Volunteering 2025

[Chazwozza]

This thread is meant to bring together useful info from last year’s ’Volunteering 2024’ thread and update it to reflect changes for 2025.

 

 So to start with here’s a link to the excellent spreadsheet of the various volunteering options that@Leyrulion put together:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JAcEC1skr5YsqgyIYUwy6_1HSRh0Fw_Ud0RkQaQIPkM/edit?usp=drivesdk  

[stuie]

Thanks @Chazwozza

 

A quick post from me about next year!  With the fallow year confirmed as 2026, Glasto tickets and Oxfam Festivals volunteering spaces will be like gold dust next year (2025).   If you've only done Glasto this season, it's seriously worth giving some consideration to doing a second festival so that you secure a priority space and pretty much guarantee your spot at Glasto 2025.

 

Spaces available at: 

2000 Trees

Latitude

WOMAD

Wilderness

Boardmasters 

Boomtown 
ArcTangent

 

Currently full: 

Beautiful Days

Leeds

Reading 

Shambala

[efcfanwirral]

14 minutes ago, stuie said:

Thanks @Chazwozza

 

A quick post from me about next year!  With the fallow year confirmed as 2026, Glasto tickets and Oxfam Festivals volunteering spaces will be like gold dust next year (2025).   If you've only done Glasto this season, it's seriously worth giving some consideration to doing a second festival so that you secure a priority space and pretty much guarantee your spot at Glasto 2025.

 

Spaces available at: 

2000 Trees

Latitude

WOMAD

Wilderness

Boardmasters 

Boomtown 
ArcTangent

 

Currently full: 

Beautiful Days

Leeds

Reading 

Shambala

This is what we're doing. We both got lucky in the May release of spots, and immediately added Reading to give us the priority for next year, and we intend on doing two each summer (when there's a Glastonbury the next year) to make sure, though the ticket sale is our first choice. 

 

We may use the fallow year to get to our 7 in 7 years and top that up, if that's still a qualifying criteria by that point.

 

To add something actually useful, if you want one of those that's currently full then if you make use of the Distill page tracker, you have a good chance of getting in, or at least better than if you just keep checking. We used it for our Reading spot and quite a few came up over a few days.

Edited July 9 by efcfanwirral

[philipsteak]

3 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

This is what we're doing. We both got lucky in the May release of spots, and immediately added Reading to give us the priority for next year, and we intend on doing two each summer (when there's a Glastonbury the next year) to make sure, though the ticket sale is our first choice. 

 

We may use the fallow year to get to our 7 in 7 years and top that up, if that's still a qualifying criteria by that point.

 

To add something actually useful, if you want one of those that's currently full then if you make use of the Distill page tracker, you have a good chance of getting in. We used it for our Reading spot. 

 

This is a good point and something for people to be aware of. The criteria for Priority for Oxfam do sometimes change so it's worth making sure you're aware of what it is. Although I don't see the most common one, 2 festivals the year before, changing anytime soon as it seems to work quite well for them. Unless it gets to a point where there's a risk of Priority stewards filling Glastonbury. I don't think that'll happen, but you never know. 

[efcfanwirral]

14 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

 

This is a good point and something for people to be aware of. The criteria for Priority for Oxfam do sometimes change so it's worth making sure you're aware of what it is. Although I don't see the most common one, 2 festivals the year before, changing anytime soon as it seems to work quite well for them. Unless it gets to a point where there's a risk of Priority stewards filling Glastonbury. I don't think that'll happen, but you never know. 

You'd assume that the first change would be to separate out Glastonbury priority and make it so that you had to volunteer at that particular festival the previous year to get "super priority" or something, then let the rest of the priority fight it out over the remaining spots. Even then I can't imagine it'd get too over subscribed as there are still downsides, and there will always be people who get tickets the normal way. And that's before life circumstances leading to cancellations or people just not wanting to go each year

Edited July 9 by efcfanwirral

[stuie]

14 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

You'd assume that the first change would be to separate out Glastonbury priority and make it so that you had to volunteer at that particular festival the previous year to get "super priority" or something, then let the rest of the priority fight it out over the remaining spots. Even then I can't imagine it'd get too over subscribed as there are still downsides, and there will always be people who get tickets the normal way

 

They make good use of Glasto's popularity to fill other less popular festivals, so I think that will stay. 

 

Probably get rid of the supervisors 1 festival per year perk first! 

 

[tarw]

Well the good news is that I won’t be using my priority place!

