Meet the Festivals team
Judy Bec, Festival Team Manager (or the big boss to many!!!)
My world in brief – I grew up 12 miles from Glastonbury and spent the formative 6 years of my life devising schemes to get in to Glastonbury, wasted 4 years at Nottingham Trent Uni, volunteered for Oxfam, then worked as a child neurological developmentalist for 7 years in the UK, America, Malaysia, Malta for 2 years, Holland, South Africa, Italy and Spain. Needed to stay in the UK for more than 2 weeks, so left my job in 2003.
I first stewarded Glastonbury in 1995, then again in 2002, and became the Oxfam stewards co-ordinator in 2003.
Got married a month before my first Glastonbury with Oxfam, had my first baby in the next Glastonbury year off, had my second in a very unplanned way – but don’t tell her that cos she’s adorable. Have realised quickly that babies and organising large numbers of stewards is a challenging combination.
47 festivals later (perhaps not all attended in body, but definitely in spirit and in responsibility), I confess to not wanting to work more than 4 festivals in a year. I still love the new and challenging ones, and I still love working festivals, it’s just not as easy as it used to be. I am, however, spoiled forever as a festival punter.
John Picken, Stewarding Coordinator
I first started volunteering with Oxfam back in 2003, staffing the entrance to the Green Car Park at Glastonbury. Little did I know that dipping my toe into the Oxfam festival volunteering program would have a long lasting effect on my life…
Over the following years I found myself attending more and more festivals each year, and working my way through the ranks from steward to supervisor, from supervisor to driver and finally ending up in the Oxbox as a Shift leader in 2006.
In 2007 I took on the paid role of deputy on-site co-ordinator at the Glade and Leeds festivals, which gave me the opportunity to see what it’s like to be responsible for the entire onsite stewarding system. Trust me when I say it’s up there on the list of scary moments in my life.
In 2008 I took a sabbatical from my job at O2 to take up a six-month temporary role at stewarding HQ in Bristol. Having had a wonderful summer working with the rest of the team, I had the opportunity to take on a permanent role. So I made a life changing decision to leave my old job, up sticks from Leeds and move to Bristol full time, and I’m loving it!
Jennie Brettell, Festivals Administrator
Before working here I'd been going to festivals for years (as a punter) and worked at a couple of festivals (although not for Oxfam), so I love being involved in the festival team. One of my favourite festivals is Beautiful Days, so I was thrilled when we were asked to steward there in 2008.
Since April 2007 I've been doing the admin for the Festival Office, based in Bristol. I work in the office, including over the summer when it's really busy and the rest of the team are at festivals. If you’ve ever phoned 0117 9166483 for anything (your deposit payment won’t go through, your car pass hasn’t arrived, you need to cancel a festival etc) then you’ve probably spoken to me.
In the summer, Judy lets me out of the office for Glastonbury week, where you’ll find me working in the Adbox. Otherwise, after 5pm on Friday, you'll often find me heading off to one of the festivals for the weekend, usually with a variety of things someone has asked me to bring onsite - in the past I’ve had to bring a rubbish bin, biros, and even a printer - but I’m back in the office on Monday morning!
Emily Jones, Festival Communications Coordinator
May 6th was my first day within the festivals team and from that day on my summer vanished amidst the mud, sweat and good times of festivals. My role within the team is to recruit and manage Oxfam’s festival campaigners and to publicise our presence at the festivals. I also spend a large part of my summer decorating marquees and being a bit of a travelling circus act courtesy of a white transit van. For any of you who would like to see a real circus though, please see our Cirque Du Soleil page for more information.
I’ve always worked in the field of communications and previously volunteered for Oxfam at festivals and as an intern within the Campaigns Department. Festivals are a great leveller and a really good opportunity for Oxfam to talk directly to the public about a wide range of issues. This year we did just that by asking people ‘what gets your knickers in a twist?’
