better than it though. 
 

[efcfanwirral]

28 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Found a much better option than Oxfam 

 

See if you can suss it 

have you left a breadcrumb trail of clues around the forum or are we guessing blind... 

[StoneCircle]

30 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Found a much better option than Oxfam 

 

See if you can suss it 

 

My Cause? 

[incident]

7 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

My Cause? 

 

They are good to work for, and are the one being referenced, but in terms of Glastonbury have the distinct disadvantage of not actually being there.

[efcfanwirral]

So I did my second ever festival of Oxfam volunteering at Reading this weekend (after doing Glastonbury). Obviously its all very different at Reading to Glastonbury, but had a great time and got a mythical Monday shift too

 

We did a R1 Stage arena shift, which was great when patrolling, though I didn't love the accessibility platform bit, especially the access part. I think those should maybe be manned by a specialist team as its such a sensitive area. 

Other one was a gate checking wristbands, early on the Sunday so only a few re-entries from people heading into town, nobody trying to chance it as it wasn't close to sold out for that day, and day tickets were sent to another gate anyway so got very lucky. 

Then the Monday was an easy one, just answering questions on the campsite. 

 

Got incredibly lucky with shifts on both festivals, barely missed any music I was interested in, and was able to see loads when not working. The list of stuff I saw for free, while gaining priority for Glastonbury, is incredible. Add up the ticket price for Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Avril Lavigne, Shania Twain, Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Fontaines, Bleachers, Last Dinner Party, Lana del Rey, Paloma Faith, Confidence Man and Squeeze and its mad really. Never mind the smaller acts and discoveries. 

 

Fingers crossed no volunteering next year, as it would mean we got actual Glastonbury tickets, but will definitely be back onto it in 2026 ahead of the next run of festivals. 

Edited August 28 by efcfanwirral

[StoneCircle]

2 minutes ago, incident said:

 

They are good to work for, and are the one being referenced, but in terms of Glastonbury have the distinct disadvantage of not actually being there.

 

@Skip997 fortunately doesn't need a way in for Glastonbury. Lots of people I met when stewarding with Oxfam now volunteer at other festivals with them. 🙂

[Crazyfool01]

from what I can tell and what ive read on here , the volunteering options are all different and are good / bad for people in different ways .... ive never seen a best option and I dont think I will when this option gets revealed 🙂 

[stuie]

MyCause don't do Glastonbury and they pay an absolute pittance to the charities for your work.  Maximum of £30 charity donation for usually 24 hours of work. I'll stick with the real charities when I do my festival volunteering! 

[thewomble]

21 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

So I did my second ever festival of Oxfam volunteering at Reading this weekend (after doing Glastonbury). Obviously its all very different at Reading to Glastonbury, but had a great time and got a mythical Monday shift too

 

We did a R1 Stage arena shift, which was great when patrolling, though I didn't love the accessibility platform bit, especially the access part. I think those should maybe be manned by a specialist team as its such a sensitive area. 

Other one was a gate checking wristbands, early on the Sunday so only a few re-entries from people heading into town, nobody trying to chance it as it wasn't close to sold out for that day, and day tickets were sent to another gate anyway so got very lucky. 

Then the Monday was an easy one, just answering questions on the campsite. 

 

Got incredibly lucky with shifts on both festivals, barely missed any music I was interested in, and was able to see loads when not working. The list of stuff I saw for free, while gaining priority for Glastonbury, is incredible. Add up the ticket price for Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Avril Lavigne, Shania Twain, Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Fontaines, Bleachers, Last Dinner Party, Lana del Rey, Paloma Faith, Confidence Man and Squeeze and its mad really. Never mind the smaller acts and discoveries. 

 

Fingers crossed no volunteering next year, as it would mean we got actual Glastonbury tickets, but will definitely be back onto it in 2026 ahead of the next run of festivals. 

I was at Leeds this year (as a ticket holder not volunteer) and thought some of the areas Oxfam stewards were placed looked great for being able to experience acts whilst still being on shift, are there stewards based at all of the stages? Even the wristband checks at Leeds were right next to the Chevron stage so would have been able to hear it easily no doubt!

 

I've honestly raved about my Glasto experience all summer and absolutely can't wait to do it again. Will be trying for normal tickets first and see how we get on, but definitely going to do some new festivals next year with Oxfam regardless 🙂 

[efcfanwirral]

6 minutes ago, thewomble said:

I was at Leeds this year (as a ticket holder not volunteer) and thought some of the areas Oxfam stewards were placed looked great for being able to experience acts whilst still being on shift, are there stewards based at all of the stages? Even the wristband checks at Leeds were right next to the Chevron stage so would have been able to hear it easily no doubt!

 

I've honestly raved about my Glasto experience all summer and absolutely can't wait to do it again. Will be trying for normal tickets first and see how we get on, but definitely going to do some new festivals next year with Oxfam regardless 🙂 

Yeah I spotted others at each stage when we were off. Just watching the crowd for any signs of issues, people needing medical help, answering questions etc. 

 

There seemed to be some at the toilet entrances too, and some of those are really near stages as well. Not sure I'd have fancied being near the Chevron for 8 hours myself though!! Would've driven me mad. Would love shifts at FR or BBC introducing, or other festival's equivalents, in future though for music discovery. 

[Skip997]

Half the hours. Finish early. No night shifts 

[Skip997]

33 minutes ago, stuie said:

MyCause don't do Glastonbury and they pay an absolute pittance to the charities for your work.  Maximum of £30 charity donation for usually 24 hours of work. I'll stick with the real charities when I do my festival volunteering! 

12 hours at Shambala 

[stuie]

6 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Half the hours. Finish early. No night shifts 

 

Even if we wanted to, they aren't at Glastonbury. 

[stuie]

2 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

12 hours at Shambala 

 

Their info says 3 x 8 hours shifts. 

[incident]

1 minute ago, stuie said:

 

Their info says 3 x 8 hours shifts. 

 

That's the standard advertised rate.

 

Sometimes it'll be the full 3x8, but sometimes it can be less, as it was at Shambala.

[stuie]

5 minutes ago, incident said:

That's the standard advertised rate.

 

Sometimes it'll be the full 3x8, but sometimes it can be less, as it was at Shambala.

 

Ah, I see.  Thanks.  It's not for me though.  

Part of the reason why I like working for Oxfam is to support the charity.

Working for MyCause or Festaff wouldn't feel the same.

[philipsteak]

What do Mycause do at Shambala? I assumed gates as I don't remember seeing any around site.

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, philipsteak said:

What do Mycause do at Shambala? I assumed gates as I don't remember seeing any around site.

Yea gates only, that’s why we were finished on Friday. 

[kerplunk]

There were murmurs around the Oxfire at shambala about a noticeable number of new peeps (like me) racking up their 2-festivals priority for glastonbury next year, and so likely to be oversubscribed  😄

Edited August 29 by kerplunk
spilling

[efcfanwirral]

1 hour ago, kerplunk said:

There were murmurs around the Oxfire at shambala about a noticeable number of new peeps (like me) racking up their 2-festivals priority for glastonbury next year, and so likely to be oversubscribed  😄

There were quite a few, including myself, at Reading. Is fully oversubscribed definitely an option, given some will still get tickets?

[CharlotteB]

Looking forward to the new caterers at Tom's Field getting another crack at the whip next year. Some might call 2024 a failure for them but I feel like they're on the brink of being the best caterers we've had!