Glastonbury 2011

[WBC-WORKER]

I have volunteer tickets for Shelter -and i got good on resale this morning for punters tickets. How do i cash these volunteer tickets in?

They were never ' volunteer tickets ' in the first place and you clearly only applied to cover your back so you may have prevented a Genuine volunteer who is keen to earn money for Shelter but missed the deadline.

Sure they have a waiting list but its pot luck.

So was your master plan just to forfeit the deposit and just attend the festival not thinking what impact that would have on the rest of the genuine volunteers ?

Clearly Shelter should double up their deposit scheme to £ 500 to discourage people who look at as a simple way to bypass the ticket process

Shelter was after 340 volunteers and 30 bar managers and if everyone failed to show up this would have a huge impact on Shelter and Avalon Bars who of course has spent thousands on setting up and the license to trade at Glastonbury.

 

[Looby]

They were never ' volunteer tickets ' in the first place and you clearly only applied to cover your back so you may have prevented a Genuine volunteer who is keen to earn money for Shelter but missed the deadline.

Sure they have a waiting list but its pot luck.

So was your master plan just to forfeit the deposit and just attend the festival not thinking what impact that would have on the rest of the genuine volunteers ?

Clearly Shelter should double up their deposit scheme to £ 500 to discourage people who look at as a simple way to bypass the ticket process

Shelter was after 340 volunteers and 30 bar managers and if everyone failed to show up this would have a huge impact on Shelter and Avalon Bars who of course has spent thousands on setting up and the license to trade at Glastonbury.

That's a whole heap of assumptions right there!

 

[WBC-WORKER]

That's a whole heap of assumptions right there!

Well I do know a bit about it as I have been a Bar volunteer for 22 years and I have never heard of anyone in all those years use the phrase ' Volunteer ticket '

Shelter last year was taken a deposit of either £ 120 or £ 150 pounds - I do know the people who run Avalon Bars and I do know they had lots of Volunteer no shows last year which created all sorts of problems as they simply don't have the resources to hire lots of staff who can be placed on standby.

This is only the second year that Shelter and EJF { Environmental Justice Foundation } have been supplying staff to Avalon Bars and Events and they were after genuine Volunteer's

Its only three shifts of eight hours sometime over the festival so its a very good deal and its a lot less hours than I and similar volunteers who work for the WBC are expected to work.

I already have a place at Glastonbury so I would never dream of buying a ticket .

 

[Looby]

Well I do know a bit about it as I have been a Bar volunteer for 22 years and I have never heard of anyone in all those years use the phrase ' Volunteer ticket '

Shelter last year was taken a deposit of either £ 120 or £ 150 pounds - I do know the people who run Avalon Bars and I do know they had lots of Volunteer no shows last year which created all sorts of problems...

I meant your assumptions about the poster. I know you know a great deal about working at festivals etc

And whilst I'm sure no-shows are a big problem, he's not actually one of them because he's going to pull out now.

I just think it's a bit unfair to make massive judgments about someone and how they would behave based on a short post.

 

[alsoknownas]

I meant your assumptions about the poster. I know you know a great deal about working at festivals etc

And whilst I'm sure no-shows are a big problem, he's not actually one of them because he's going to pull out now.

I just think it's a bit unfair to make massive judgments about someone and how they would behave based on a short post.

I have to agree I'm afraid. Much as I respect your (WBC-WORKER) knowledge-base, and have found many of your posts extremely helpful, I reckon you're a bit off on this one.
Surely ten weeks or so prior to the event is sufficient notice of a change of plan - I'm sure they'll be able to sort out a replacement.
Also, I think it's naive to think that some people aren't volunteering primarily as a means to access the festival. So long as they actually turn up and take their responsibilities seriously, I don't think there's too much wrong with that. And yes that means that some people will volunteer, but also apply for the re-sale to cover each eventuality.

The real fuckers are the ones who don't turn up, or skive off shifts, or do a really shit job of it.
Anyway, I stand to be corrected on any of this as I've only actually worked at Glasto once (last year), but those are my thoughts.

 

[mysterygirl]

that's older than I've ever had reported as a found child. Everybody has antenna for little kids looking lost but by 10 he'd have to be pretty distressed before anyone really noticed him, at least during the day. After dark a 10yo looking lost might get approached by stewards, but I'm a bit doubtful because at that age most kids would probably be mortally offended to be thought of as a lost child. Of course he could ask for help but that's more likely to be the "which way is the Meeting Point" variety than "take me to Welfare".

But yes, at 10 if he was clear he was ok and knew what he was up to I would accept (if not necessarily believe) his word. You're his carer and if you're ok with him being off having adventures on his own (as I would be in your place) it's not up to any steward to tell him heshould go to Welfare for his own good.

