In 2012 Oxfam raised over £600,000 thanks to our hard-working, dedicated volunteer stewards. When you donate your time by working at festivals Oxfam raises income from the festival organisers in return. The money Oxfam raises this way is at least as much as, and sometimes more than, the amount of money it would otherwise have cost the festival organisers to employ stewards. Providing volunteer stewards is therefore an important fundraising activity. This money is used to help people living in poverty around the world.
Oxfam has developed a reputation as a provider of a professional volunteer steward service to festivals, and this enables us to raise these funds. To maintain this reputation, Oxfam has expectations of volunteers that it hopes will be honoured. This includes working at the festivals for the shifts offered to you and adhering to our volunteer policy.
The deposit secures your stewarding place at a festival. We realise that it is a large sum of money, but Oxfam has learned the hard way that we really do need to take a deposit as a bond for someone's place to ensure that the stewards who apply for each festival turn up and complete their shifts. Otherwise we incur the additional cost of finding a replacement steward, putting the amount of funding we raise at risk. Your place is therefore not secure until you have paid the full deposit at the end of the application process (or over the phone on 0300 200 1266 if you had a problem
with the payment online.)
The deposit is matched to the price of a ticket at the most expensive festival where we steward and one deposit will cover as many festivals as you wish to apply for with Oxfam in one season.
Should you decide you no longer wish to volunteer at a festival, Oxfam is still committed to providing a steward and must find a replacement at short notice. Our cancellation policy is set for this reason.