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5 hours ago, karl3 said:

Like many others I failed miserably in October so looked at all avenues and this seemed like the best bet for me and I've been offered a role here and at a couple of other festivals so I'm buzzing! I'm really looking forward to being on site a couple of days before gates open and getting to meet a lot of new, like minded people. Hopefully it's as good as it sounds and I'll be able to come back each year and get around some other festivals too in the coming years.

See you all there :)

Ditto! Getting tickets is so bloody hard nowadays. My first glasto, Jay-z headlined and the tickets sales flopped, kinda wish it was still as easy then! 

 

Knowing we won't have to queue at the gates for a century and deal with traffic is such a relief. I'm also excited to see the site fill up as the  crowds arrive. 

 

See you there! 

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6 hours ago, Cnr_22 said:

Yeah I queried that with them and they say it hasn't been decided who is going to do the staff wristbanding this year (Last year I was invited around May time to do the staff wristbanding so still a bit of time till we know I guess) previous years I heard they were in a placed called 'Tom's Field' inside the fence and you had a few of the regulars wax lyrical about how it was 10x better there, I couldn't comment.

 

2 hours ago, loveansley said:

Great thank you so much! - I'm counting down the days already! My friends think I’m mad going by myself but I would rather that than not go for another year! Unfortunately registration has closed for Festaff but Shelter applications open soon – you need to pre register first I think and deposit is £300 – although a hefty fee worth a shot maybe??  

 

1 hour ago, alisonbison said:

I was thinking of Shelter but I'm gonna leave it now and stick with Festaff. Shelter sound like they have better camping and facilities for workers, plus you don't have to do a sister festival so you get your money back quicker, but I think Festaff does tend to give you earlier shifts, so you'll miss less of the headliners. 

Just because a crew site is in X in 2016 does not mean they will be using the same crew site in 2017 - in my years the wbc crew site started in the East and every so many years its moved and we are now in the West - until the set up crew arrives I cant say if its in the same place this year.  

Shelter/Avalon moved their crew campsite in 2014 - funny enough close to where the WBC used to camp in the late 80's although what its like these days I don't have a clue but they will have showers - toilets and at least one mess tent where they have a cheap bar.

Big Note - that campsite is secure - they will not allow you to bring any friends in.

and its just Outside the wall

Although I have never worked for Avalon I do know the people who run it { they broke away from the WBC } and they are well experienced at running festival bars and they will be fair as long as your fair with them . I Know most of their tent Managers and everyone who is in charge of Production.

sadly in recent years they did suffer from people who paid the deposit - got their GFL Crew wrist band and then Vanished hence the reason why its now £300

this did impact them in 2015 where they had to close some bars .

whoever you work with don't be put off being on your own as  you will soon make friends as people tend to stick together -

I started in 1989 and I am still friends with people I first met 28 years ago

you are correct that Shelter applications will open soon { they are a bit late this year }

Anyone who is tempted ' needs to fully read the terms and conditions ' before applying

Shift patterns ' in the past ' will either be three eight-hour shifts, four six-hour shifts or six split shifts in blocks of four hours. And the maximum number of days you may work is four.

I see loads of posts from people who were not happy with the shifts even although its all in the  terms and conditions.

as to if its better work than Festaff or Oxfam ' they all have + and - points.

I have worked in most of their bars when the WBC ran them and they are interesting.

I and my Team work six days { and that can be six hours or far longer on the Sunday evening as we keep the crew bar running until the coaches arrive. }

unless you have been a Volunteer a very long time { in my case it was after 25 years } its unlikely they will allow you to pick your own shifts - some may allow people to transfer the duty but its Unlikely.

Edited by glasto-worker
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3 minutes ago, Glastonburygeek4 said:

Ditto! Getting tickets is so bloody hard nowadays. My first glasto, Jay-z headlined and the tickets sales flopped, kinda wish it was still as easy then! 

 

Knowing we won't have to queue at the gates for a century and deal with traffic is such a relief. I'm also excited to see the site fill up as the  crowds arrive. 

 

See you there! 

That was my first Glasto too - such great memories! It's like a military operation nowadays and even with everyone and their Nan trying for tickets for me I still wasn't lucky! I think it's just going to get harder and harder.

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Oxfam is still in pre- registration, so no-one has 'missed out' on Oxfam yet. All the same - I'm going to try to register with Shelter as they are opening up first and Oxfam is potentially a second attempt if I don't get Sheleter, whereas if I only go for Oxfam, I'll have nothing if that doesn't work out.

