ONE DEPOSIT = UNLIMITED FESTIVALS in the summer of 2023
Jessi from Where’s My Tent? (me!) has volunteered with My Cause UK 4 times so far, and every time has been so great. I’m going to start this blog with an update from the My Cause UK team themselves about what 2023 looks like for them and how to volunteer, then if you read on, I’ll post a bit about my experiences with My Cause and some pics from my volunteering days.
How to make the most of the 2023 festival season during the cost of living crisis
This time last year we had no idea what 2022 would hold. The post-pandemic uncertainty for the events industry has been felt by both festival workers and punters alike, but one thing that is certain is that prices are soaring. 💸 An inevitable consequence of the cost of living crisis is the price hike in tickets, as the average rise in festival production costs has hit 25% – 30% due to supply chain shortages. The unfortunate reality is that many festival lovers are getting priced out of experiences that are often the highlights of someone’s year.
We believe that the most cost-effective way of making the most of the festival season is to volunteer with us.
All you have to do is pay one returnable deposit and choose as many festivals as you like to volunteer at with them in 2023!
Since the birth of My Cause in 2015, we pride ourselves on creating a strong community of volunteers with a passion for the magical world of UK festivals. Not only do they excel in their roles on-site, but they raise money for a charity of their choice while making friends for life. From stewarding and gates, eco-bonds to box offices, car parks to programme sales and anything in-between, no task is too big for our superstar volunteers. Volunteers are often the unsung heroes of the festival world, as many events simply wouldn’t be able to survive without the kindness of thousands of volunteers each season.
Volunteering opens gateways to meeting new people, sharing rich life experiences, and most importantly, learning more about yourself. All of these are great ways to improve your wellbeing and, most importantly, your sense of perspective. Now more than ever, we want to create a home for people to enrich their lives in a cost-effective way while we offer some of best UK festivals as the opportunity to do so! Our application process will be opening on January 31st 2023 and we’re expecting it to be our busiest festival season yet. Find out more about volunteering with My Cause UK at 2023 festivals here!
Jessi’s experience as a My Cause UK Steward
I’ve volunteered with My Cause UK 4 times in total, but have also volunteered with Rob (My Cause’s founder) for a few years before that as a Boomtown Volunteer Supervisor. I have a few key points to make about my time with them, so I’ll make them clearly in a bullet list!
- They care SO MUCH about their volunteers – your wellbeing is priority number one
- The work is fun! Whether you’re wristbanding, recycling, patrolling, or even just guarding a gate, you’re always in a pair, and they try to ensure you keep busy. Time on shift goes quickly.
- It’s usually easy to shift swap, and working day festivals you always see the headliner
- It really motivates you to be raising money for a charity you choose that is close to your heart
- You get food/food vouchers for each shift you work, meaning you get a decent meal to keep you going
I can honestly say that working festivals is so much fun, you will make so many new friends, and learn lots of new skills too. Yes there is the likelihood you will miss someone you want to see, but just roll with it and you will definitely see some amazing other artists when not on shift. Make sure you save enough hours in the day for some sleep however!
Why I’m going to be promoting volunteering and My Cause UK a lot this year
It saddens me the state of the world, and how so many people are being priced out the magic of festivals due to inflation without payrises. Someone like me who likes to go to 4 or 5 a year… it could easily add up to near £1500 I would need for tickets alone. By volunteering, you pay ONE deposit when you apply, then you can volunteer at unlimited festivals for the whole summer (that could be 10+ festivals!). After your last shift of the season, wait a couple of weeks, and that deposit will be back in your bank (minus a 6% payment admin fee), essentially rendering your EPIC summer completely ticket-cost free! 💷💸
VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS OPEN ON THE 31st JANUARY 2023!
Click here to register for volunteering and to fill your summer with festivals!
I’ve always wondered about volunteering and how to go about doing it, thanks for all the handy info and insider knowledge, I’m going to sign up!
Hi Jessi
It’s John from Dublin here & we spoke at the event..
I took your above snap last year @ BST & it was my 1st time to volunteer.
I am hoping to take in a few gigs this year @ BST as had really enjoyable time.
Ahhh hi John! I wondered if you’d ever see this! What a great picture you took, thank you so much! So glad you loved volunteering, I hope you can get to a few BST gigs! I’m hoping to do Guns N Roses 🌹! Lovely to hear from you, I hope you’re keeping well x
Did you get many people that volenteer solo?
Yes lots of people do! There is also a Facebook group for My Cause Volunteers where people can connect with other volunteers before the festival itself. Lots of solos use this to introduce themselves and find others volunteering the same festivals.