HOUSEHOLDS up and down the country are invited to be part of a virtual festival community, with a unique socially-distanced, lockdown experience taking place on the usual weekend of Glastonbury Festival (Friday 26 to Sunday 28 June) organised by fans.
Glasthomebury encourages people of all ages to get together and recreate the festival experience with family or housemates by camping in the comfort of their own home whilst watching Glastonbury Festival (official) celebrate their 50th birthday on the BBC. Glasthomebury is raising money for those especially affected by lockdown and has been organised independently from the official festival. The charities chosen by followers are Mind, NSPCC, NHS Charities Together, Refuge and the Trussell Trust.
Organisers have been sharing nostalgic performances from the last 50 years and taking requests from followers. Over the weekend they are planning activities to help fans bring the festival to life in their own homes whilst raising awareness of the good causes they can donate to. Followers can download free posters, bunting, wristbands and a build-your-own pyramid stage for their phone. Stallholders are also sharing festival food and drink recipes to bring the festival to life.
Followers are also encouraged to take part in the festival ‘Welly Waddle’ – walk 5 miles in wellies, donate £5 to Glasthomebury and nominate 5 others to do the same. Each day festival go-ers usually walk five miles in wellies, so this year people can to do the same near their home whilst helping those in need – they don’t have to do it all in one day!
Charity income has been significantly affected during the Coronavirus pandemic, with many events cancelled or postponed and shops closed. This decline in income across the sector comes at a time when fundraising matters more than ever, particularly as the current situation is affecting so many people who, right now, need the support, advice and services provided by these charities even more.
The rise in virtual fundraising events has been heartening to see, with so many people across the UK getting creative and finding alternative ways to support charities with donations.
After this year’s Glastonbury Festival was cancelled, Sarah Emberson (44) who went to her first Glasto in 1992, set about organising an alternative to give fans something to look forward to whilst stuck at home.
Sarah said:
“I wanted to do something to bring people together during these tough times. As most of us are socially distancing at home, then why not camp there, we can’t all be together at the festival, but we can be together virtually.
“My hope is that the festival lifts people’s spirits whilst raising money to support many of those directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.”
Over 375,000 have responded to Glasthomebury Festival’s event on Facebook, and numbers are going up all the time. The campaign went viral after a few weeks, catching the attention of Glastonbury Festival official, who got in touch to say they’re happy to see so many people getting behind the idea. With Sarah’s fiancé John, friend Vishnee Sauntoo and sister-in-law Caroline Kelly for support, they’ve whipped up a huge online fan community, this year everyone can join in.
For more information: facebook.com/GlasthomeburyFestival
To donate: https://just.ly/glasthomebury
