Volunteering 2024

[stuie]

1 minute ago, tarw said:

Looks good (if a little posher than festivals I’m used to). See you in August if I don’t see you on the farm 

All the banquets and fine dining are optional extras which I don't have any interest in whatsoever! 

I'll be at The Valley 🙂 

[LizzieRose]

2 minutes ago, JackPortch said:

Hi everyone,

One of the lucky ones here who managed to secure a space through Oxfam this morning! 

The feeling is very much bittersweet though as my wife unfortunately didn’t get one in time. 

We both vowed to not go without each other though, it holds quite a special place in our heart having been lucky enough to have normal tickets every year since 2014.

So for obvious reasons we’re now desperate to get her one. 
 

Does anyone know how frequently tickets come up from people dropping out, do they tend to come out in batches? 

Congratulations!!!

I have only ever got my oxfam place through priority, but having been on the fb group for years, these are the most likely times that places will become available:

1) Today and tomorrow - lots of people will be in the same boat as you where they got tickets but their partner/friends didn’t, so places should pop up as some of these people decide they don’t want to go solo and cancel their place. These seem to have historically gone straight back on the system so do keep checking if you can!!

2) Just before the free oxfam place cancellation deadline (it used to be 7 days after todays sale, but I think this year it’s 14 days? Will need to double check the ts and cs).

3) After the official glasto ticket resale - some people with volunteering places will give them up if they get a real ticket.

4) Just before the final oxfam cancellation deadline (usually 8 weeks before the festival).

5) In the last few weeks leading up to the festival - people will always drop out last minute. Appreciate this may be too late for people who need to book annual leave further in advance though!

It’s not clear if places always go straight back on the system, I know last year oxfam did an official ‘resale’ of sorts on a specific day and time later in the year. I recommend joining the fb group ‘Oxfam Festivals Chat’ as they post any info about possible resales of places on there!

Hope this helps!! 😊

[oakdown]

Got a site monitor set up to help a mate and there's been places for other fests popping back up and going away again all morning. From the logs, mostly Download and Shambala. Haven't caught anything for Glasto yet

[This_Fields_Good]

26 minutes ago, stuie said:

Trust me.  Get there Monday, register and get set up and get out.  Block 9 - Maceos, Arcadia - Tow & Hitch, Loving Arms - Silver Hayes, Broke Britain - UFG. Explore the farm. Repeat on Tuesday. Do your shifts, go out after, sleep when you can.  Remember you can use the crew bars throughout the week for less queues, better loos, chilling etc.

I worked the festival for the first time last year and had a Recycling Crew wristband.  There were some crew bars that this was not valid for.
What other wristband would I need, and can I get one if doing Recycling Crew again ?

[Festival Sounds Podcast]

1 minute ago, This_Fields_Good said:

I worked the festival for the first time last year and had a Recycling Crew wristband.  There were some crew bars that this was not valid for.
What other wristband would I need, and can I get one if doing Recycling Crew again ?

Some crew bars restrict access when they get busy (Arcadia for example (called the Tow and Hitch)). Others like the Theatre bar are always restricted to staff working in those areas.  If there is a bar you really like, it’s worth asking them on the Monday if they have a bar specific wristband you can have. 
 

I’ll be honest, during the festival I’m very rarely in the crew bars as there is so much else going on, so I’ve never asked for a bar wristband. 

[oakdown]

19 minutes ago, This_Fields_Good said:

I worked the festival for the first time last year and had a Recycling Crew wristband.  There were some crew bars that this was not valid for.
What other wristband would I need, and can I get one if doing Recycling Crew again ?

There are a few bars (Maceos at Bloc 9, Acoustic) that I know do paper wristbands that can make it easier to get in for the rest of the week, but they're still not a sure bet if it's busy. Having said that I've only ever been knocked back from Theatre & Circus and Park which are both locked down to their specific crews afaik.

What kind of wristbands do Recycling Crew get? I assume not an EPO since they're camped inside the fence.

[dondo]

1 hour ago, JayDiesel said:

In terms of someone (me) who is volunteering purely to be at Glastonbury, what is the worst case scenario for shifts? I went last year as a punter, and feel like I'd be content with working pretty much anytime as long as I had a mix of shifts - i.e., I wouldn't want to work 2-10 on all three proper days of the fest!

With recycling crew you get to put your shift choices in preference order so you can put the ones you don't fancy further down. My preference is mornings so I don't miss the bands in the afternoon but others prefer afternoons so they can stay up later down the SE corner and get a lie in

[This_Fields_Good]

13 minutes ago, oakdown said:

What kind of wristbands do Recycling Crew get? I assume not an EPO since they're camped inside the fence.

Yeah - Not an EPO.
Got a woven general Crew band for site access plus a spangly plastic Recycling Crew one for camping area facilities.

