Oxfam is offering music-lovers the chance to experience the UK’s best festivals for less this summer by giving them free entry in exchange for time spent volunteering.
The charity is looking for 8,500 people to sign-up as stewards, for what it says will be its ‘biggest ever year of festivals’.
Glastonbury is among the festivals volunteers can apply for. Image: Oxfam.
Glastonbury, Reading, Latitude, Isle of White and Boardmasters are among the big events that will see Oxfam volunteers getting involved with everything from checking tickets and wristbands at gates, patrolling arenas and campsites and manning information points.
In exchange for free entry, recruited volunteers are required to work three eight-hour shifts across the duration of a festival, which the organisation says leaves people with ‘plenty of time’ to enjoy the atmosphere and catch live acts.
Some stewards may be given roles in accessibility areas close to the stage. Image: Oxfam.
As well as their free wristband to get inside, Oxfam volunteers are given access to secure camping in the charity’s own campsite, a free meal voucher per shift, free phone charging, access to crew-only toilets and showers and free tea and coffee.
Michael Lever, head of festivals and events, said: “We are so excited to welcome more volunteers than ever this year to join Oxfam at some of the UK’s best festivals across the summer.
“We have been providing volunteer stewards at the UK’s biggest and best festivals for over 30 years now, after first taking our volunteers to Glastonbury in 1993. We’ve come a long way since then and people can now join us at 15 festivals across the UK and by doing so raise money for Oxfam.
“We’ve built a friendly and passionate community of volunteers and many of them have been coming back year after year with some attending over 100 festivals with Oxfam.”
Volunteers will get access to the Oxfam campsite and meal vouchers for their shift. Image: Oxfam.
The full list of festivals for 2024 includes: Bearded Theory, Download, Isle of Wight, Glastonbury, 2000Trees, Latitude, WOMAD, Wilderness, Boardmasters, Boomtown Fair, ArcTanGent, Beautiful Days, Shambala, Reading and Leeds.
How to apply
Applications for this year’s roles open on Thursday, February 1 online and places will be given on a first come first served basis.
Volunteers can apply for as many festivals as they like through the Oxfam website and will be required to pay a deposit, which will be refunded once they have completed their shifts.
This deposit, explains the application process, will be equal to the price of the highest festival ticket and serves as a bond to ensure that volunteers accepted onto the scheme attend and complete their required responsibilities on-site.
After their shifts, stewards are free to enjoy the festival. Image: Oxfam.
Anyone who volunteers at two or more festivals in one summer season is also awarded ‘priority status’ for the following year and able to sign up in 2025 before applications open to the general public.
This can give hopeful applicants a better chance at securing a role at their festival of choice or more popular festivals such as Glastonbury.
All volunteers accepted onto the scheme will receive training in advance, alongside the work helping to develop other skills such as communication and organisation.
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