StoneCircle
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Posts posted by StoneCircle
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25 minutes ago, MrZigster said:
@StoneCircleI honestly don't know how you still do it. Respect.
Knowing your health record you should definitely qualify for reasonable adjustments 👍🏻
I no longer need to volunteer thankfully, I have a legitimate way in without having to jump through hoops if I don't get a ticket. This is the first time I am using it, and I realise I am truly fortunate! I hope you are lucky in the resale x
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19 minutes ago, marathonsteve said:
Thanks for Sharing Its grand that you are Posting on here. Proof of Disability!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are more than welcome, shout out if you need any help or have any questions. 🙂
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26 minutes ago, Rob_w said:
Having read the experiences of fellow menieres types I wanted to add that I was terrified of having an attack at Glastonbury with all the loud noises and people. But I was so relaxed the whole week it never came close. But I did always make sure i knew the closest toilets, quiet tents, welfare etc.
Hello new member and fellow Ménière's disease sufferer - welcome to efestivals! The only times I've actually have had attacks at Glastonbury were brought on by the stress piled on me by the charity I was volunteering for. I would live there permanently if I could! Have you got a ticket for this year?
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3 hours ago, Crazyfool01 said:
A help and advice thread for people to get the best out of Glastonbury festival with medical conditions .
Just a thought, could you add Accessible to the title or tags? Make it easier to find for people searching. 👍🏻
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2 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:
Thankfully all bar 2 of my bad attacks have happened overnight so when in bed, though getting to the loo is 'interesting'.
I am not surprised you were mortified either and when I have an attack at a festival I know people will just think I am drunk - I am sure a glare from the wife will soon make them realise it is not that - the wife's glares are scary.Mine tend to be in the morning so I try and plan to start my day later then most to avoid needing to cancel appointments etc. My husband does a good glare too! 😂
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Just now, Nobody Interesting said:
and I know that people and security will also help should I get an attack - I have Meniere's Disease so to most might just look like I have drunk far too much despite not drinking.
Snap - I have Menieres Disease too! My most embarrassing attack was at Beautiful Days, 30 minutes into my first volunteering steward shift at the festival. Full on vertigo attack, vomiting in the grass with the audience growing by the minute. I can laugh about it now but at the time I was mortified. 😂 I have also ended up in the welfare tent at Glastonbury when I became totally overwhelmed and thought an attack was imminent but thankfully this helped reduce the symptoms after a couple of hours resting on a bed in there.
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I have used the Accessible Facilities since 2011, you will need to register with the Accessible Team to do this - further information on registering can be found here - https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/access-information/
New this year (proof of your disability is required) you also have to register with Nimbus and obtain either a Nimbus Card - £15 for 3 years or a Nimbus Glastonbury Pass which is free. further information can be found here - https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/access-information/registering-to-use-the-accessible-facilities-onsite/
***The deadline for Access Applications is the 30th April 2024, however I would recommend people submitted these earlier to avoid missing out on facilities.
And a reminder that the access facilities are not for people with temporary impairments such as broken bones, healing wounds or woman who are pregnant.
Unfortunately, the Festival cannot offer closer parking, reserve camping or assistance getting on/ off and around the site to people with temporary impairments.
Happy to answer any questions about the facilities offered, Spring Ground campsite or East Accessible Campervan Area as I have stayed in both. I have also volunteered in the Accessible Marquee with Oxfam Festival Stewards. 😊
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On 3/22/2024 at 6:51 PM, Neil said:
strangely, as just about the only other person around here not a gold member - so still getting adverts, i've not had that pop-up at all.
It's only on my Android phone and it's still happening.
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3 hours ago, stuie said:
This is a post about volunteering in 2024. Sorry to hear about your experience but I’m not sure what the rants here are solving - it would be much more effective through the official channels. Aside from that, this thread and the ones from previous years have always been positive, polite and helpful so please let’s not let it decend into bickering. Thank you.
I don't recall ranting on here, either in this thread or any others. I simply answered a question about RA's as I have stewarded for Oxfam on 5 occasions and requested RA's pre-festival due to my accessible needs. This led to further questions which when I answered I was polite and helpful. Sorry I couldn't be positive, but as Meatloaf said "two out of three ain't bad".
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21 hours ago, Paul ™ said:
Please feel free to start your own thread if it's a topic you wish to discuss about Oxfams operations and complaints about them.
This one is for sharing of opportunities for volunteering or highlighting work opportunities at this year's Glastonbury.
The last few pages have derailed the whole flow of this topic.
Is it really? Did the OP state that was the reason for the post? No they didn't, you came along and decided to invent the rules. This is a post about volunteering, warts and all.
