MSE advice on how to get into Glasto for free

[glasto-worker]

5 hours ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

I just don't think that I have the zeal to go, especially as most of my mates wont be there. They'll be a few friends who I know manning one of the lock ups though. That said, I guess my other mates will be trying in the resales / secret sales etc. I don't know because I haven't asked them yet. If they do get tickets, then my view point on volunteering might alter. In any case I would need to 'demand'  the need to have the Wednesday night off / Thursday morning off, because I'd want to be going to the efests meet up.

Well it all depends who you are with - some you can change - some you can swap ' provided you can find someone to swap with ' but there is some where ' you cant change ' - it was only after 25 years service with the WBC was I allowed to pick my own shifts and where I worked.

Some volunteer opportunities can be ' three shifts ' during the event - some it may be after the event or a mixture - 

My Team has to do 6 shifts out of 7 days within the Crew Bar but the two key days is Tuesday evening and Sunday overnight { as that is the two very busy nights } and Yes I work them as well as I am not prepared to ask people to do something that I am not willing to do myself { even although they know I don't have to do them } but I do allow them to pick their shifts.

It could have been a problem the night the Stones were on in 2013 but I was able to find another Team who wanted to swap as they did not like the Stones - in fact they got a easy shift because there was no customers in the Crew Bar - My team went down at various times so we were all there but scattered all over the place - by the time Jon { the guy in black who is a WBC Manager } and I got down security/stewards were directing people to enter the pyramid field from the back but our Crew passes got us though that block.Have never seen that field so packed as that night.

were you there ?

 

[SwedgeAntilles]

That's me signed up for Oxfam and Festaff mailing lists. Will genuinely be happy to do either if it means getting me in. Fingers crossed.

[balti-pie]

2 hours ago, SwedgeAntilles said:

That's me signed up for Oxfam and Festaff mailing lists. Will genuinely be happy to do either if it means getting me in. Fingers crossed.

Snap ?? Me too, and me too. I’ve always fancied volunteering at some point, and while the lack of a ticket hastens that a bit, I’m fairly happy with having a bit of a different experience 

[airwaves]

I'm not looking to get shot down here but. ........

What is to stop you volunteering, paying your 'deposit' and then just disappearing into the site? 

[glasto-worker]

16 minutes ago, airwaves said:

I'm not looking to get shot down here but. ........

What is to stop you volunteering, paying your 'deposit' and then just disappearing into the site? 

Nothing  but many of the T&C have ' volunteers must camp in the crew area ' some crew sites have Security and if they spot someone ' walking out with camping gear ' - they will stop that person and if they suspect that person is doing a runner the odds are ' they will cut that persons wrist band off and they are removed from the festival site so they end up with bugger all for their £300 { deposits vary but it will be close to that }

and then that persons name is shared with all the other Volunteer organisations so they are black listed.

+ that Joker has deprived a genuine Volunteer a place and they also may add extra work to the genuine Volunteers so its not a Wise Move.

[Supreme2]

Maybe a stupid question but in the worker campsites can you like you know do stuff you would usually do in the main campsites such as drink etc or as you’re working you’re not allowed as much 

[incident]

55 minutes ago, airwaves said:

I'm not looking to get shot down here but. ........

What is to stop you volunteering, paying your 'deposit' and then just disappearing into the site? 

Some people do this, of course. Most of them get away with it, once. But it's a pretty shitty thing to do.

Obviously your photo gets circulated to security and they do catch a few people every year but ultimately not being an arsehole is the main reason you wouldn't do that.

Aside from looking over your shoulder all weekend, and losing your deposit, it's a stunt you can only pull once. That organisation won't let you sign up again (at any festival), and there's a Glastonbury specific blacklist that's cross referenced closer to festival time - so if you did a runner from Shelter one year, then signed up for Oxfam the following year, then you will likely find your place cancelled with about 3-4 weeks to go.

[glasto-worker]

On 10/13/2018 at 1:14 PM, Supreme2 said:

Maybe a stupid question but in the worker campsites can you like you know do stuff you would usually do in the main campsites such as drink etc or as you’re working you’re not allowed as much 

well that does vary as to who you are with

if its a paid job like Security due to their long shifts - they don't allow anyone to make a noise.

if its like Oxfam they may or may not have their own bar - if its like Avalon/Shelter or the WBC then they do have a bar - its open 24 hours but they can only buy drink to 3 or 4am depending how we feel.

That is within the crew site itself - the WBC used to allow in Security in the 90's but there was a huge fight with Security fighting each other - not sure why but that made the WBC block all none WBC crew members.

There is also a few ' general crew bars ' that has certain procedure's - they tend to hand out a pass ' before the event opens on a Wednesday so people who are there before that can get a pass.

Within any Crew site they don't expect people to go mad as there is other people sleeping so a person can enjoy it provided they don't wake up their neighbours .

shot below is Glasto on a Tuesday night in the WBC Crew bar 

Edited October 14, 2018 by glasto-worker

[funkychick2007]

On 10/13/2018 at 12:35 PM, airwaves said:

I'm not looking to get shot down here but. ........

What is to stop you volunteering, paying your 'deposit' and then just disappearing into the site? 

Why wud you? Not really the spirit is it! Makes it harder for the other volunteers working,  someone else misses out on a place, and sends health and safety into a panic and security and ultimately puts the festival at risk! I love volunteering! Its amazing being part of something tht creates an experience for others to enjoy! Even if just a small cog in a big wheel! Please dont take advantage of peoples trust and goodwill! 

 

[yeovilwire]

Having volunteered at Glasto in 2017 it is a very good experience and worth while doing i got on site on the monday afternoon met some of the other oxfam volunteers and we headed into the site for a bar crawl was good laugh and getting to see the site before anyone else is amazing the shifts can be very hard work i did 2 shifts on gate B checking tickets and wristbands for 8 hours on the thursday and sunday i also did an over night shift on the worthy view gate that was the killer shift as i tried to get some rest on the sat but i wanted to see a few bands so was up after about 4 hours. I have since volunteered at Reading festival in 2017 which was a real eyeopener compared to Glasto the people who go are alot younger and have no limits which causes alot problems for the festival staff and this year i managed to get the wife volunteering and we did Download together were both on the same shift pattern and only 1 shift we were on different positions the only downside to Download is the oxfan campsite is right under the flight path of the near by airport and at times it felt like the planes were going to land on us if we hadnt got tickets for next year we would of volunteered again and will probably do so agin as its a good way to see other festivals and plus you get your deposit back