Also - for me I prefer something where I am moving. I really hate standing. If I have to wait too long for a bus, I'll walk to the next stop (& probably miss one) rather than stand and wait. If I am watching music, I will always dance even if I hate it because I'd rather dance than stand - so the opportunity to wander around pulling pints & socialising, feels better than standing directing cars in, in a field on my own for example. Even if it does mean missing more of the actual festival.

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Doh! I never even thought of that!

If I stand still for too long my bones ache, I never even considered that being a problem with the wristbanding for Festaff.

 

Oh well,  it's all accepted now. Will just have to see how it goes. Hopefully nobody will mind me doing a set of star jumps every half hour..

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On 23/02/2017 at 4:54 PM, Glastonburygeek4 said:

That's cool! Are you planning to drive down on the Tuesday/Monday? I'm from near dover in kent 

Hi from a Dovorian. Unfortunately won't be driving down until late Tuesday earliest and possibly leaving it 'till the Wednesday to try to avoid the solstice Stonehenge traffic. If I could get in on the Monday I'd be there like a shot.

Where is "near" Dover?

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On 24/02/2017 at 9:46 AM, Cnr_22 said:

Yeah I queried that with them and they say it hasn't been decided who is going to do the staff wristbanding this year (Last year I was invited around May time to do the staff wristbanding so still a bit of time till we know I guess) previous years I heard they were in a placed called 'Tom's Field' inside the fence and you had a few of the regulars wax lyrical about how it was 10x better there, I couldn't comment.

I thought Tom's Field was indeed much, much better. Easier access to showers, 3 minute walk to a property lock-up, 6 mins to William's Green. And you're likely-ish to see at some point the living legend Michael Eavis (he gave me a very jolly wave from his Land Rover). Very noisy at night though, due to festival infrastructure vehicular traffic, and it's a steep-ish hill for tent pitching. Wherever we camp though, the Festaff wristbanding thing is, in my experience, bloody good.

Edited by NorthernScum
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On 24/02/2017 at 4:10 PM, glasto-worker said:

 

 

Just because a crew site is in X in 2016 does not mean they will be using the same crew site in 2017 - in my years the wbc crew site started in the East and every so many years its moved and we are now in the West - until the set up crew arrives I cant say if its in the same place this year.  

Shelter/Avalon moved their crew campsite in 2014 - funny enough close to where the WBC used to camp in the late 80's although what its like these days I don't have a clue but they will have showers - toilets and at least one mess tent where they have a cheap bar.

Big Note - that campsite is secure - they will not allow you to bring any friends in.

and its just Outside the wall

Although I have never worked for Avalon I do know the people who run it { they broke away from the WBC } and they are well experienced at running festival bars and they will be fair as long as your fair with them . I Know most of their tent Managers and everyone who is in charge of Production.

sadly in recent years they did suffer from people who paid the deposit - got their GFL Crew wrist band and then Vanished hence the reason why its now £300

this did impact them in 2015 where they had to close some bars .

whoever you work with don't be put off being on your own as  you will soon make friends as people tend to stick together -

I started in 1989 and I am still friends with people I first met 28 years ago

you are correct that Shelter applications will open soon { they are a bit late this year }

Anyone who is tempted ' needs to fully read the terms and conditions ' before applying

Shift patterns ' in the past ' will either be three eight-hour shifts, four six-hour shifts or six split shifts in blocks of four hours. And the maximum number of days you may work is four.

I see loads of posts from people who were not happy with the shifts even although its all in the  terms and conditions.

as to if its better work than Festaff or Oxfam ' they all have + and - points.

I have worked in most of their bars when the WBC ran them and they are interesting.

I and my Team work six days { and that can be six hours or far longer on the Sunday evening as we keep the crew bar running until the coaches arrive. }

unless you have been a Volunteer a very long time { in my case it was after 25 years } its unlikely they will allow you to pick your own shifts - some may allow people to transfer the duty but its Unlikely.

Any news on the drink maps yet glasto worker?? 

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13 hours ago, MrZigster said:

Hi from a Dovorian. Unfortunately won't be driving down until late Tuesday earliest and possibly leaving it 'till the Wednesday to try to avoid the solstice Stonehenge traffic. If I could get in on the Monday I'd be there like a shot.

