Volunteer Stories

On my way to shift, I made a friend, turns out they also live in the same city. Basically, every shift you could make a life-long friend. Volunteering brings out another side of you. If you're not actually sure, then you should do it— because you're going to grow, and be more independent as well as make new friends and have a good time doing it. I've been stewarding for Oxfam for at least five years. It’s an amazing feeling to feel like I'm actually helping Oxfam do their work to raise money and really being part of it. You can come solo, and I've done it a lot of times, solo stewarding. You meet people, everyone's up for a chat. You can just go and hang out and be social. It's definitely got a different feeling because you're part of something now. You're not just individuals. I think it's a friendlier way to do a festival. I danced for eight hours on one shift. It was great. I was like, ‘this isn't like work!”

Tessa

This is my first time volunteering. I was interested in supporting the running of festival. I’ve supported Oxfam in the past, so I was absolutely over the moon when I found out I got it— I felt it was an amazing opportunity. Initially, I was a little bit anxious because my partner didn't manage to get a place. I turned 50 last year and thought, 'I need to start doing some of these things that I keep saying I might do.' So I thought I'm still going to push through and do it on my own. I was a little bit nervous about speaking to people, but when I got on my shift, people were so lovely and friendly. And then by my second shift I made some wonderful friends, I met some really, really lovely people. The supervisor was amazing, very caring. The friends that I made, we were having a bit of a giggle, but we were getting the job done. It felt really good. I felt really proud of being here. I was initially nervous about staying on, but I've never felt safer. You feel like you could talk to anybody, and they're going to be absolutely lovely. I wasn’t fully aware until the briefing how much of a contribution working here makes, which has made me feel even happier.”

Emma, first time steward

I started volunteering with Oxfam in 1993 and worked my way through the ranks. I’ve pretty much done most jobs on site since that time. I'm very passionate about Oxfam. It's sort of become part of my bloodstream over the years. The reason I come back is because of the Oxfam community and the friends I've built up. The festivals are almost secondary; I could quite happily come here and camp with this amazing community without the festival being on at all. I've seen people grow through Oxfam. We've got 18 to 84 year olds, all getting on as a fantastic community. It brings back the community that’s sadly missing in society, it's outside, it's raising money for a good cause. It’s given me a lot, especially in dealing with personal issues. This community has been a lifesaver for me, and I owe it a lot.”

Mark, Oxfam Festivals Coordinator

I’ve been volunteering for 19 years. I’ve done 104 festivals in that time. It’s something that gets infectious because once you do it once or twice you really appreciate all of the benefits and the fun that you can have. It’s a really great community to work with. It’s very inclusive. There are people of all ages and different backgrounds. I started a bit older than other people, but it keeps me young. It’s very fulfilling at other times in my life. After the festival when I go back into my own community, it makes me feel more empowered to be able to help people. It’s called the Oxfamily. Everybody’s welcome, everybody’s included.”

Long-term Oxfam Steward, Desmond

This is my first ever time at a festival and first ever time volunteering for Oxfam. Everyone’s been super welcoming. I was immediately adopted by the two women next to me. Everyone’s super friendly and super happy to be here so it’s been great. And of course, you’re raising money for Oxfam which is helping to change people’s lives around the world. I’d really like to do some more next year.”

First-time steward and music student, Gwen.

I’ve been stewarding for about 3 years so a relative newcomer really. I absolutely love it. I went to festivals for many years as a punter. It cost a lot of money; you can’t do as many as you like. But this is free, its friendly, it’s fun and you get access to lots of different areas you wouldn’t usually go. And it's charity work, which is great, so you're raising money for Oxfam which is the best thing really. It’s very inclusive and everyone just really chats. We all camp together on one site, its safe, it’s secure, there’s a communal area, so it’s just super easy to meet people and it’s the best way to make friends. And people say there are friends for life here and it’s not wrong. So, if you’re coming on your own it’s no problem at all. What is really good about it is you feel that you’re making a difference. You are helping people all the time. I’m really happy to work for Oxfam it’s a really, really good family. The Oxfield and the Oxfamily is something we all talk about and it’s meaningful.”

Oxfam steward, Julie

This is my first-time volunteering and I'm loving it. I've not done much in terms of volunteering elsewhere, but the facilities that you get here in this particular venue - you get vouchers for food, you get vouchers for other things. They generally look after you, you get free tea and coffee! Brilliant, brilliant little things. You get to meet people along the way. The perks are entry, you get to see the venue as a whole and the freedom. I retired early in life and what better way to fill up my time. Volunteering can help bring you out yourself. It's just a brilliant thing to do and you see a lot of people smiling and when you have that positive reaction, you know, from being positive and talking to people. It's just brilliant.”

First-time Oxfam steward, Andy

It’s such a nice family feel between all the stewards. You see the same faces every year, it’s lovely. As a disabled customer it’s nice that you can join all these festivals and events and feel looked after. Everyone looks after each other but it is also very nice to think about supporting Oxfam especially in the times that we’re living in at the moment. Obviously you need to respond to things as and when they’re happening and to feel like you’re a little cog in a big wheel feels nice.”

Oxfam steward, Michelle