[dondo]

38 minutes ago, This_Fields_Good said:

I worked the festival for the first time last year and had a Recycling Crew wristband.  There were some crew bars that this was not valid for.
What other wristband would I need, and can I get one if doing Recycling Crew again ?

 

15 minutes ago, oakdown said:

There are a few bars (Maceos at Bloc 9, Acoustic) that I know do paper wristbands that can make it easier to get in for the rest of the week, but they're still not a sure bet if it's busy. Having said that I've only ever been knocked back from Theatre & Circus and Park which are both locked down to their specific crews afaik.

What kind of wristbands do Recycling Crew get? I assume not an EPO since they're camped inside the fence.

Only ones I've had a problem with were theatre and circus at any time and acoustic whilst the festival was on.

Some recycling crew do get EPO- depends on what role you get

 

[jfaragher]

1 minute ago, dondo said:

 

Only ones I've had a problem with were theatre and circus at any time and acoustic whilst the festival was on.

Some recycling crew do get EPO- depends on what role you get

 

Vehicle crews all have EPO so they can use the site roads outside the steel shield I think

[LeeHC]

12 minutes ago, dondo said:

 

Only ones I've had a problem with were theatre and circus at any time and acoustic whilst the festival was on.

Some recycling crew do get EPO- depends on what role you get

 

T&C are notoriously fussy. The other year we were with friends with T&C laminates and we had paper T&C bands and the were _still_ sketchy about letting us in.. 'you'll have to keep on eye on them' (to the laminate wearers). Quite what they expected us to do I have no idea

[amfy]

1 hour ago, LizzieRose said:

This is the normal shift pattern, most people will get one morning, afternoon and evening shift.

As Wednesday is the busiest day at the gates, there is also a chance you get one of the other shift patterns with an extra shift on Wednesday instead of your last shift.

E.g. my first year with oxfam I had E shift, but had a Wednesday morning shift 6am-2pm instead of an overnight shift on Sunday. Meant I was totally done with shifts by 2pm on the Saturday - felt so lucky!!!

It’s widely accepted that D is the worst shift pattern in terms of what you miss.

 

Use the lockups to make the most of your time there. On your overnight shift - take your overnight bag to the nearest point to your shift at the start of the day then you can go straight from the headliner to your shift. You don’t want to have to head back up to Oxfield before your shift.

Similarly. If you want to dump all your extraneous stuff when your end your day shift or morning shift & just go straight out- same applies.

Last year we were on Ped gate C and you could leave your stuff at that gate in a little fenced off enclosure, but use the nearest lock ups if you are in a position where there isn’t anywhere safe to leave your bag.

[oakdown]

27 minutes ago, dondo said:

 

Only ones I've had a problem with were theatre and circus at any time and acoustic whilst the festival was on.

Some recycling crew do get EPO- depends on what role you get

 

The only year I've even tried acoustic during the festival (never normally up that way) I had the paper wristband from Monday's bar crawl and got in okay. Have definitely heard it's hit or miss from Wednesday onwards though.

I've found if you're Oxfam, it's sometimes better to tuck your ID away and just let them guess at where you work. Stories floating around last year that some bars were letting EPO bands in but if they knew you were Oxfam they'd knock you back. Not 100% on why they'd do that, but that was the chat.

Second what most folks have said though, once the festival starts they're mostly good for slightly cheaper pints and a chill. Don't usually spend a whole lot of time in them

[giantkatestacks]

Just now, oakdown said:

The only year I've even tried acoustic during the festival (never normally up that way) I had the paper wristband from Monday's bar crawl and got in okay. Have definitely heard it's hit or miss from Wednesday onwards though.

I've found if you're Oxfam, it's sometimes better to tuck your ID away and just let them guess at where you work. Stories floating around last year that some bars were letting EPO bands in but if they knew you were Oxfam they'd knock you back. Not 100% on why they'd do that, but that was the chat.

Second what most folks have said though, once the festival starts they're mostly good for slightly cheaper pints and a chill. Don't usually spend a whole lot of time in them

We are the opposite and spend a lot of time in them - in fact we dont tend to drink anywhere else, plus they are useful toilet spots in main areas. Not Silver Hayes though, their toilets were worse than the public ones but they made up for it with their pizzas - must have had about 5 over the week.

[jfaragher]

4 minutes ago, oakdown said:

The only year I've even tried acoustic during the festival (never normally up that way) I had the paper wristband from Monday's bar crawl and got in okay. Have definitely heard it's hit or miss from Wednesday onwards though.

I've found if you're Oxfam, it's sometimes better to tuck your ID away and just let them guess at where you work. Stories floating around last year that some bars were letting EPO bands in but if they knew you were Oxfam they'd knock you back. Not 100% on why they'd do that, but that was the chat.