Where is "near" Dover?

That's a coincidence! On the outskirts towards folkestone. Are you working the festival? 

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7 hours ago, guypjfreak said:

Any news on the drink maps yet glasto worker?? 

Sadly they don't send them out in advance any more - Last year at Latitude FR had asked them to use a new Crew Camp site but in typical fashion its location was a mystery even to the set up crew - lucky enough I know someone on Security and while he did not have a clue where it was he was able to send me a very detailed map from 2015 and I was able to send that to the set up crew as it gave a clue where it was and once they got there they used that map to indicate where it was and they sent it back to me - got to Latitude and all the WBC Staff officers had fancy maps that showed where everything was and that had been printed in May 2016 - so one has to wonder why the hell they did not send them out.

My information is WBC is in negotiations with GFL about revamping some of the bars and ditching some of the Counter bars and making larger walk in bars due to the unpredictable weather.

from my side of the bar Counter bars was always a pain to work in - sometimes it was so sunny you could fry a egg on the counter top and if it was wet many times the Customers could not reach the counter.

so its taken 30 years but they now think a revamp is in order - if approved this may change some of the locations so it would be handy to see a 2017 Bar map. 

Edited by glasto-worker
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3 hours ago, glasto-worker said:

Sadly they don't send them out in advance any more - Last year at Latitude FR had asked them to use a new Crew Camp site but in typical fashion its location was a mystery even to the set up crew - lucky enough I know someone on Security and while he did not have a clue where it was he was able to send me a very detailed map from 2015 and I was able to send that to the set up crew as it gave a clue where it was and once they got there they used that map to indicate where it was and they sent it back to me - got to Latitude and all the WBC Staff officers had fancy maps that showed where everything was and that had been printed in May 2016 - so one has to wonder why the hell they did not send them out.

My information is WBC is in negotiations with GFL about revamping some of the bars and ditching some of the Counter bars and making larger walk in bars due to the unpredictable weather.

from my side of the bar Counter bars was always a pain to work in - sometimes it was so sunny you could fry a egg on the counter top and if it was wet many times the Customers could not reach the counter.

so its taken 30 years but they now think a revamp is in order - if approved this may change some of the locations so it would be handy to see a 2017 Bar map. 

So we wait and see then.. Well if you happen to have last year's or even the year before any chance of sending me a copy and with luck you will get or will be able to get a copy of this year's... 

Happy Sunday btw old son 

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12 hours ago, Glastonburygeek4 said:

That's a coincidence! On the outskirts towards folkestone. Are you working the festival? 

Coincidence or statistically probable? :huh:

So? Elms Vale? Aycliffe? Maxton? Temple Ewell? Hougham? Capel? Alkham?

No, I'm not working this year. Managed to get a ticket.

Tbh I'm really not sure how to play the travel thing this year. The last two or three times I've had a ticket I've used the "drive there Tuesday late afternoon/evening and queue overnight" strategy (I covet a Row Mead camping spot, and I've never encountered any heavy traffic travelling at that time).

This year, with Wednesday being the solstice, I can see the A303 around Stonehenge being as big a pain in the arse on the Tuesday getting there than it always is on the Monday coming back. So, I am currently thinking about an early Tuesday departure, get past Stonehenge pre hipster madness and then just find somewhere to hang 'till it's sensible to hit the car parks. But it's still a few months away yet. Who knows what will happen?

Do Festaff not provide transport? My job last year insisted on me using their coaches and hence me having to get a train to London to catch said coach. I was totally dreading doing it without my own transport but it was way easier than I expected. Got dropped off a couple of hundred metres max from the campsite and the distance from bus to train station was about the same. I definitely did less carrying than I would have as a punter.

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On ‎24‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 3:55 PM, Glastonburygeek4 said:

Ditto! Getting tickets is so bloody hard nowadays. My first glasto, Jay-z headlined and the tickets sales flopped, kinda wish it was still as easy then! 

 

Knowing we won't have to queue at the gates for a century and deal with traffic is such a relief. I'm also excited to see the site fill up as the  crowds arrive. 

 

See you there! 

Yeah I'm looking forward to being in early and watching the site fill up.

I'm going alone barring mates being successful in the resale but after last year I'm not confident on that front but you never know. Either way I've spent the Saturday night on my own both years due to differing music tastes and met some brilliant people and had a great time!

