Volunteering 2025

[JayDiesel]

3 minutes ago, fullfathom5 said:

Can I ask a question re: Oxfam Stewarding. Am I right in thinking to get Glasto priority you have to do 2 camping festivals the year prior?

 

So if I wanted to potentially get priority for 2027, I’d want to be looking at doing 2 fests for them in 2026 - is that right?

Yeah, that's it. Oxfam don't orient themselves around Glasto, so if you did two this year, tough luck that it's the fallow next year.

[fullfathom5]

Just now, JayDiesel said:

Yeah, that's it. Oxfam don't orient themselves around Glasto, so if you did two this year, tough luck that it's the fallow next year.

cool, thank you mate.

[stuie]

8 minutes ago, JayDiesel said:

Yeah, that's it. Oxfam don't orient themselves around Glasto, so if you did two this year, tough luck that it's the fallow next year.

 

I'm not sure about that... for 2019 (after the 2018 fallow year) they made changes to the priority criteria.

 

If the same change is made then doing 2 festivals this year (2024) and 1 next year (2025) would mean you'd have priority status for 2026. 

 

We'll have to wait and see. 

 

Below from Oxfam re 2019:

 

Quote

To qualify for priority status in 2019 you must have done one of the following:

Volunteered at 3 festivals in 2017
Volunteered at 2 festivals in 2017 and 1 festival in 2018
Volunteered at 2 festivals in 2018 (the normal priority rule)

Oxfam campaigning or shop roles can count towards this, providing at least 1 volunteer experience has been stewarding and you have completed stewards training.

Experienced/long-term returning stewards will qualify for priority status, if one of the following applies:

You have held a supervisor role at festivals for us, for the last 2 consecutive years.
You have volunteered in 4 of the past 5 years and have volunteered 8 festivals within that period.
You have volunteered at 10 or more festivals in the past 10 years

 

 

 

[fullfathom5]

Thanks. I’m just thinking ahead for 2027 onwards and whether I start volunteering in 2026 as a back up plan on if I can’t get tickets. 17th Glasto for me in 2025 since 2003 (only missed 2005) and I imagine my luck will run out at some point.

[stuie]

8 minutes ago, fullfathom5 said:

Thanks. I’m just thinking ahead for 2027 onwards and whether I start volunteering in 2026 as a back up plan on if I can’t get tickets. 17th Glasto for me in 2025 since 2003 (only missed 2005) and I imagine my luck will run out at some point.

 

That's pretty certain.. if you do 2 in 2026, you'll have priority for G2027. 

[stuie]

27 minutes ago, JayDiesel said:

Yeah, that's it. Oxfam don't orient themselves around Glasto, so if you did two this year, tough luck that it's the fallow next year.

If you did 2 this year, you'll have priority for next year (2025) 

The fallow is 2026.

[JayDiesel]

15 minutes ago, stuie said:

If you did 2 this year, you'll have priority for next year (2025) 

The fallow is 2026.

Apologies, my syntax played up with my intent there. I did mean 'this coming year' of fests, but realise now that it looks like I meant 2024. I'll leave future volunteering PSAs to my more experienced peers 🫡

[stuie]

29 minutes ago, JayDiesel said:

Apologies, my syntax played up with my intent there. I did mean 'this coming year' of fests, but realise now that it looks like I meant 2024. I'll leave future volunteering PSAs to my more experienced peers 🫡

My syntax ready your answer with your actual intent on the first read, which is why I posted that Oxfam may change criteria for the Glasto after the fallow year! 🙂 

 

 

 

 

[Leyrulion]

23 hours ago, Old_Johno said:

If anyones looking at refresh west, they run the bars at the Prospect building and there’s a few 1 day events listed on their site at the moment so it’s an easy way to get yourself onto the crew list and bag a spot at Glastonbury. 
 

edit: if you live in/ near Bristol 

And refresh West and event Bars are actually live right now for applications.

[fullfathom5]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

 

That's pretty certain.. if you do 2 in 2026, you'll have priority for G2027. 

cheers 

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

 

I'm not sure about that... for 2019 (after the 2018 fallow year) they made changes to the priority criteria.

 

If the same change is made then doing 2 festivals this year (2024) and 1 next year (2025) would mean you'd have priority status for 2026. 

 

We'll have to wait and see. 

 

Below from Oxfam re 2019:

 

 

 

 

That's interesting! 

 

I just went on and worked out that (assuming they don't change priority) with what I've done I'll have enough festivals to get a priority spot up to Glasto 2028 without doing a single one between now and then. 

[Debani]

Current Oxfam priority is 2 in prior year or 7 in last 7 years

 

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

[CharlotteB]

Recyclers, did you get the email from Nat? Not sure how I feel about veteran status going. I was proud of that 😢 

[pie_and_a_pint]

On 11/22/2024 at 1:18 PM, CharlotteB said:

Recyclers, did you get the email from Nat? Not sure how I feel about veteran status going. I was proud of that 😢 

Yeah, not massively chuffed about seven years of hard graft not counting for anything, really.

[stuie]

53 minutes ago, pie_and_a_pint said:

Yeah, not massively chuffed about seven years of hard graft not counting for anything, really.

Does 7 years not guarantee your place now? 😞 

[CharlotteB]

2 hours ago, pie_and_a_pint said:

Yeah, not massively chuffed about seven years of hard graft not counting for anything, really.