The festival is generally a very safe environment, if potentially a little boring for that age group, it's mostly aimed either younger or older, so he may get a bit fed up, and appreciate help finding interesting things to do. Or he may hook up with some others and go feral for a few days

Havng said that, I've taken my own kids there at that age and ime so long as he gets the navigational basics sorted he'll turn up when he's hungry And he probably won't fancy it after dark, except accompanied to the fire show.

Thanks, that's quite reassuring. Im sure he'll be fine, I've just never had sole charge of the little terrorist before, only his angelic, do-what-they're-told, no-more-no-less siblings.

A few years ago me and a biggish group of mates took along the then 10 year old daughter of a friend. She'd been the two previous years, with her mum, so knew her way around. Inevitably she would sneak off and go exploring on her own. One afternoon she showed up back at our campsite followed by two policemen. She wasn't lost, but they'd obviously thought she looked a bit young to be on her own, and followed her back to make sure she was all right. And then one night she got up and went out by herself quite late, and some steward took her to the welfare place, from where I had to retrieve her at around 2am.... it's a pretty safe place really for kids. It's difficult if kids are too old to be "never let out of your sight" but still small enough to worry if they go off exploring for too long. We used walkie-talkies, which worked quite well, although you need a few sets of batteries to last.

Giles..

Aaannnd.. back to worrying

mmm, police may have some sort of dispensation for dealing with kids but personally I'm not about to start following 10 year old girls around the place.


Our briefings emphasise never being alone with a child, never touching them (take off tabard, steward holds one end, child holds the other to show there's no coercion), doing nothing that's open to misinterpretation. I once hoisted a small onto the roof of the landrover to look around for the anxious parent. The child was quickly spotted and all was well but I was left feeling slightly nervous of the consequences if someone had complained.

LOL - do you also provide child protection services for the kids from the anxious, upset and scared carers?

Anyway, I've made a discovery about the little terrorist. He's a big fan of QOTSA so I won't have to worry about him wanting to see Beyonce instead. All might be forgiven.

 

[Graham Beecroft]

They were never ' volunteer tickets ' in the first place and you clearly only applied to cover your back so you may have prevented a Genuine volunteer who is keen to earn money for Shelter but missed the deadline.

Sure they have a waiting list but its pot luck.

So was your master plan just to forfeit the deposit and just attend the festival not thinking what impact that would have on the rest of the genuine volunteers ?

Clearly Shelter should double up their deposit scheme to £ 500 to discourage people who look at as a simple way to bypass the ticket process

Shelter was after 340 volunteers and 30 bar managers and if everyone failed to show up this would have a huge impact on Shelter and Avalon Bars who of course has spent thousands on setting up and the license to trade at Glastonbury.

I fully intended to honour the shifts if I'd have gone down that route. I have a mate who did the charity work there a few years ago and said plenty of people just used it to get in and then disappear - thats sounds shit to me for exactly the reasons you said...it denies a genuine placement. Just I saw that Shelter was oversubscribed and went for resale ticket as my mates were in already.

 

[Gromit]

If ClashfinderGeneral is accurate (I know it can change but the each tent's headline act isn't likely to move much) then I'm very disappointed by the number of acts that I wanted to see and won't be able to because of clashes.

Out of 26 acts i particuarly wanted to see I'm likely to manage 5-6.

I know that they have to do this to avoid crowding (spreading the load) but it still makes an exciting line up a lot less exciting in real terms.

 

[tarannau]

Yep, they arrange the 50 odd stages and thousands of entertainers specifically to be 'less exciting' to you




There's loads off the beaten track, not including the large number of bands who appear more than once, often at less heralded locations. You've got to be going some to be worrying about multiple headliner clashes already

 

[William of Walworth]

Very handy alphabetical list of acts here



It could be pretty useful, it would be quite easy to fail to notice one or two names if you only go by a venue-order list ...

Glasto lists

 

[mysterygirl]

I scour the line-up regularly, regardless of change, to see what it is that I've managed to miss so far. There's almost always something

 

[WBC-WORKER]

I fully intended to honour the shifts if I'd have gone down that route. I have a mate who did the charity work there a few years ago and said plenty of people just used it to get in and then disappear - thats sounds shit to me for exactly the reasons you said...it denies a genuine placement. Just I saw that Shelter was oversubscribed and went for resale ticket as my mates were in already.

I do know that last year people did show up pick up their wrist band and was never seen again due to the low deposit that Shelter asked for last year. This created huge problems for the staff as they were understaffed.

It did look from the use of the word ' volunteer tickets ' - a phase I have never heard any one use before that you were intending to forfeit the deposit.

If that was not your intention then I apologise -

if you had used the word ' volunteer place ' it would not have read to me that you had other intentions.