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@eFestivals This is making the site completely unusable on my phone, this add is on constant repetition
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Same place as every festival since 2011 (apart from 2022 when I was in Spring Ground Accessible Campsite) E21 Forward Accessible Campervan Field. Haven't camped in a tent since 2008. 😊
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1 hour ago, philipsteak said:
Just had an email from Oxfam about a survey and was able to use some of StoneCircle's account to inform some of my answers (without going in to any detail).
Maybe if a few of us do the same it might help prevent similar things happening in the future.
59 minutes ago, tarw said:I’ve just done the same!
Hopefully the powers that be will take your feedback onboard! I am no shrinking violet when it comes to getting my point across and I won't tolerate bullying. But there are a lot of timid people out there and I like to think we can all make things better for people too scared to speak out.
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@eFestivals I can take out monthly gold subscription but not annual, any idea what I need to do? Getting the screenshots below......My Gold Membership lapsed a lot more recently than this.
P
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12 hours ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:
Starting to plan ... any other Tipi Village tips also gratefully received.... many thanks
Gate D is the nearest so plan to park that side of the festival. Here's a link to last year's map - https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/getting-here/maps/?fbclid=IwAR31inTFRzBpTBtCsYjtNZP7yjeTbzmVakHaOLHza7J1SyuqSVKMSzdbqaE 🙂
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1 hour ago, amfy said:
Otherwise they are promising people with additional needs something they possibly can’t deliver.
This is what happened to me in 2018 at Beautiful Days. The 3 way vehicle gate placement to a deaf volunteer with mobility issues. The Oxfam manager visited me to discuss what I could do and made the necessary adjustments to my next shifts. Shame that he never attempted to contact me to do the same at Glastonbury in 2022. It was the same manager at both festivals. Lost all respect for him and the Festival Stewards organisation.
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Thanks for your concern @marathonsteve I don't want to report them to CC just make others aware of the issues that can happen when your reasonable adjustments go wrong! They lost an experienced steward due to their own sheer arrogance.
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20 minutes ago, marathonsteve said:
I would encourage you to let the Charity Commission know about your experiences, if not for you, but for other people, maybe in the same situation or dare I say even more worse off.
It was in 2022 and eventually I got a suitably apologetic response. Due to my appalling treatment I do try and warn people with reasonable adjustment needs that they need to assertive with Oxfam if they are given a role or shift times not agreed to in their reasonable adjustments. And to stand up to the management team and Oxbox staff, some are lovely but some are absolutely despicable.
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2 minutes ago, Franky said:
Not sure if this is a silly question or not. But I always borrow the Mrs car for Glasto (mines too nice) 😂 but she’s about to buy a leccy car 🤷♂️
Cheers for any answers in advance.
No, you need to recharge before you get there. 🙂
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5 hours ago, marathonsteve said:
This is all totally bizarre what you are saying
5 hours ago, marathonsteve said:What's going on here with people with disabilities
Scroll up and read my comments, or in a brief summary - Oxfam bullies people with disabilities to do their shifts or they will cut off their wristbands and they are forced to leave the Oxfield. They couldn't do that to me as I was in Spring Ground Accessible Campsite within the festival. I will happily share their letter of apology that I forced them to make by calling them out.
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12 hours ago, StoneCircle said:
After Glastonbury I cancelled Boardmasters as my health comes first and I was so ill at Glastonbury I barely left the Accessible field. They tried to charge me a cancellation fee and I threatened them with further action if they did. It was the principle of the matter not the amount. They soon refunded it along with a begging email for another chance. Not a prayer I would go through this again! 😂
I have Ménière's Disease which as well as causing hearing loss I get severe vertigo attacks. I need a gentle and late start to the day, a quiet place so I have a chance of hearing and a seated role. I advised and they agreed to this including no early starts.
I just can't cope with 6am starts which I was given 2 of at Glastonbury. Working on a 3 directional vehicle gate (Beautiful Days), being placed in the furthest field from Oxbox to man an information tent when they could have placed me a lot closer (Boardmasters) and the taxi rank position at Camp Bestival turned into crowd management on the final night. This is despite requesting a seated position as I am unsteady on my feet. I was refused buggy transportation at Glastonbury and Camp Bestival and only received it at Beautiful Days after having a Ménière's attack on duty brought on by the stressful stewarding placement and being unable to hear lorry drivers asking questions over the vehicle noise.
Thankfully I have another way in these days if I don't get tickets in the main sale! 😂
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2 minutes ago, onthebeach said:
@StoneCircleJust read your posts and that’s all so shocking. That must have been so stressful for you - not once but multiple times! I’ve only experienced the Accessibility campsite/facilities at Glastonbury as a customer and that experience has been exemplary. However, as I haven’t got a ticket this year I have applied to a few of the charities for a volunteer place. However, going on your experience, I will not be able to manage at all! I have severe mobility problems and unable to walk a few steps even with sticks/crutches - I use electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter (hired from Event Mobility). If I am fortunate to get a volunteer place and this is indicative of what could happen, I would have to give up and go home early!
