ROTW - Why Do People Get Involved?

Meet our Green team volunteers

Why do people give up their time to support Rhythms of the World? We asked regular Green team volunteers Christine Bunning and Paul Rose. Christine, a soprano, is also a popular performer at the festival.

Why did you volunteer to help on the Green team?

Paul: It’s a great local event and I wanted to do my bit to help. We’ve been part of the Green team for the last three years, once in the town and twice in the Priory Park. I like being part of the team that makes this fantastic festival possible.

Christine: I knew I was planning to be at Rhythms for most of the weekend so it didn’t seem like a big deal to give up a couple of hours of my day to help collect rubbish and keep the site tidy.

Do you enjoy it?

Christine: Yes. It’s a real pleasure to be in the Priory Park because it’s such a nice place. It’s really not hard work and it’s quite sociable because you move around among the crowds. The team is very well organised and the team leader gives you clear instructions and plenty of safety gear, which makes it very easy and quite clean. It’s not a dirty job.

It does feel a bit odd that I’m walking around the site with a black bin bag collecting rubbish and later I’m on the St Mary’s stage dressed to perform, but I think that’s what Rhythms is all about – everyone pitching in and enjoying the whole experience.

Paul: I really enjoy it. There’s a great atmosphere. People are having a good time and they are grateful that you’re collecting litter and they are very co-operative.

What’s the best thing about the job?

Paul: You have a choice about the hours you do so you can fit that around the music you want to hear. Also, as you’re collecting rubbish you get to hear a lot of other acts that interest you.

Christine: As a local person, as you move around the site you get to meet just about everyone you know over the weekend – and, what’s more,  you get in free! I also like the fact that you don’t have to queue for the toilets as there are special ones for volunteers.

And the worst thing?

Christine: The main challenge is at the end of the day when we’ve got rid of all the litter and we’re down to picking up cigarette butts with our rubbish grabbers. We have to get it done before it gets too dark to see them.

Paul: Well, it would be nice if more people took their litter home with them! But some do, and we really appreciate it.

Get involved

There are all sorts of posts to fill for this year’s festival including:

• Events team
• Working with schools and the community
• Site building and derigging
• Arts and music
• The ‘Green team’
• Front of house
• Communications
• Sales and marketing.

You can help now at the planning stages or get involved in the run up to the festival. We’ll be delighted to meet you, however much help you can offer. We’re particularly keen to meet people who can help liaise with the whole local community.

E-mail volunteers@rotw.org.uk or visit our website at www.rotw.org.uk

You can also follow ROTW on facebook and twitter