On the morning of Friday 14 July 2023, a team of 120 volunteers from Shepton Mallet’s SOS Africa Children’s Charity were among a small army of volunteers to wake up at the crack of dawn and begin a 6-hour litter picking shift at Glastonbury Festival’s iconic Pyramid Stage Field.
The task is no mean feat, as each afternoon and evening the venue hosts 12 hours of live music, often attracting crowds of over 100,000. Despite the enormity of the task, the team was able to make a huge impact, and by the time the clock struck midday and the bands began to play, there was neither a squashed paper cup nor stray crisp packet in sight.
In return for their efforts, the volunteers were treated to complimentary meals and hot showers, a real blessing after a morning toiling on the festival’s hallowed turf. For the SOS Africa volunteers, the experience was even more rewarding knowing the life-changing impact their combined efforts would have on the fortunes of disadvantaged children living in the Western Cape, South Africa.
“This was my very first Glastonbury – and what a fantastic way to do it!” said Emma Sankey, 1st Year Litter Picking volunteer. “Joining the SOS Africa team was an absolute honour, and a particularly meaningful way to experience the festival.”
The remarkable efforts of the volunteers have raised enough funds to provide over 415 years of school tuition for the SOS Africa children since the initiative began in 2013. This year alone, the volunteers raised enough to fund over 80 years of school tuition.
“I’ve had the privilege of joining the SOS Africa recycling crew for 7 years and I wouldn’t want to ‘do’ Glastonbury any other way!” said Bruce Philip, 7th Year Litter Picking volunteer. “The camaraderie of the team and sense of satisfaction as you look back at the field picked clean of litter, makes you feel like that you’ve contributed just a little to the magic of the festival, while the real magic is happening far away with the tangible changes made to children’s lives through the funds raised and exceptional work that SOS Africa do in providing education and hope for future generations of South Africans.
For the past 7 years, SOS Africa has recruited teams of 100-strong litter picking volunteers to ensure that Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage Field is cleared of rubbish each morning of the festival. This year the volunteers reached the unchartered milestone of £100,000 raised for the SOS Africa children, providing over 415 years of education for the children in their care.
As the final funds were gathered from this year’s formidable fundraising effort, the volunteers were already looking forward to returning in 2024 to do it all over again.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.