Considering volunteering for Glasto 2013

[pothead pixie]

Whats the story with volunteering for Glasto, I have been volunteering for the last two years with Irish festivals up and down the country and thought maybe I will try for Glasto as its seems like a nightmare to actually procure a ticket for the event. Can you volunteer through their website or do you have to register through a charity? Could someone tell me the procedure for volunteering for a UK festival from Ireland. Cheers for any info.

Edited May 10, 2012 by pothead pixie

[eFestivals]

The main way to volunteer for Glastonbury is with Oxfam, but there may be others too.

Oxfam won't publish the details for next year until later this year, but you might find some details on how it work by finding the pages from previous years on the Oxfam or Glasto websites.

[pothead pixie]

Cheers for the reply, will look into this. I had a chance to go in 1987 but was totally skint at the time, in hindsight I should have went anyway.

[pothead pixie]

Yeh Glastonbury office got back to me about volunteering, there are three seperate things you can do. Is it Neil who replied to me on this thread, Neil you were right about Oxfam, you need to register with them but applications wont be taken till nearer the end of the year. You can also register for litter picking which I wouldnt mind, I done that at Bump festival last year and the time flew by during my shift, theres always plenty of litter to pick up. Shifts for Oxfam and litter picking are 8 hours ×3. There is a third artier option where you can spend two weeks before the festival taking part in painting installations, benches and poles around the site to earn your entry to the festival.

Edited May 12, 2012 by pothead pixie

[Rufus Gwertigan]

If you have a look at the Oxfam stewards site they have loads of useful info about festie working. They take a deposit of a couple of hundred but that can be used for all the festivals they cover.

There is quite a lot of paid work as well with companies like Stuarts and DC.

[brain yolk!]

Posted something about this a couple of weeks ago!

I'm volunteering for the painting in the two weeks prior to the festival. Main incentive for me was the option to camp ANYWHERE before anyone else arrives and getting to see the site being built up!

[Nattoo]

The Recycling Crew will probably start recruiting from October 2012. They start with previous volunteers & then they offer places out to new volunteers. An extremely lovely person called Fiona sorts it all out, she can be contacted from October at fiona@glastonburyfestivals.co.uk, and the application is now all done online.Its 4x6 hours shifts & you get a separate camping field, 2 meals a day for every day you turn-up for your shift, showers & slightly better toilets than the punters. I've been working with them since 2008 - it is hardwork but I love it. You get to see the whole thing from a totally different point of view as you can turn-up before the punters & you can choose to work after everyone's left. You can also volunteer to work on the tractor crew but I don't fully know how that's sorted out.

[K8P]

Posted something about this a couple of weeks ago!

I'm volunteering for the painting in the two weeks prior to the festival. Main incentive for me was the option to camp ANYWHERE before anyone else arrives and getting to see the site being built up!

[Gparsfan]

Posted something about this a couple of weeks ago!

I'm volunteering for the painting in the two weeks prior to the festival. Main incentive for me was the option to camp ANYWHERE before anyone else arrives and getting to see the site being built up!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Whoa, how do you go about doing this?

[Pinhead]

When you say 'painting', are we talking about murals and such like? Do you have to be quite artistic to be able to get involved? Surprised you still get to camp anywhere around the site. Oxfam plus Litter and Medical I believe have all been relegated outside the fence now. Dunno about the security firms. Oxfam explictly tell all Stewards they will be 'removed' if they pitch inside the fence now

[ChloePearson]

Hi

Does anyone have the email address for this lady Martha Kendall to get in contact about volunteering two weeks before the festival, taking part in painting installations, benches and poles around the site to earn your entry to the festival? Would be Much appreciated.

Thanks

Chloe

[oyyouno]

Oxfam explictly tell all Stewards they will be 'removed' if they pitch inside the fence now

[Pinhead]

Yes, if they discover you are camping inside the fence they say they'll get security to move you and may kick you off the team. Sounds a bit harsh, but then they go to great lengths to hire the Oxfam field ("Big Lickle" on the Glato site map) from a grumpy local farmer who doesn't particularly want them there anyway, and provide local Oxfam only showers, a bar, food, toilets, parking next to your tent etc. Tbh the call came from GFL really as they were concerned that too many stewards were still camping inside in the punters areas dispite Oxfam having their own field, and in 2011 I think they finally decided that due to pressure on camp sites inside the fence that they would implement this rule.

[mike46]

I worked the litter picking last year and were inside the fence, just above the farm. Didn't have a problem with you camping wherever you wanted, and could get onsite from Monday morning.

[Pinhead]

That would have been in Tom's Field where Oxfam also used to be before being moved outside the fence. If you are already inside, I guess they are less fussed, but now with so many Oxfam stewards and increasing every year, they are expected to keep to an area of their own.

[dondo]

I've done litter picking in 2005, 10 & 11. As pinhead said Tom's field used to be split between Oxfam and the litter pickers as it was like that in 2005 but now it's just the litter pickers- though I know that some people working camp with their friends in the main site- and I suppose as a litter picker with the potential to be on site before gates open you could take advantage.I wasn't aware of anyone who did but then again they may well of not bothered turning up for shifts and just used working as a means to gain entry then sacked off working .

Am not sure as yet as whether I'll do it again in 2013- we were thinking of going as "ordinary" punters and take the kids but we'll leave that for another year so I may return to work.

[G1T]

Just a bump to let people know the competition for crew places at Worthy FM 2013 will open this Sunday, 16th December.

[emeowmily]

I live in Canada and it looks like Oxfam won't support the volunteer visa that I would need. Does anyone know if the other ways to volunteer would suport volunteer visas?

[glasto-worker]

I live in Canada and it looks like Oxfam won't support the volunteer visa that I would need. Does anyone know if the other ways to volunteer would suport volunteer visas?

[TalkShow Bob]

I live in Canada and it looks like Oxfam won't support the volunteer visa that I would need. Does anyone know if the other ways to volunteer would suport volunteer visas?

[Nattoo]

Talkshow Bob's right emeowmily. In 2011 the government changed the visa laws without telling anyone & volunteers for the 2011 festival were stopped coming through customs - if you are from outside the EU you now how to have a work visa to volunteer over here. All festivals now have to check you have this or they can lose their license.