Volunteering 2024

[stuie]

3 minutes ago, incident said:

You definitely have a large number of University age students who're doing it as a cheap option

It's how I started.  Then gave it up when I entered the world of work. 

Until I couldn't get Glasto tickets one year so I went back to Oxfam and realised it's actually better for me. 

3 minutes ago, incident said:

but you also have a decent sized contingent of retirees who've bought a campervan and are looking for a way to use it, often hopping between multiple festivals across the summer. And quite a few in between.

Well, I've got the van but I'm still 20+ years away from retirement, so I'm in between. 

[amfy]

3 hours ago, thewomble said:

Yeah I can totally see why it wouldn't be for everyone, but as you say it's surely better than not being there at all?! Would be interesting to see the festival from a different perspective as well. The idea of getting there a couple of days before the crowds sounds great!

My only concern would be the night shift, I've never done one in my life and I do like my sleep 😂 other than that not scared of a bit of hard work though

 

There’s no getting away from the fact that night shifts are tough, but you just take plenty of layers, some sweets & treats, and it passes. Only one of your shifts will be a night shift (unless you get pre-festival shifts when you could get 3x nights but then you get the whole festival off so that’s no cause for complaint!)

I always hope I’ll get it out of the way early in my shift pattern, because it does get harder as the festival goes on and you get more tired before you even start! 

At Glastonbury, if you are lucky you’ll be on a gate that is busy for most of the night (Ped C stays pretty active til about 4-5am -and you finish at 6am).

Sadly at Glastonbury there are also some deadly dull spots where it is interminable. No point in dressing it up!
 

Some people prefer it to the early shift which starts at 5.45! 

[philipsteak]

11 minutes ago, amfy said:

There’s no getting away from the fact that night shifts are tough, but you just take plenty of layers, some sweets & treats, and it passes. Only one of your shifts will be a night shift (unless you get pre-festival shifts when you could get 3x nights but then you get the whole festival off so that’s no cause for complaint!)

I always hope I’ll get it out of the way early in my shift pattern, because it does get harder as the festival goes on and you get more tired before you even start! 

At Glastonbury, if you are lucky you’ll be on a gate that is busy for most of the night (Ped C stays pretty active til about 4-5am -and you finish at 6am).

Sadly at Glastonbury there are also some deadly dull spots where it is interminable. No point in dressing it up!
 

Some people prefer it to the early shift which starts at 5.45! 

Hello from Sticklinch Gate! My new home it would seem.

[balti-pie]

Nightshifts arent so bad, its quite cool seeing the site gently vibrating in the darkness, and then the first strands of light and hour or two of peace before people start being up and about again. I kind of love getting into my tent for a bit of kip while everyone else is getting up. (nb - a blackout tent makes this about a billion times easier) 

Expect it to be colder than you think it will - wear a layer more than you reckon you should. And snacks, pile them in, you need em

[Skip997]

9 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

Nightshifts arent so bad,

Not a night shift as such, but I used to love my 11pm to 3am traffic control/stewarding on the Glade crossroads.

Chaos, but mostly fun, with great people interactions. Plus you could clearly hear the music from the Glade.

[Crazyfool01]

is interesting  how many describe the best days as being those before the punters arrive .... there are over 100k workers aren't there ? so not exactly quiet 🙂 

[incident]

Just now, Crazyfool01 said:

is interesting  how many describe the best days as being those before the punters arrive .... there are over 100k workers aren't there ? so not exactly quiet 🙂 

Nowhere near that. The Licence is 63,000 staff - but in this context, all hospitality tickets, performers, and even public kids under 13 count towards that number.

Would guess it's somewhere around 20-30k on site by the time gates close Tuesday night, and probably towards the lower end of that range.

[stuie]

10 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

is interesting  how many describe the best days as being those before the punters arrive .... there are over 100k workers aren't there ? so not exactly quiet 🙂 

Not that many, but it certainly doesn't feel deserted and you still have to queue at bars! 

Someone told me there's approx 40K on site by Tuesday. 

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, incident said:

Nowhere near that. The Licence is 63,000 staff - but in this context, all hospitality tickets, performers, and even public kids under 13 count towards that number.

Would guess it's somewhere around 20-30k on site by the time gates close Tuesday night, and probably towards the lower end of that range.

 

2 minutes ago, stuie said:

Not that many, but it certainly doesn't feel deserted and you still have to queue at bars! 

Someone told me there's approx 40K on site by Tuesday. 

cool thanks dont know why I had that figure in my head ... its great watching the site fill on the webcam 

[Avalon_Fields]

Very happy to have my Glastonbury volunteering confirmed, what's more it's a role I hope to do for evermore, as a photographer. Absolutely blissfully delighted! It's been 4+ years of being registered so no easy road.

Intend to maximise the time so I'll be there on the Sunday prior. I've always enjoyed the anticipation of being early - Tuesday CV fields 8am arrivals over the last few years - so this is an extra bonus.

