Glastonbury Festival is back, and WaterAid volunteers will be there once again, providing essential services and calling on festival-goers to Pump Up the Volume! Read on to find out more...

26 Jun 2013 | Worthy Farm, Glastonbury

Our activities at Glastonbury 2013 are set to include:

  • Two girls signing the WaterAid petition, held by a person in a poo costumeCampaigning – We will be asking festival-goers to Pump Up the Volume – for a world where everyone, everywhere has safe water and sanitation by 2030. We'll be all over the site gathering signatures that we will take to the UN in September, calling for universal access to safe water and sanitation. At our stand, you will be able to support the campaign by having your photo taken as you Pump Up the Volume! 

  • The stand – This is the place to talk to us and find out more about our work. Why not grab a free water refill why you're here! Support WaterAid by getting some fantastic nail art, or getting a Pump Up the Volume tattoo or hand stamp to help spread the message across Worthy Farm! 

  • Latrines and She-Pees – We operate African-style latrines and provide female urinals known as She-Pees. These are run by a team of fantastic volunteers who collect donations, talk to people in the queue about our work and, most importantly, keep the facilities nice and clean. The best places to go at the festival by far!

  • WaterAid films – These show on the big screens next to The Pyramid and Other stages. Watch out for our amazing 2013 Pump Up the Volume film (you NEED to see it!), as well as a short film showing how Glastonbury Festival supports our work in Mozambique. 

  • WaterAid on social media – Whether you are on site or following the action at home, you'll be able to see and share our latest updates via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - including amazing photos, six second Vine videos, and a Hero of the Day!

  • Love the farm, leave no trace – We have an army of litter pickers and recyclers on site to ensure that as much waste can be recycled as possible. Say hi and be nice to them as it's a tough job! Covering some of the festival's busiest areas, this team play an important role in keeping the farm tidy and recycling as much as is physically possible.

If you're off to the festival then here's what to pack:

  • Patchwork Glastonbury sign with the letters 'GLASTO'Your ticket (yes, some people do forget this!)
  • Sleeping bag and tent (ditto...)
  • Wellies/walking boots (festival essentials)
  • Flip-flops (give your feet a breather!)
  • Sun-cream, hat and shades (fingers crossed...)
  • Warm jumper for night (it can get cold at night)
  • Waterproofs (just in case!)
  • Toothbrush and toiletries (keep 'em clean!)
  • Contraception and sanitary-wear (be prepared...)
  • Wet wipes and loo roll (you can never have enough!)
  • Food and drink (although you'll be spoilt for choice on site too)
  • Camera/Phone/Charger (there will be charging points on site)
  • Cash and cash-card (there are machines on site)
  • Flag and/or comedy hat (you can buy these on site too, if you must!)

WaterAid first became involved with Glastonbury Festival in 1994 thanks to the local Rotary group who suggested us to Michael Eavis. The rest, as they say, is history.

Our relationship with the festival has since gone from strength to strength and we are now one of their three main charities.

Each festival year, we receive a donation in return for the services and volunteers we provide at the festival.

Above all though, the festival gives us a fantastic platform to let people know about us and our vital work. We can campaign and reach tens of thousands of people, and potentially millions worldwide who watch on TV and take an interest in the world's most famous music festival.

Glastonbury Festival is the ideal place to campaign, as people are more receptive to the issues of water and sanitation when they're at a festival than they are in their day to day lives. 

Whether it's getting something to drink, queuing for the toilet or making sure their hands are clean, people are a step closer to the issues and can really start to understand what life is like for the 2.5 billion people in the world who do not have access to a toilet.

Over the years our presence has become bigger and better, and many WaterAid supporters say they first heard of us through the festival. We even got a visit from our President, HRH The Prince of Wales, in 2010 to help celebrate the 40th birthday of the festival.

We will be adding more information about our exciting Pump Up the Volume campaign in the coming weeks. In the meantime though, why not take a look at photographs and films from previous years:
A close-up of a WaterAid droplet tattoo on a woman's arm.

Don't let it drop

At Glastonbury 2010 our campaign message was simple: Don't let it drop. We showed this film to encourage festival goers to demand that urgent action is taken to address the global sanitation and water crisis. This video has captions for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The 'Captions' button on the bottom of the player turns them on and off.

Two young people posing for the WaterAid Loo Queue campaign.

Join the Loo Queue

The Join the Loo Queue petition in 2011 was a display of solidarity with those who have been waiting their whole lives for a safe, clean place to go to the toilet. By signing the petition you helped us call for action from the UK Government to address this injustice by committing to lifting 100 million people out of water and sanitation poverty by 2015.

Michael and Emily Eavis.

Michael and Emily Eavis

In November 2006, Festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis visited Mozambique to see for themselves how Glastonbury money donated to WaterAid is changing people's lives. This video has captions for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The 'Captions' button on the bottom of the player turns them on and off.