Thursday, September 01, 2016

70 #YMCA volunteers make their mark at #Greenbelt Festival 2016




70 YMCA volunteers make their mark at Greenbelt 2016

Volunteers from 11 YMCAs across England and Scotland spent last weekend under canvas enjoying, contributing to and reveling in all that Greenbelt festival had to offer.

Hosted in Kettering, in Northamptonshire, Greenbelt provides an opportunity for people of all ages and faiths to engage with a rich programme of music, visual and performing arts, spirituality, comedy, talks and discussion.

After months of considerable planning, the first tent poles were erected last Tuesday when the initial set-up team arrived on site to lay claim to a camping base for YMCA volunteers that would arrive over the next 48 hours.

As an associate partner, residents, youth workers, CEOs, chaplains and their families spent the weekend representing YMCA, working together to coordinate a series of activities for the event, attended by more than 9,000 people.

One of the team's main roles was to coordinate the youth programme at the Den, a small venue inside the main arena of the festival site, that included daily worship, 'youth hour', talks from young Palestine refugees, a musical performance from the Rubber Wellies, heated 'Cake and Debate' sessions, inflatables, and a space for young Greenbelters to just be.

In addition to keeping the show on the road in the Den, volunteers also facilitated the smooth-running of the campsite showers, with volunteers and punters having more than 1,500 showers between them over the weekend.

Volunteers from YMCA Humber looked after the team across the weekend, making sure breakfast and lunch was available, and always coffee on the camp stove! 


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