[deepkittycaz]

40 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

Nightshifts arent so bad, its quite cool seeing the site gently vibrating in the darkness, and then the first strands of light and hour or two of peace before people start being up and about again. I kind of love getting into my tent for a bit of kip while everyone else is getting up. (nb - a blackout tent makes this about a billion times easier) 

Expect it to be colder than you think it will - wear a layer more than you reckon you should. And snacks, pile them in, you need em

And bring a wooly hat & gloves!

[Skip997]

1 minute ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Very happy to have my Glastonbury volunteering confirmed, what's more it's a role I hope to do for evermore, as a photographer. Absolutely blissfully delighted! It's been 4+ years of being registered so no easy road.

Intend to maximise the time so I'll be there on the Sunday prior. I've always enjoyed the anticipation of being early - Tuesday CV fields 8am arrivals over the last few years - so this is an extra bonus.

I'll be there from the Saturday prior at the latest. Hoping I can manage the Wednesday prior this year.

[Robo97]

Appreciate it may be fairly obvious given the term deposit however, for those who've done volunteering /registered in the past, is the £360 deposit payable on Thursday and if you were to obtain a ticket via the re-sale and choose to forfeit a volunteering place, would the £360 be lost? 

 

[balti-pie]

2 minutes ago, Robo97 said:

Appreciate it may be fairly obvious given the term deposit however, for those who've done volunteering /registered in the past, is the £360 deposit payable on Thursday and if you were to obtain a ticket via the re-sale and choose to forfeit a volunteering place, would the £360 be lost? 

 

If you cancel it within 14 days, you'll get it all back - and if you cancel before early may i think you'll get everything but £15 back. That might be adjusted to £20 or £25 this year perhaps, but think of it as a charitable donation to Oxfam for being insurance 👍

[philipsteak]

1 hour ago, philipsteak said:

Hello from Sticklinch Gate! My new home it would seem.

Meant to say 'Stickleball Gate, not Sticklinch.

Also, where's the edit function gone?

[incident]

13 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

If you cancel it within 14 days, you'll get it all back - and if you cancel before early may i think you'll get everything but £15 back. That might be adjusted to £20 or £25 this year perhaps, but think of it as a charitable donation to Oxfam for being insurance 👍

Specifically - 8 weeks before arrival date.

So there should be time to get it done once the dust has settled on the resale, but would want to do it reasonably promptly.

[stuie]

3 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

Also, where's the edit function gone?

It's still there on the three dots button but I think it's time limited... maybe an hour? 

[dondo]

24 minutes ago, Robo97 said:

Appreciate it may be fairly obvious given the term deposit however, for those who've done volunteering /registered in the past, is the £360 deposit payable on Thursday and if you were to obtain a ticket via the re-sale and choose to forfeit a volunteering place, would the £360 be lost? 

 

I know your question is an Oxfam one given reference to Thursday but I know for recycling crew (and I would imagine other volunteering) you would get most of the deposit back less an admin fee. 

[Skip997]

We don't have to pay a deposit.

No idea what happens if you don't turn up for shifts.

[philipsteak]

13 minutes ago, stuie said:

It's still there on the three dots button but I think it's time limited... maybe an hour? 

Ah, that makes sense. I was looking there but couldn't see it. 

[balti-pie]

The deposit for old timey Oxfam types is half the usual amount - you have to have volunteered at five festivals to qualify for it, but £180 on the credit card is a lot easier than £360. They must think im at least sort of alright . . . 

[Leyrulion]

7 hours ago, thewomble said:

Yeah I can totally see why it wouldn't be for everyone, but as you say it's surely better than not being there at all?! Would be interesting to see the festival from a different perspective as well. The idea of getting there a couple of days before the crowds sounds great!

My only concern would be the night shift, I've never done one in my life and I do like my sleep 😂 other than that not scared of a bit of hard work though

 

The Glastonbury night shifts aren't that bad. With the shift leader times of 9-5am I barely even think of it as a night shift. You can be walking off by 4:40 if you're lucky and the morning shift arrives on time to relieve you.

[Gaz_88]

2 hours ago, balti-pie said:

The deposit for old timey Oxfam types is half the usual amount - you have to have volunteered at five festivals to qualify for it, but £180 on the credit card is a lot easier than £360. They must think im at least sort of alright . . . 

It's not even old timers for Oxfam as from the end of this year I will have 8 since 2021 and that's only doing 2 a year to keep the priority and it definitely helps been only £180

Edited January 30 by Gaz_88
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[Skip997]

Just been sent our crew names

1st on the list!

[upstream]

On 1/28/2024 at 12:39 PM, nikkic said:

What kind of jobs do you all do as volunteers? 

Presuming it’s litter crew, wrist bands and bar work? 

 

I'm a steward supervisor up at the Park, there are 12 of us supervisors and we look after 300 volunteers all based at the park. I have been based up at the Park since it started in 2007 and a supervisor since 2010. Most of our teams work on 3 x 8 hours shifts ( there are a few on 4 x6 and no deposits are taken  to get a place and every position is done on a word of mouth basis. there are about 16 teams and each team has a leader who will find their own team members.

Edited January 31 by upstream