Let's face it, most people who volunteer are passionate about helping people - but for some influencing social change is also important. Volunteering for a campaigning organisation allows volunteers to help make things happen for large charities. Find out what the grass roots activists get up to here.

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Thursday Aug 10, 2006

WOMAD

Ever since i returned from WOMAD people seem to be commenting on my tan and how 'healthy' i look. It wasnt all about sunbathing and enjoying the fantastic world music though, it was about making the festival run smoothly while raising money for Oxfam at the same time.  Stewarding  involves volunteering for three 8 hour shifts over the duration of the weekend (including a night shift of 12-8am!). Volunteers get allocated a section of the arena or campsite to look  after during these sessions, along with a team of other i was designated to the camping area for disabled people and their carers. This area offers suitable toilet and shower facilities for people in wheelchairs and is the nearest camping area to the arena for ease of access. My shifts seemed to vary between persuading people that they didnt need to bring the kitchen sink with them and to camp closer to others, re-charging electric wheelchairs, dealing with an electricity cut, reporting full and smelly porta-loos and keeping punters happy, answering any questions they had. Creating a good relationship with my fellow team members and following my previous experience of stewarding, i seemed to end up supervising the team and keeping them motivated even during the darkest hours! i met lots of fantastic people and made plenty of friends, all resulting in a FANTASTIC weekend!

Posted by Helen Bryant ( 9:20 PM )
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My name in print

Having come across my blog, the Metro (free newspaper) approached me, for assistance  in writing an article on stewarding at festivals. Very keen to have my name in print i got involved and shared with the nation just how great it was.

Posted by Helen Bryant ( 8:55 PM )
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