I will have priority for doing Wilderness and Shambala this year but will hopefully be volunteering in a different role at Glastonbury again so will not be using it 

[germanmon]

Oxfam Shambala spaces for this year's festival came up again this morning if anyone is looking to add a second festival to gain priority. Can't see if it's sold out again, but worth keeping an eye on as the cancellation date is coming up for those already registered so might be more slots due to come up. 

[philipsteak]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

 

They make good use of Glasto's popularity to fill other less popular festivals, so I think that will stay. 

 

Probably get rid of the supervisors 1 festival per year perk first! 

 

 

They struggle for supervisors at some festivals too though. I think if anything the 7 in 7 will change and become more stringent. 

 

Or something like if you supervise you need to do 2 but if you don't then you need to do 3. That'd be harsh though. 

 

At the moment I think just over half the Glastonbury places go to priority and the rest to general so if it stays at that I doubt they'll change too much

[Leyrulion]

Worth noting Oxfam priority is set for 2025 now so I'd be surprised if they changed it. It reads like they've already scrapped the supervisor rule, unless it's just not on the website. It used to be though. 

https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/priority/

[philipsteak]

4 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

Worth noting Oxfam priority is set for 2025 now so I'd be surprised if they changed it. It reads like they've already scrapped the supervisor rule, unless it's just not on the website. It used to be though. 

https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/priority/

 

Hadn't noticed that. I'd say that means they've scrapped it. 

 

I'm only doing one this year as I had to drop out of Glastonbury but I'll qualify on the 7 since 2018 rule

[stuie]

18 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

Worth noting Oxfam priority is set for 2025 now so I'd be surprised if they changed it. It reads like they've already scrapped the supervisor rule, unless it's just not on the website. It used to be though. 

https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/priority/

oh yeah! That was a bit crafty of them. I qualify under the ‘7 in 7’ and ‘2 this year rules’ anyway as I’ve just done Glasto and still have Wilderness and Beautiful Days to go 😀

[Leyrulion]

I'm only doing 1 this year which gives me 7 completed festivals with them.

[sedra]

23 hours ago, stuie said:

Thanks @Chazwozza

 

A quick post from me about next year!  With the fallow year confirmed as 2026, Glasto tickets and Oxfam Festivals volunteering spaces will be like gold dust next year (2025).   If you've only done Glasto this season, it's seriously worth giving some consideration to doing a second festival so that you secure a priority space and pretty much guarantee your spot at Glasto 2025.

 

Spaces available at: 

2000 Trees

Latitude

WOMAD

Wilderness

Boardmasters 

Boomtown 
ArcTangent

 

Currently full: 

Beautiful Days

Leeds

Reading 

Shambala

Leeds

reading and Shambala available on Oxfam now as well 

[ELOISECLAYTON25]

Hi everyone!

 

First time volunteer, lifelong festival goer here! 

 

I'm reaching out to get some advice on how to get an early start with volunteering this year. I missed out on volunteering at Glastonbury in 2024 because I was too late to sign up, and I don't want to make the same mistake again. I'm really eager to volunteer, not just for Glastonbury but for other festivals as well. Any guidance or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Best wishes,

Eloise. 

[tarw]

2 hours ago, ELOISECLAYTON25 said:

Hi everyone!

 

First time volunteer, lifelong festival goer here! 

 

I'm reaching out to get some advice on how to get an early start with volunteering this year. I missed out on volunteering at Glastonbury in 2024 because I was too late to sign up, and I don't want to make the same mistake again. I'm really eager to volunteer, not just for Glastonbury but for other festivals as well. Any guidance or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Best wishes,

Eloise. 

It depends on what type of volunteering you want to do. 
If you’ve got medical skills and don’t mind bringing your day job to a festival there’s FMS or Festimed and a few other companies that do all sorts of festivals. 
If you’re artistic there’s bin painting or build and break work at other festivals. 
Oxfam is probably the most general and cover the most festivals. 
For Glastonbury there is a spreadsheet with all of the opportunities on created by @Leyrulion I think somewhere on this thread. For other festivals have a look at their websites or if Oxfam suits you then apply for a load of different festivals through them

[Leyrulion]

4 hours ago, ELOISECLAYTON25 said:

Hi everyone!

 

First time volunteer, lifelong festival goer here! 

 

I'm reaching out to get some advice on how to get an early start with volunteering this year. I missed out on volunteering at Glastonbury in 2024 because I was too late to sign up, and I don't want to make the same mistake again. I'm really eager to volunteer, not just for Glastonbury but for other festivals as well. Any guidance or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

Best wishes,

Eloise. 

