Volunteering 2025

[stuie]

  On 1/31/2025 at 11:12 AM, Skip997 said:

Sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for My Cause applications for Noisily and Shambala to open. Meant to be today, but no time given. 

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Ooooh you'll like Noisily (proper festival) 🙂 

[Skip997]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:09 PM, stuie said:

Ooooh you'll like Noisily (proper festival) 🙂 

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Hopefully will be my first visit to Noisily, fingers crossed. Should be okay, I’ve got My Cause priority 

[stuie]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:07 PM, sedra said:

Oxfam no longer doing Bearded Theory but are doing some new festivals 

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 Or ArcTangent!  

Going to be some people unhappy about this decision - they both have their dedicated fan volunteers! 

[Pinhead]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:17 PM, stuie said:

 Or ArcTangent!  

Going to be some people unhappy about this decision - they both have their dedicated fan volunteers! 

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wow - I'm actually quite shocked over that one! Either they cocked up bad somewhere last year, or more likely the new owners of the festival just don't see the need for them what with all the other groups also filling similar roles there. Are MyCause still there this year?

[Pinhead]

WOMAD not there either. Seems a few smaller newer festivals and London park festivals have taken their place?

Edited January 31 by Pinhead

[Leyrulion]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:24 PM, Pinhead said:

WOMAD not there either. Seems a few smaller newer festivals and London park festivals have taken their place?

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Womad isn't on this year. Think they're filling the gaps with say festivals, almost all in London though so not that helpful if you don't live there.

[Pinhead]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:30 PM, Leyrulion said:

Womad isn't on this year. Think they're filling the gaps with say festivals, almost all in London though so not that helpful if you don't live there.

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Oh yeah - totally forgot - moving site next year too wasn't it?

 

See Camp Bestivals not on there now either.

 

Lytham would work out for me, but do you have to do all 5 days if you sign up for that one?

 

[incident]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:35 PM, Pinhead said:

See Camp Bestivals not on there now either.

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Camp Bestival hasn't been on the Oxfam list for a while now, it's not been available since the Bestivals went bankrupt owing Oxfam a large sum of money.

[balti-pie]

hmmm, i fancied Arctangent one of these years, bit disappointed its fallen off the calendar. Bearded Theory was fun last year and wouldve signed up for it this year, but AL concerns made it tricky anyways - never mind. 

Quite fancy a bit of Deftones at crystal palace though 👍 some good, some bad, things changing at oxfam! 

[Pinhead]

How long does Glasto priority take to go these years - is it like a gone in 60 seconds thing?

[Leyrulion]

  On 1/31/2025 at 3:19 PM, Pinhead said:

How long does Glasto priority take to go these years - is it like a gone in 60 seconds thing?

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It doesn't fill up. 

[Pinhead]

  On 1/31/2025 at 3:24 PM, Leyrulion said:

It doesn't fill up. 

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Good stuff. Since I've not got tix I'll plumb for that this year.

 

Anyone know why Bearded was dropped? I've worked there for Oxfam every year since 2014... (maybe it my fault 😉

[Ben7amin_]

Always waned to do Bearded with Oxfam but never managed to which is the shame - Knowing Oxfam only provided a small number of stewards anyway - Does anyone knw who the main provider for them is?

[deepkittycaz]

  On 1/31/2025 at 2:21 PM, Pinhead said:

 

wow - I'm actually quite shocked over that one! Either they cocked up bad somewhere last year, or more likely the new owners of the festival just don't see the need for them what with all the other groups also filling similar roles there. Are MyCause still there this year?

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ATG haven't been bought by anyone. Or did you mean Bearded have? 

 

ATG are still owned by the same people as 2000 Trees, so it's odd that Trees is still on the Oxfam list.

[Pinhead]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:00 PM, deepkittycaz said:

 

ATG haven't been bought by anyone. Or did you mean Bearded have? 

 

ATG are still owned by the same people as 2000 Trees, so it's odd that Trees is still on the Oxfam list.

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I meant that a couple years ago Bearded were bought and a number of changes happened after that, of which this may be a continuation of those changes. Is it just MyCause that are doing stewarding there now this year - I kind of though last year there was a significant overlap of roles between them and Oxfam.

 

Edited January 31 by Pinhead

[tarw]

  On 1/31/2025 at 11:12 AM, Skip997 said:

Sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for My Cause applications for Noisily and Shambala to open. Meant to be today, but no time given. 

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No chance of getting your way back into Shambala through crafts again?

[incident]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:09 PM, Pinhead said:

I meant that a couple years ago Bearded were bought and a number of changes happened after that, of which this may be a continuation of those changes. Is it just MyCause that are doing stewarding there now this year - I kind of though last year there was a significant overlap of roles between them and Oxfam.

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It appears that both MyCause and Oxfam have lost their roles at Bearded, to Festaff.

 

I would assume that the decision came down to money on the part of DHP, and personally would expect that they'll find it to be a false economy.

[stuie]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:22 PM, incident said:

 

It appears that both MyCause and Oxfam have lost their roles at Bearded, to Festaff.

 

I would assume that the decision came down to money on the part of DHP, and personally would expect that they'll find it to be a false economy.

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I'd say that's accurate but Oxfam worded it to say they themselves had stepped away.  Maybe they were given the chance to match Festaff commercials but that would make it not worthwhile. 

 

Bad optics, no charity involvement, private companies making ££

[sedra]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:22 PM, incident said:

 

It appears that both MyCause and Oxfam have lost their roles at Bearded, to Festaff.

 

I would assume that the decision came down to money on the part of DHP, and personally would expect that they'll find it to be a false economy.

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Oxfam has put a link on their page to volunteer directly with Beardy or ArcTangent if people are interested 

[incident]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:34 PM, stuie said:

Maybe they were given the chance to match Festaff commercials but that would make it not worthwhile.

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Yeah, that seems likely.

[sedra]

https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/info/bearded-theory-arctangent-update/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3GKI-gSFNph9bTNYDZO8TAE7xJ7w5uWoCkcdHWRtbOaic3vishwXQYAXE_aem_ih4cQT_X9aJMGcCdH2W4ww

[Pinhead]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:38 PM, incident said:

 

Yeah, that seems likely.

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Not impossible that the commercials might swing the other way in the future then.

[Pinhead]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:34 PM, sedra said:

Oxfam has put a link on their page to volunteer directly with Beardy or ArcTangent if people are interested 

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Presumably will not count to a Oxfam priority for Bearded however.

[stuie]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:34 PM, sedra said:

Oxfam has put a link on their page to volunteer directly with Beardy or ArcTangent if people are interested 

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ArcTangent taking volunteers directly and they only have to work 1 x 8 hour shift with a £50 deposit! Seems a good deal. 

[Skip997]

  On 1/31/2025 at 4:11 PM, tarw said:

No chance of getting your way back into Shambala through crafts again?

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Maybe. I’ll have to wait a while to find out, but TBH My Cause is a much easier gig, only 16 hours (max) and finished by Friday afternoon