 

I feel sorry for the ones who would've turned veteran next year. It's a bit of a milestone to work towards. I'm not even really sure why they've made the change - just so they only have to make the one t-shirt? It's still nice to have the status though.

[pie_and_a_pint]

2 hours ago, stuie said:

Does 7 years not guarantee your place now? 😞 

I don't think getting a place is an issue. But veterans used to get a slightly better pick of shifts (if they weren't with a charity) and we got a different t-shirt which sort of made a difference as a thank you and acknowledgement that it wasn't our first rodeo.

[stuie]

1 hour ago, pie_and_a_pint said:

I don't think getting a place is an issue. But veterans used to get a slightly better pick of shifts (if they weren't with a charity) and we got a different t-shirt which sort of made a difference as a thank you and acknowledgement that it wasn't our first rodeo.

 

Ah I see... seems like an usual thing to change but I don't understand the setup with the recyclers.

It's nice to feel valued and acknowledged! 

 

[SPW]

Anyone have any comparitive experiences between Wateraid and Oxfam volunteering. Only ask as I registered with the latter but had decided separately to potentially do some non-festival related volunteering with the former (had decided to give some time to something now both children have turned into adults and chose that as something that I care about and I think I have something to offer to from my work experience etc.).  So on reflection it makes more sense to volunteer with them IF I do go down the festival volunteering route also. 

Edited November 24 by SPW

[Leyrulion]

17 hours ago, SPW said:

Anyone have any comparitive experiences between Wateraid and Oxfam volunteering. Only ask as I registered with the latter but had decided separately to potentially do some non-festival related volunteering with the former (had decided to give some time to something now both children have turned into adults and chose that as something that I care about and I think I have something to offer to from my work experience etc.).  So on reflection it makes more sense to volunteer with them IF I do go down the festival volunteering route also. 

 

Wateraid is not as bad as you think apparently. If you don't have past festivals with Oxfam the odds of getting a space are low so wateraid might be better route for you. 

 

My advice to everyone is to at least register interest for all of them and then see what works for you in the new year what the best fit might be. 

[Someoni]

Just seen this on Facebook 

 

[Old_Johno]

4 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

 

Wateraid is not as bad as you think apparently. If you don't have past festivals with Oxfam the odds of getting a space are low so wateraid might be better route for you. 

 

The main downer for wateraid is you do 4 shifts instead of 3 (6 hours instead of 8), and realistically you’re going to want a shower after cleaning toilets for 6 hours so can eat up quite a lot of time, once you’ve gone back to the staff camp. 

 

On the other hand stewarding can be miles away from anything, so if you can make peace with not showering after cleaning then wateraid might be better for you.

[SPW]

7 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

 

Wateraid is not as bad as you think apparently. If you don't have past festivals with Oxfam the odds of getting a space are low so wateraid might be better route for you. 

 

My advice to everyone is to at least register interest for all of them and then see what works for you in the new year what the best fit might be. 

 

2 hours ago, Old_Johno said:

The main downer for wateraid is you do 4 shifts instead of 3 (6 hours instead of 8), and realistically you’re going to want a shower after cleaning toilets for 6 hours so can eat up quite a lot of time, once you’ve gone back to the staff camp. 

 

On the other hand stewarding can be miles away from anything, so if you can make peace with not showering after cleaning then wateraid might be better for you.

 

Cheers both. Yeah I noticed the 4 shorter shifts and would prefer to do less but longer shifts if given a choice. But in any event, either is prob a bit of a long shot this time round so will keep an eye on both for now and see what's what in the New Yr and how the non-festival volunteering progresses as that may sway what's the best option for me.  Generally, I am accepting of it being a different festival experience and not necessarily being able to do/see all I'd ordinarily want to. 

 

p.s. as for the post shift showering, that depends on what I would be missing 😃. 

[sedra]

8 minutes ago, SPW said:

 

 

Cheers both. Yeah I noticed the 4 shorter shifts and would prefer to do less but longer shifts if given a choice. But in any event, either is prob a bit of a long shot this time round so will keep an eye on both for now and see what's what in the New Yr and how the non-festival volunteering progresses as that may sway what's the best option for me.  Generally, I am accepting of it being a different festival experience and not necessarily being able to do/see all I'd ordinarily want to. 

 

p.s. as for the post shift showering, that depends on what I would be missing 😃. 

Oxfam only steward on gates at Glastonbury. So you could be anywhere there is an entrance onto the site - a busy main gate or stuck somewhere back of beyond! There are 6 shift patterns. 3 Shifts are 6am-2pm; 2pm-10pm; 10pm-6am. And can start early. I did Weds pm; Friday am; and Sat overnight this year. So wasn’t too bad for seeing stuff. 5 shower tokens, 3 meal tokens and car park next to camping just outside gate B. 

[IFinallyGotATicket]

7 hours ago, sedra said:

Oxfam only steward on gates at Glastonbury. So you could be anywhere there is an entrance onto the site - a busy main gate or stuck somewhere back of beyond! There are 6 shift patterns. 3 Shifts are 6am-2pm; 2pm-10pm; 10pm-6am. And can start early. I did Weds pm; Friday am; and Sat overnight this year. So wasn’t too bad for seeing stuff. 5 shower tokens, 3 meal tokens and car park next to camping just outside gate B. 

We ended up parking there too but wasn't working , did alright we did 😅😂