One Kendal Calling Festival Angel reflects on her volunteering...

‘Kendal Calling’ Music Festival 
Being a Festival Angel

Early in May an article in the Carlisle Diocese newsletter caught my eye asking for volunteers to help at Kendal Calling, the music festival near Lowther that attracts over 34000 visitors each year. Festival Angels, is a Christian group that provide support at Music Festivals across the country. The festivals are normally 3 days but I could only help for 1 day in late July. I’d never been to a festival!

I contacted Paul Blakey the founder of Festival Angels & Street Angels and completed the application forms; they then asked for references and I was then signed up. There was lots of information and procedures to read too.

Arriving at Kendal Calling at 830am on 29th July for my 12 hour rota I then met the other volunteers who were from all over the UK including Manchester and Leeds. There was a rota of over 15 people manning 4 stations across the site for 3 days acting as stewards mainly during the day and then at night supporting people who just needed to be in a safe place for a time or just to talk especially in all the rain as we did have 2 caravans!

It was good to talk to the other volunteers from across the country and find that people from many age groups and different backgrounds had been inspired to support Festival Angels as Christians who liked music and wanted to help other people.

We all had time off from our stewarding duties and were able to see different bands in venues across the site and have a good walk around the festival. It was great to work with people from other churches and just shows another way in which the church is reaching out to new people both young and old. 

Now the next step is to find more volunteers from Cumbrian Churches for next year at Kendal Calling 2020! 

Judith Mitchell - pictured below 4th from left!