Meet some of the Festival Angels!

Name: Gale

Role: Team Leader Prayer Cafe

How long have you been doing festival angels? Only done Leeds twice. Doing Kendal calling this year

What’s the best bit of volunteering? Walking away on Monday morning knowing you’ve helped so many young people in times of trouble and helped them to have a great festival experience Generally spreading the love . My husband David and I volunteer together so it’s great that it’s a family affair!

What’s the worst bit of volunteering? Running out of hot chocolate

Best memory from the festival? Helping a boy called Theo and a girl called Katie … to me it was nothing but to them it was huge!

Top tip for camping/surviving festival life? Go Home

​Is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing this year? @ Kendal calling Sophie ellis bextor, Gabrielle, The Wombats

​Name: Conrad

​Role: Detached Co-ordinator 

How long have you been doing festival angels? 7 years

What’s the best bit of volunteering? Meeting the other angels and seeing the look on peoples face when you help them out and it makes their day.

What’s the worst bit of volunteering? The rain

Best memory from the festival? There are 2 here sorry. But when I treated lost property to ice creams. And being front of stage for Mable

Top tip for camping/surviving festival life? Go very early to the toilets before the arena opens after they have been cleaned the night before.

Is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing this year? @ Kendal calling stereophonics, Joel Cory, Sophie ellis bextor. @ Leeds Festival Halsey, Megan the stallion, Bastile, bbcc

Name: Billy

Role: Prayer Cafe Co-ordinator

How long have you been doing festival angels? 3 years

What’s the best bit of volunteering? Having banter with the festival goers.

What’s the worst bit of volunteering? Sleeping in a tent.

Best memory from the festival? Foo fighters 2018 we incredible

Top tip for camping/surviving festival life? Buy a VIP toilet pass.

Is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing this year? Not really, I'm all about the Cafe!!

Name: Paul

Role: Leeds Festival Angels Co-Coordinator

How long have you been doing festival angels? In 2010, with Street Angels, I was part of a team who attended Leeds Festival working with the Police around a 'Staying Safe' campaign. Myself and the other three Street Angels all ended up helping people carry luggage and setting up tents. We thought there could well be a need for Street Angels at Leeds Fest and so I emailed them who basically said no! However a local Thorner lady had more success with the Prayer Cafe starting in 2011 and Festival Angels starting in 2012. I was part of the 2012 team and in 2013 I began to help coordinate the Detached team. 2022 will be my 11th Leeds Festival and because I have had the privilege of helping replicate the Festival Angels model to several other music festivals across the UK will have attended at least 30 music festivals since 2010!

What’s the best bit of volunteering? The volunteers! The Festival Angels family is amazing! I have met so many lovely and wonderful people who have become really good friends. The investment and time that people give to making Festival Angels a success, at Leeds and other music festivals, always amazes me! I have some great memories of times working with and spending time with the Festival Angels team at Leeds, Big Church Day Out, Kendal Calling, Boardmasters....

What’s the worst bit of volunteering? Rain and mud! I love festivals when the sun is shining, getting round the site is easy on solid ground, and everyone is happy! Festivals where it chucks it down and the whole site is mud, mud, mud and people are wet, damp, covered in mud and feeling the hard work are just horrendous!

Best memory from the festival? I have so many! Filling up every container we could with water to hand out to dehydrated festival goers in 2019. Watching bands with groups of Festival Angels. Enjoying food, coffee, conversations, ice creams, cheese and wine, together as we sit and chill in down times. All coming together as a team to watch the sunset on the cliff top at Boardmasters. Brian Head Welch in the Prayer Cafe in 2017 and seeing so many connect with his story and many realising Jesus Loves Festivals, festival-goers and Festival Angels.

Top tip for camping/surviving festival life? The Luxury Loos! Well worth the £30!!!! If you need anything just ask - we are all Festival Angels to one another as well as the festival-goers.

Is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing this year? Quick check of the Leeds website to see who I have heard of!!!! I will try and get to the Arctic Monkeys set and quite enjoy Bastille who are also at Kendal Calling this year!

Name: Jo Lynch

Role: Lost Property Coordinator

How long have you been doing festival angels? This is my 7th year! My favourite number.

What’s the best bit of volunteering? Getting alongside young people and meeting other volunteers from all walks of life.

What’s the worst bit of volunteering? Lack of sleep!

Best memory from the festival? 2 young people who had picked up each other’s bag from the bus by mistake…. Reconciling the 2 was really funny and actually emotional when they were just so grateful for our support.

Top tip for camping/surviving festival life? Hot water bottle

Is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing this year? Jesus in action

Name: Connor Dale (The big one in the photo)

Role: Lost Property Coordinator

How long have you been doing festival angels? This will be my 5th year

What’s the best bit of volunteering? My best bit is the festival angels family you get to make with the other volunteers

What’s the worst bit of volunteering? Cold showers in a muddy field...

Best memory from the festival? It's got to be watching Sam Dessi jump over a Tow Bar for a trailer like it a hurdle and being proud of herself for a good 6-12 months after!

Top tip for camping/surviving festival life? Bring a duvet and pillow(s). much better than a sleeping bag!

Is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing this year? Arctic Monkeys (Somehow never seen them!)