Does the Fest Staff camp site have showers then? That's the stuff that dreams are made of if so, definitely beats baby wipes and dry shampoo anyway.

I presume people who have previously volunteered for Fest Staff get first dibs on shifts which is fair enough, after that is it just best advised to arrive as early as possible to get your name down next to preferred shifts?

Counting down the days already!

Thanks :D

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6 hours ago, karl3 said:

Yeah I'm looking forward to being in early and watching the site fill up.

I'm going alone barring mates being successful in the resale but after last year I'm not confident on that front but you never know. Either way I've spent the Saturday night on my own both years due to differing music tastes and met some brilliant people and had a great time!

Does the Fest Staff camp site have showers then? That's the stuff that dreams are made of if so, definitely beats baby wipes and dry shampoo anyway.

I presume people who have previously volunteered for Fest Staff get first dibs on shifts which is fair enough, after that is it just best advised to arrive as early as possible to get your name down next to preferred shifts?

Counting down the days already!

Thanks :D

Heeey! 

It'll be my first year with festaff too, but from what I've read I believe we have access to showers, electricity and free TEA! 

Agreed- Wondering off on your own always tends to make for the best evenings. 

Im also working the Isle of wight, how about you? 

 

In in regards to shifts, I think it'll be best to arrive early and I think you have to select 1 shift from group A, B and C. But they're happy for us to swap if we arrange it with them? 

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Most crew sites will either have their own facilities or they will share with other Crews.

Some crew sites will have their own catering unit and others will share 

Some crew sites will have their own wi-fi { note most will be locked with a password - as a rule of thumb - its meant for workers who have a need for wi-fi so that the system does not get overloaded }

Some crew sites will have their own toilets { which may be flushing } and hot showers

Most crew sites will have a crew Marquee and they may have hot water boilers - tea/coffee and some will hand out free water or other soft drinks.

In my camp there is also a whole rack of toaster's and we get fresh bread delivered every day but don't expect that in every crew camp. 

Most crew sites will have charger points - A big warning - while many fellow workers would unlikely steal your phone - many will unplug it and they can get lost.

Part of my duties is looking after lost property and you would not believe how many phones are lost every day so first thing is make a note of your number { this may appear daft but many show up and they don't know their own number }

take a good quality photo ' just with you in the photo ' and save it on your phone 

if a phone goes missing and a person approaches me - they never get to see the phone - what they have to do is get a friend to dial the number and whichever phone rings - they get that one { once I verify the face photo }

if they don't have the number then its tough shit and it will be taken back to the office { after Glasto } and they have to produce a receipt with IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) or serial number and receipt so its a lot of hassle.

I get jokers come up all the time asking to see the lost phone box as they can pick their phone out - perhaps they can but I cant hand them out willy-nilly. 

I advise people to stick their name on the back as that will save a lot of hassle  and also have your name on the charger.

I am amazed that people will plug in a £500 phone and will then just walk straight out or they walk up to my team { who work in the crew Marquee } and will just say ' just watch over the phone for me as I am away watching a band ' - now funny enough we are not there to watch over phones so they will soon be told ' its your phone so you watch over the bloody thing ' 

Also be advised that if you have a Power plug extender and you are caught plugging it in its more than likely this will be removed sharpish .

within the crew area charger points will have a certain trip fuse set and these are very sensitive so if a cable is overloaded it will trip the fuse.

if you are very lucky they may even have a TV set up but again not in every crew site.

Edited by glasto-worker
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And just to add to the above.. If phone charging points are provided, it's usually going to be so that you can keep your phone topped up and your employer can contact you if needed. The precise usage rules will vary from crew to crew but generally speaking you won't be allowed to plug in hair curlers / straighteners / etc.

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15 minutes ago, incident said:

And just to add to the above.. If phone charging points are provided, it's usually going to be so that you can keep your phone topped up and your employer can contact you if needed. The precise usage rules will vary from crew to crew but generally speaking you won't be allowed to plug in hair curlers / straighteners / etc.

What about crew lockers? 

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5 hours ago, incident said:

And just to add to the above.. If phone charging points are provided, it's usually going to be so that you can keep your phone topped up and your employer can contact you if needed. The precise usage rules will vary from crew to crew but generally speaking you won't be allowed to plug in hair curlers / straighteners / etc.