In 2009 we will launch a new campaign with a focus on climate change and the impact our consumption has across the world. Festivals are the perfect backdrops, where it’s much easier to relate to the effect we have on the land. So, watch this space… my winter months will be spent developing that campaign, working with the festival organisers and recruiting another group of energetic campaigners.
Leigh Bazan, Stewarding Coordinator
Hello! I first stewarded for Oxfam at Reading in 2003 and loved it. Since then I've been to loads of festivals as a steward and have had lots of great experiences. I've also campaigned at Bestival, and worked in the stewarding HQ in Bristol while at Uni.
In 2008 I worked as steward co-ordinator at Reading, Latitude, and Bloom festivals. As Oxfam steward co-ordinator you’re responsible for lots of different elements to ensure the job is done correctly and safely. It’s hard work but very satisfying.
Festivals are such dynamic environments and things change from minute to minute. When we get on-site, we start by getting our Oxfam area set up, getting everybody registered, briefed and ready to work. Once shifts start, we concentrate on overseeing the operational side of things, attending meetings with the production team and responding to emergencies, leaving the shift leading team to - well - lead the shifts!
My favourite festivals are Reading and Glade. Reading for it's good music and lively edge and Glade simply for being one of the best dance music festivals in the world. If you're wondering whether to volunteer with Oxfam this summer – come and join us and get involved!
Ade Steward, Seasonal Festival Consultant
I've been stewarding with Oxfam since 2003 when I stewarded on Piccadilly Circus at Reading. I've worked my way up through the stewarding ranks over the years and now Oxfam let me look after you lovely stewards at various festivals each year. I've had many experiences in the years I've been stewarding, the rains of Glastonbury 2005 stand out as a memorable event.
As a co-ordinator it’s my responsibility on-site to look after everyone, liaise with the festival organisers and generally make sure everything is happening as it should and safely. There can be some hectic times and it’s never dull. A lot of the role is about dealing with people issues; it’s really an extension of stewarding.
My favourite festivals are Latitude and Reading. I’ve been involved with Oxfam at Latitude from the beginning and it's a great festival, which goes from strength to strength each year. My real favourite is Reading because it's where I started with Oxfam and was my first ever festival back in 1994. There's a real sense of fun at Reading with a stewarding crowd which returns year on year and we all know each other's strengths and work as a team. We also have the best end of festival party despite what the Leeds co-ordinators may say!
Julia Yarnold, Seasonal Festival Consultant
Hi, I’m Julia, known to many as Jules. I first got involved with Oxfam stewarding in 2005 at a Make Poverty History rally. Since then I’ve worked at 17 festivals.
My favourite festival in 2008 was Beautiful Days. I was the steward co-ordinator, which involved setting everything up then working 8 hour shifts throughout the festival. It was hard work but I learnt a lot about how festivals are run and how different organisations work together to make them a success.
Co-ordinators are responsible for getting the stewarding system up and running. This includes things like setting up the control room (“Oxbox”), making sure there are enough radios, and that stewards have electricity, showers etc. It’s also briefing stewards; attending meetings with the festival organisers, emergency services, security etc; being responsible for stewards’ welfare; getting the rostering right so there are enough stewards at all the positions; liaising with the shift leading team; and being on call for any emergencies.
It was an amazing experience and one I can’t wait to repeat. There is a great atmosphere amongst Oxfam stewards and many friendships are made. Whatever your age or background, you’ll work hard, have fun and probably come back year after year.
Look forward to seeing you at a festival soon!
Dianne Roe, Seasonal Festival Consultant
Hello, I began stewarding in 2005 at Glastonbury, and then worked at several festivals with Oxfam becoming a supervisor and then a shift leader. I am delighted to have been asked to act as a steward co-ordinator this year and I am looking forward to the challenges this will bring. It is great to have the opportunity to help Oxfam raise money, provide a professional service to the festivals and be part of a great team.