Second what most folks have said though, once the festival starts they're mostly good for slightly cheaper pints and a chill. Don't usually spend a whole lot of time in them

I don't think the massive crew bar crawl on the Monday that Oxfam has done in the past helps tbh.  Loads of people turning up at Maceos isn't a big deal, because it's always rowdy and busy, but some of the bars like to keep a calmer atmosphere (like Acoustic).  I've never had an issue with getting into the bars that allow all crews, but I am a cheerful looking middle-aged bloke who just wants a quiet pint, and I'm sure they can sense that 🙂

[tarw]

30 minutes ago, giantkatestacks said:

We are the opposite and spend a lot of time in them - in fact we dont tend to drink anywhere else, plus they are useful toilet spots in main areas. Not Silver Hayes though, their toilets were worse than the public ones but they made up for it with their pizzas - must have had about 5 over the week.

+1 for the pizzas 🍕 they were far too good 

[oakdown]

39 minutes ago, giantkatestacks said:

We are the opposite and spend a lot of time in them - in fact we dont tend to drink anywhere else, plus they are useful toilet spots in main areas. Not Silver Hayes though, their toilets were worse than the public ones but they made up for it with their pizzas - must have had about 5 over the week.

Ooh yet to try those pizzas! Must have eaten one out of the Tow & Hitch every day though, they were crackin

[stuie]

9 minutes ago, tarw said:

+1 for the pizzas 🍕 they were far too good 

See also: Tow & Hitch for the banging pizzas! 

[stuie]

Just now, oakdown said:

Ooh yet to try those pizzas! Must have eaten one out of the Tow & Hitch every day though, they were crackin

haha snap

36 minutes ago, jfaragher said:

I don't think the massive crew bar crawl on the Monday that Oxfam has done in the past helps tbh.  Loads of people turning up at Maceos isn't a big deal, because it's always rowdy and busy, but some of the bars like to keep a calmer atmosphere (like Acoustic).  I've never had an issue with getting into the bars that allow all crews, but I am a cheerful looking middle-aged bloke who just wants a quiet pint, and I'm sure they can sense that 🙂

Yeah, I've never been one for the mass crawl.  Prefer to do my own thing with my mates and bump into the crawl occassionally. 

[balti-pie]

43 minutes ago, jfaragher said:

 I am a cheerful looking middle-aged bloke who just wants a quiet pint, and I'm sure they can sense that 🙂

Same, but miserable looking 😄 resting grump face, i think they call it.

Acoustic dont want a ream of a thousand Oxfam types turning up in one go, but will be fine with dribs and drabs in my experience. Lovely sofas too! I seem to recall Tom's bar (the recycling crew bar) also saying No Mas to the big bar crawl, but thats just logistics and i agree with em, it must be a right pain in the arse to be nice and quiet/hideously rammed/nice and quiet again within an hour or so 

[Festival Sounds Podcast]

16 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

Same, but miserable looking 😄 resting grump face, i think they call it.

Acoustic dont want a ream of a thousand Oxfam types turning up in one go, but will be fine with dribs and drabs in my experience. Lovely sofas too! I seem to recall Tom's bar (the recycling crew bar) also saying No Mas to the big bar crawl, but thats just logistics and i agree with em, it must be a right pain in the arse to be nice and quiet/hideously rammed/nice and quiet again within an hour or so 

I get it for the walk down to the pyramid for a photo. After that being on one big group is a hindrance.
 

There is plenty of opportunity to break up into smaller groups, for newbies to find an a friendly face to tag along with and head in every direction. Even in SE corner, Shangri La and Unfairground bars are great. No need to all head to Maceos all at once.

Edited February 1 by Festival Sounds Podcast

[oakdown]

I definitely felt the crawl helped my first few years, seeing as I was solo and didn't know where anything was. It got out of hand last year for sure though, which was unfortunate seeing as the cancelled crawl was fundraising for a very deserving cause.

[giantkatestacks]

31 minutes ago, stuie said:

See also: Tow & Hitch for the banging pizzas! 

Tow & Hitch for me was all about the chips!

[LeeHC]

21 minutes ago, Festival Sounds Podcast said:

I get it for the walk down to the pyramid for a photo. After that being on one big group is a hindrance.
 

There is plenty of opportunity to break up into smaller groups, for newbies to find an a friendly face to tag along with and head in every direction. Even in SE corner, Shangri La and Unfairground bars are great. No need to all head to Maceos all at once.

Shangri-la was great fun pre-fest especially last year! Tuesday (I think?) had a really fun Balkan jazz band on when we went and it was bouncing! 

 

Maceos is a victim of its own success sometimes..

[Skip997]

8 minutes ago, LeeHC said:

Maceos is a victim of its own success sometimes..

Massively

But at least they have the sense to put up crew only signs when it gets too busy