Don't get me started on hair curlers / straighteners / hair dryers - you are 100% correct - for years and years it was not a problem and then all of a sudden it was a big problem and it was not just the females - 9 times out of ten when the fuse box trips it will be a hair care product

the fuse box for anyone who does not know is that black box on the ground and someone had connected a Unauthorised six power extension { white } and laid it on top .

we have big signs up warning people not to add any extension and any phones will be confiscated.

this mob was putting drinks down on the table { again against the rules } as all it takes is a stumble and so many phones are fried.

people just treat it as if it was their home - well its not - we are in the middle of a field and people have to follow the rules or we will pull the power. 

None of the seats should have been that close - I closed that unit down and chased them away.

P1000977.jpg

Edited by glasto-worker
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19 hours ago, Glastonburygeek4 said:

Heeey! 

It'll be my first year with festaff too, but from what I've read I believe we have access to showers, electricity and free TEA! 

Agreed- Wondering off on your own always tends to make for the best evenings. 

Im also working the Isle of wight, how about you? 

 

In in regards to shifts, I think it'll be best to arrive early and I think you have to select 1 shift from group A, B and C. But they're happy for us to swap if we arrange it with them? 

Showers and free tea, it just gets better! :D I have 1 of them Anker portable charger thingy's which does me for the duration of the festival but probably because I try not to be glued to my phone as much as I am in 'the real world'.

I've been offered roles at Creamfields, V Festival and Rewind North. I've had my leave approved for Glastonbury and V and I'm working on the other 2! If I enjoy it I'll probably look at Isle of Wight next year as I want to try other festivals out. With no Glastonbury next year, that could fill a void.

The shifts situation sounds fair to me, I'll probably leave Wirral around 9am and should be there between 1 and 2 so hopefully I'll be 1 of the 1st in the queue for shifts fingers crossed.

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13 hours ago, glasto-worker said:

Don't get me started on hair curlers / straighteners / hair dryers - you are 100% correct - for years and years it was not a problem and then all of a sudden it was a big problem and it was not just the females - 9 times out of ten when the fuse box trips it will be a hair care product

the fuse box for anyone who does not know is that black box on the ground and someone had connected a Unauthorised six power extension { white } and laid it on top .

we have big signs up warning people not to add any extension and any phones will be confiscated.

this mob was putting drinks down on the table { again against the rules } as all it takes is a stumble and so many phones are fried.

people just treat it as if it was their home - well its not - we are in the middle of a field and people have to follow the rules or we will pull the power. 

None of the seats should have been that close - I closed that unit down and chased them away.

P1000977.jpg

 

I like your style GW, Firm but fair.

I still dont understand why people need to use power points to charge their phones in this day and age. I bought a massive power pack about 3 years ago for about 30 quid that easily lasts me a week, its still as good as ever and has seen me through so many festivals as well as a trip to the other side of the world. Plus I imagine the tech has moved on even further since then.

The more I read this thread the more I wish I had been on the ball and had gone for it, instead of banking on the resale. Sounds like it would have been perfect.

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3 hours ago, mjsell said:

 

I like your style GW, Firm but fair.

I still dont understand why people need to use power points to charge their phones in this day and age. I bought a massive power pack about 3 years ago for about 30 quid that easily lasts me a week, its still as good as ever and has seen me through so many festivals as well as a trip to the other side of the world. Plus I imagine the tech has moved on even further since then.

The more I read this thread the more I wish I had been on the ball and had gone for it, instead of banking on the resale. Sounds like it would have been perfect.

it drives me Nuts because we spend ages putting up signs - sure the signs don't go into all the details but the mere fact there is a sign up should indicate there is a bloody good reason why something is restricted.

another thing that is sure to wind me up - we will have out 3 or 4 Burco Electric Catering Urn's {30 Litres} and someone will come up and say ' unit 2 light is off ' - I walk up to it and find some joker has unplugged the power lead so that they can plug their phone in - well if they want to piss about with me they will soon regret it as that phone will be retained until after the festival - that will teach them { and yes there is a bloody sign up warning people not to unplug the Burco's }

trust me I would not be a Volunteer for the last 28 years if I did not enjoy it.

these days its not just  hair curlers / straighteners / hair dryers / phones people
will show up with Laptops and even a few small TV sets

I have yet to see the Kitchen Sink but give it time.

burco-cygnet-188285.jpg.69142d3b4fcb7e5f288f99f9ca7cfde4.jpg

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