Water aid and Avalon bars are imo the best routes in. Oxfam as well but the places go so incredibly quickly it's not one to be relied upon. Whereas wateraid and Avalon were calling people up from reserve waiting lists quite late in the day. 

 

Yeah you're right to want to plan early as the vast majority of opportunities are gone by end of March. 

[marathonsteve]

we were  just wondering will 

stewards with disabilities be catered for with oxfam

[March Hare]

On 7/9/2024 at 6:08 PM, Leyrulion said:

Worth noting Oxfam priority is set for 2025 now so I'd be surprised if they changed it. It reads like they've already scrapped the supervisor rule, unless it's just not on the website. It used to be though. 

https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/priority/

What?! We are very surprised with this and it was done quietly. Although we qualify for the 7 in 7 so no biggie.

 

We very much enjoyed supervising at Boomtown this year. That was something new.

 

 

[StoneCircle]

2 hours ago, marathonsteve said:

we were  just wondering will 

stewards with disabilities be catered for with oxfam

 

Here is a link to the accessible information provided by Oxfam - https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/accessibility/

 

I am an ex Oxfam Steward with accessible needs having requested reasonable adjustments and them being agreed to at 5 festivals I volunteered with for Oxfam between 2016 & 2022. It is unbelievable that at 4 of 5 they completely failed to cater for my reasonable adjustments once I had got to the festival. I personally would never volunteer with them again. 🤦🏻

[philipsteak]

As a counterpoint, but not wanting to play down StoneCircle's experience (I've said before either in this years thread or the previous year that I thought the way Oxfam treated them was awful) I had a relativity positive experience at Shambala this year. The medical issue that kept me out of Glastonbury this year still had the potential to cause problems at Shambala so I contacted then about 4 weeks before the fest to request an adjustment, right on the deadline for requests. The role I was given (Oxfield supervisor) was fine for my needs if a little dull compared to the fun shifts my friends had in the arena. I also had a few stewards on my team who had RAs which were easier to accommodate in the Oxfield (mostly around not being on their feet for a long period, that sort of thing).

These were all relatively straightforward though, I have no idea how they are at dealing with more complex requests.

Edited Tuesday at 06:53 AM by philipsteak

[CharlotteB]

19 hours ago, ELOISECLAYTON25 said:

Hi everyone!

 

First time volunteer, lifelong festival goer here! 

 

I'm reaching out to get some advice on how to get an early start with volunteering this year. I missed out on volunteering at Glastonbury in 2024 because I was too late to sign up, and I don't want to make the same mistake again. I'm really eager to volunteer, not just for Glastonbury but for other festivals as well. Any guidance or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Best wishes,

Eloise. 

 

I know the Recycling Crew usually start taking new names in December/January time, but like previously said, competition might be tough for a first timer. But (if you're flexible and can move fast) sometimes people drop out and you could get called up out of the blue last minute. I net a few people who that happened to.

[marathonsteve]

21 hours ago, StoneCircle said:

 

Here is a link to the accessible information provided by Oxfam - https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/accessibility/

 

I am an ex Oxfam Steward with accessible needs having requested reasonable adjustments and them being agreed to at 5 festivals I volunteered with for Oxfam between 2016 & 2022. It is unbelievable that at 4 of 5 they completely failed to cater for my reasonable adjustments once I had got to the festival. I personally would never volunteer with them again. 🤦🏻

Oxfam is a charity. You need to be extremely careful with this company and you have to ask anyone replies if their are working for them 

[marathonsteve]

14 hours ago, philipsteak said:

As a counterpoint, but not wanting to play down StoneCircle's experience (I've said before either in this years thread or the previous year that I thought the way Oxfam treated them was awful) I had a relativity positive experience at Shambala this year. The medical issue that kept me out of Glastonbury this year still had the potential to cause problems at Shambala so I contacted then about 4 weeks before the fest to request an adjustment, right on the deadline for requests. The role I was given (Oxfield supervisor) was fine for my needs if a little dull compared to the fun shifts my friends had in the arena. I also had a few stewards on my team who had RAs which were easier to accommodate in the Oxfield (mostly around not being on their feet for a long period, that sort of thing).

These were all relatively straightforward though, I have no idea how they are at dealing with more complex requests.

Oxfam is a company called charity. You need to be extremely careful with this company and you have to ask anyone replies if their are working for them 

[efcfanwirral]

2 hours ago, marathonsteve said:

Oxfam is a charity. You need to be extremely careful with this company and you have to ask anyone replies if their are working for them 

What do you mean about being careful with them?