Anyway did you let them know so they can hand out the place to someone else ?

----------

as to what intentions people have who do volunteer it really does not matter provided they are willing to do the shifts but I do know as I am in touch with some who were wanting to work with Avalon that some people applied twice - once with Shelter and then to cover their back's EJF so in theory they can end up with two places so not sure how they sort that one out.

I know from another message board that people were posting it as a solution for people who were not lucky with a ticket and they were willing to forfeit the deposit as there is no way they wanted to work at it.

---------

The WBC { that run the main bars at Glastonbury } does not recruit direct its left to WBC Organiser such as myself to only vouch for people who we can trust and are certain they will show up so its not a bunch of strangers - on a whole the system does work well and we do that without taking any deposits at all .

 

[pennimania]

Thanks for posting that link William

I am very happy about Glasvegas and the Streets

at the moment I am still hoping to come, even if I have to carry old husband on my back

 

[paolo]

I see Melvyn Benn's been appointed as the new Chairman of Wembley Stadium. Hopefully he'll still be putting the hours in for Glastonbury. If there's one thing he's very good at, it's keeping Mendip onside.

 

[WBC-WORKER]

new version of map { thanks tort } is at

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/data/image/fineguide-2011-21apr.jpg

 

[Looby]

Any news on opening times this year? Will it be Monday morning this time? I do so love standing in a queue getting burnt like last year. ; )

 

[strung out]

monday morning?

fairly sure it will be same as last year. car parks on tuesday and gates on wednesday

 

[paolo]

No world cup game, so *might* be less manic. I think though that the weather will be the main factor. Hope for sun of course, but with that there'll be queues.

They really should give c & d more capacity, even if that means upping the Oxfam/security bill for the extra staff. In terms of punter value, it would be worth an extra tenner a head at least.

 

[madamv]

Thanks for the new map linky wbc...

I really think we will just camp in Wicket Family as Mr V has his heart on a large tent. From what I have been told, Wicket had lots of space last year due to the trek to Kidz/Circus fields..

 

[madamv]

Love this! How big Glastonbury site is compared to your postcode...

 

[Tort]

Love this! How big Glastonbury site is compared to your postcode...

It's great isn't it I stuck in my work postcode. If the Stone Circle was at the northern end of London Bridge Worthy Farm would almost be in Islington.

 

[Looby]

I think people will get there even earlier this year and we'll end up stood in a queue from midnight.

5-midday last year was quite enough!

 

[Tort]

I think people will get there even earlier this year and we'll end up stood in a queue from midnight.

5-midday last year was quite enough!

7 hours??? Some people I camped with queued for 5 1/2 at Gate B whereas we virtually walked straight in at Gate A at 9:30am. Taking the van this year but also camping on Pennards so we've got a campervan pass for the West Fields where we'll have access via Gate E & hopefully very little queuing.

 

[paolo]

On my way home from an Arcadia party, popped in to the farm:

( for those interested, party pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulholmes/sets/72157626453149889/with/5655597512/ )

 

[Graham Beecroft]

On my way home from an Arcadia party, popped in to the farm:

( for those interested, party pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulholmes/sets/72157626453149889/with/5655597512/ )

great pics

 

[paolo]

Cheers Graham.

General note folks: There's going to be an epic one-way system for the late area this year. Between 2300-0400, the only access will be via a 600m track running from Gate C, following the fenceline.

All other access points will be exit only during those hours.

So, plan ahead. If you're finishing up in, say, Acoustic it'll barely make any difference in distance. At the other extreme, at The Park, you're looking at a whopping 2.5km hike.

(in that scenario, suffice to say it's worth probing the mid-entrance to Dragon from Kings meadow, to see if the track down Dragon can shufty you in.)

I might be writing more about this on GlastoEarth soon, but there's your warning.

 

[Gerry1time]

Any idea if people with passes for that area will be able to use any other entrances?

 

[paolo]

Any idea if people with passes for that area will be able to use any other entrances?

Am wondering the same. My Shangri-La/Arcadia wristbands/laminates didn't cut it last year when trying to beat the one-ways.

Am going to ask an area organiser, see if they've been told what the policy is.

 

[Gerry1time]

Am wondering the same. My Shangri-La/Arcadia wristbands/laminates didn't cut it last year when trying to beat the one-ways.

Am going to ask an area organiser, see if they've been told what the policy is.

Same, I got told my wristful of gubbins looked fake, and was only trying to nip down to the avalon bar, away from the crowds.

 

[Corax]

A large number of the most highly paid surgeons, doctors, and managers from my hospital go every year. They stay in yurts and the like so that they can keep their distance from the 'smelly chavs'. I'm not 100% convinced they've embraced the original ethos tbh.