I have always loved music (especially live music) and attended many festivals when I was younger but stopped going when I had children, it was only when my son and daughter started to go to festivals that I realised how much I had missed the whole festival experience (although not the toilets). We were lucky enough to get tickets for Glastonbury in 2004 and while we were there we enquired about stewarding and were delighted to find that they were eager for us to sign up.
I have found the stewarding community to be very welcoming with a wonderful atmosphere on site; it is lovely to be in such an environment where your age, background etc just does not matter. Although we work hard we have great fun and I value the friendships I have made through stewarding.
I look forward to all the festivals and miss them over winter; my favourite festivals are Glastonbury, Latitude and especially Leeds.
Looking forward to meeting you, love Dianne
Simon Roe, Seasonal Festival Consultant
After paying to go to Glastonbury in 2004 I realised that I could do it for free by volunteering with Oxfam. 2005 found me on Pedestrian Gate D as the gates opened to the public. That was a fantastic experience and I was hooked on stewarding. There was no Glastonbury in 2006, but I stewarded at 3 other festivals, from then on I have done as many festivals with Oxfam as other commitments will allow.
In 2008 I stewarded at 6 festivals, mainly as Shift Leader – running the Oxfam operation from our site HQ (known as the OxBox). We make sure that we have stewards in the right place to meet the ever changing demands of the festival. Depending on the circumstances this can be simple or sometimes quite challenging. 2009 will be my first year as Coordinator and I am looking forward to having a wider view of how a festival functions.
My favourite festivals are Glastonbury (it’s like 5 or 6 festivals together) and Leeds (I love the music and the vibe). At Leeds the Oxfam crew also have had a great campsite for the last 2 years and there is a fantastic spirit – with the best end of festival party of the year – bar-none.
The community in the Oxfam campsite is fantastic. I have made very good friends of all ages and from many different walks of life. The common cause of Oxfam and the love of festivals is all that is needed to bring people together to have great time, do a very professional job for the festivals and raise a lot of money for good causes.
Mark Grayson, Seasonal Festival Consultant
In 1993 I stewarded with the Oxfam team on it's maiden voyage at Glastonbury Festival. Having attended festivals for 10 years before this, I jumped at the opportunity to continue my love of festivals alongside raising money for Oxfam.
Since then I’ve never looked back and I’ve done a range of stewarding jobs including working at the gates, supervising, driving and shift leading. I've enjoyed all the festivals I’ve worked, particularly Glastonbury, WOMAD and Beautiful Days and I’m looking forward to the challenges being part of the co-ordinating team at Beautiful Days and Camp Bestival will bring.
My festival claim to fame is having played guitar live on the original permanent pyramid stage at Glastonbury! Okay, it was in October but there were some cows in the audience who remained for the whole song!
I've experienced working in a variety of environments including recording studios, hospitals, and gardens. Since the 90's I’ve worked in a busy social work team, and many of the skills I utilise there compliment aspects of the work I do with Oxfam - although my office isn't as muddy and the toilets flush!
I look forward to another season as part of the Oxfam Team, I'm sure it will be hot and dry (although don't hold me to it)!
Joe Stott, Seasonal Festivals Consultant
Over the last 9 years I've spent a lot of my time working in and around the Hard Dance Music Scene. A lot of the work which I've been involved with is promoting Dj's & MC's through running and organising events for them to play at. During this time I've been involved in over 60 dance events with capacities ranging from 100 to 14,000 people.
Being heavily involved in the dance scene I always assumed festivals would be boring - however I couldn't have been more wrong. I worked my first festival at Glastonbury which has everything you could want including a dance village. Still overwhelmed I followed it up two weeks later with the Glade Festival which I'm now involved with Coordinating for Oxfam.
I actually feel lucky to do Festivals with Oxfam - you can usually guarantee your tent is safe as we have our own camp site, hot showers, cleaner toilets and also a canteen. All these allow me to relax and enjoy the time off I get at festivals - I'd recommend it to anyone! On a normal year you find me at Glastonbury, Glade and Leeds - wherever it's busiest and usually looking for some mayhem to deal with!