At all the festivals with the exception of Glastonbury I didn't have a mobility scooter, my mobility wasn't as bad back then but I still seated position in my reasonable adjustments. I also hired from Event Mobility when I was there via Oxfam in 2022, this was my first time in Spring Ground as I have always opted for East Campervan Forward Campervan Field. I was back in there last year and will be there this year too.
If you do get offered a place to volunteer make sure that you are not expected to work on the Monday post festival and don't ask for early shifts which can be from the Saturday before the festival as Event Mobility don't arrive until Monday and leave the following Monday morning.
A friend of mine had her staff wristband removed when volunteering for Oxfam a few years ago as she was taken ill in the Oxfield and had to get someone to come and collect her as she was too poorly to drive. They don't know the meaning of compassion. 😭
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4 hours ago, jfaragher said:
There is sometimes (more often than is acceptable) an issue where the information about reasonable adjustments doesn't get to / isn't really considered by the supervisor for the shift, despite it being discussed prior to the event. This happens because the supervisors are also volunteers, and have a varied amount of experience (and skill) in doing that role. The good supervisors will check their shift sheets before they head out, and if anyone has a RA marking, check with the shift leads what is needed before they get there; the reasonable supervisors will have a conversation with the person with the RA marking about what's needed, and make sure the adjustments are met; the inexperienced / poor supervisors will not know what an RA marking is for / not know that they need to check / not care.
It's something that probably needs to be more explicitly discussed in the training I think.
All of the issues I have encountered are due to my RA's not being taken into account by whoever did the rota and at Glastonbury made worse by the way I was spoken to by Oxbox when I reached out to change them.
Oxbox also contacted me about an hour before my first shift (also at Glastonbury) asking me to go to the Oxbox to sign in for my shift. I explained I was not in Oxfield, I was in the Accessible Campsite and as my shift was at the Accessible Arrivals Marquee I physically couldn't get there and back in time. Yet again I was spoken to with a complete lack of respect as if I was a naughy school child.
The supervisors I have worked with have always been supportive. We didn't have one at Glastonbury despite the close proximity to Gate A hence why they wanted me to spend 2 hours signing in due to their oversight.
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8 hours ago, philipsteak said:
That's very poor by Oxfam.
Just want to say first I am absolutely not doubting what you say and I'm sure it happens more than we realise but I'm also genuinely surprised to hear this. 4 times! You'd think after the second time there'd be an extra effort not to make the same mistake again. Never needed adjustments myself but met/worked with many who have and I think in all my time I've only met one person who had this happen to them too.
I wonder what the legal ramifications would be for this if you chose to take it further. Are they leaving themselves open to problems if people did take it further? Same as in paid work? Although I have no real idea what the rules there are tbh. Could you (or someone) refuse to work until your adjustments are met?
Can see why you don't want to volunteer with them again. Not sure I would have lasted the 4 times you did to be honest. Do you volunteer with anyone else now? And if so, have they been better?
After Glastonbury I cancelled Boardmasters as my health comes first and I was so ill at Glastonbury I barely left the Accessible field. They tried to charge me a cancellation fee and I threatened them with further action if they did. It was the principle of the matter not the amount. They soon refunded it along with a begging email for another chance. Not a prayer I would go through this again! 😂
I have Ménière's Disease which as well as causing hearing loss I get severe vertigo attacks. I need a gentle and late start to the day, a quiet place so I have a chance of hearing and a seated role. I advised and they agreed to this including no early starts.
I just can't cope with 6am starts which I was given 2 of at Glastonbury. Working on a 3 directional vehicle gate (Beautiful Days), being placed in the furthest field from Oxbox to man an information tent when they could have placed me a lot closer (Boardmasters) and the taxi rank position at Camp Bestival turned into crowd management on the final night. This is despite requesting a seated position as I am unsteady on my feet. I was refused buggy transportation at Glastonbury and Camp Bestival and only received it at Beautiful Days after having a Ménière's attack on duty brought on by the stressful stewarding placement and being unable to hear lorry drivers asking questions over the vehicle noise.
Thankfully I have another way in these days if I don't get tickets in the main sale! 😂
Volunteering 2024
in Chat
Posted
Join a resale group on here, and keep an eye open for Oxfam places coming up. It's not over yet!! Happy to help with Oxfam if you want to entrust me with your account details and form of payment. Fingers crossed for you! 😊