Reading says "Bollocks to Poverty"

All rocked out at Reading? Festival goers can take a breather at the ActionAid Space tent.

For anyone who’s had one riff too many, the charity has lined-up some very special guest DJs to headline its 1000-capacity Bollocks to Poverty event.

Returning for its fifth year at Reading, the ActionAid Space tent (just outside the main arena) opens 24 hours before the first bands plug in on Thursday.

From early evening until 3am every night of the festival the Bollocks to Poverty DJs will play out a ska and soul cocktail topped with a hip-hop glacier cherry and an electro umbrella.

During the day visitors to the tent can also indulge in giant Jenga, Connect Four and table tennis, while relaxing Moroccan-style on cushions and rugs. Punters cans also join the likes of the Dirty Pretty Things and the Editors by signing up to ActionAid’s HIV and Aids Campaign.

At the G8 meeting in Gleneagles last July Bush, Blair and other world leaders made a historic commitment to ensure that Aids drugs will be available to all those who need them by 2010.

This promise generated hope for the 40 million people living with HIV and Aids. But according to Brendan O’Donnell, ActionAid youth campaigns manager and festival veteran, the target is meaningless without sufficient funding.

"If 2005 was the year of promises, 2006 must be the year of action. We don't want another Live8 in twenty years time - we want these problems to be solved now. Millions of deaths can be prevented if world leaders get the funding in place now."

One year on ActionAid is piling on the pressure in the UK and Brendan and his youth campaigns team are on a tour of the summer festivals to build up support.

He said: "Young people share our frustration with injustice - we want them to know they can do something about it. It's no good trying to guilt-trip people into action - you’ve got to make it fun and empowering. We've been turning up at festivals for the last five years - it’s a great way to spread the word."

ActionAid is asking punters to support its HIV and Aids campaign by posing for a photo at the ActionAid tent while holding a "treatment for all" message. The photo messages - designed to look like records – will then be sent to MPs and also uploaded to an online gallery at www.actionaidspace.org.

ActionAid has already got the backing of Reading main-stagers Dirty Pretty Things.

Didz, from Dirty Pretty Things, said: "It’s important that everyone is aware of the situation. We need to get behind the campaign.".


Tickets for the Carling Weekend are on sale, but all weekend tickets are sold out. There are day tickets still available for Friday and Saturday at Leeds and Friday at Reading. These tickets cost £60 each (and do not include camping). To buy, click here.

The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival takes place at Little Johns Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, and The Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival takes place at Bramham Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire. Both festivals happen on Friday 25th to Sunday 27 August.

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