Buddhafield Festival 2024

Needless to say, in order for the Festival to be a life-enhancing and indeed for some a life-transforming experience, much hard work is required. From the day we arrive in an empty field with a small vanguard, our numbers gradually swell until we have around eight hundred volunteers welcoming the three thousand visitors. The set-up crew erect the structures that will act as kitchens and venues. They establish the infrastructure such as plumbing, compost toilets, showers and saunas. They make the site beautiful and safe with flags, bunting, paths, fences and lighting. Then during the Festival we have stewards to welcome and guide festival goers, to manage parking and traffic and to attend to people's well-being. Toilet wizards maintain the compost toilets. A team of recyclers sorts materials so as to minimize landfill. The kitchen crew feed volunteers and festival goers alike. The site crew look after the infrastructure, tents, water etc. During the set-up phase, volunteers will get one day off and during the festival two days either as full days or half days, depending on the needs of the particular teams. VAP volunteers will be invited to work in one of a number of areas before and during the festival, for example: the Healing area, the Buddhafield cafe, site crew, recycling and ‘toilet wizards’, décor, welcome and departure teams. During the Festival the volunteers will have work shifts, but will also have time to enjoy the huge variety of events taking place and facilities available as outlined above. Volunteers are asked to attend daily morning meetings, the exact time depending on what area of work they choose to join. The work is very team-based. The whole enterprise runs on goodwill, awareness of each others’ needs, good communication and mutual support. During set-up and take-down there will be organised events around Buddhist themes, attendance at which is completely voluntary. There are generally also alternatives such as spontaneous musical gatherings, often around a fire. They will also have someone on site who is their direct contact for support and pastoral care. They will meet as a group together each day.

Volunteers should bring their own tents, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and everything you would need for a camping trip. Weather can be range from very hot in the sun to very cold at night, so please bring plenty of blankets as well as sun cream, warm-weather clothes and proper waterproof jackets and trousers. Showers and toilet facilities are outdoors and though cleaner and better cared for than other festivals, they are outdoors and basic. Buddhafield will provide 100% vegan food and hot drinks and snacks are available throughout the day. If you need animal products, you will have to bring with you a supply of food that does not need refrigeration.

TRAVEL TO BUDDHAFIELD: The Festival site is in remote countryside, with only two buses per day going near the site. A member of the Buddhafield team will meet people at the Taunton train station and help them get to the site. If you want to travel with a team member it is important that you arrive at Taunton train station not later than 16:45 on July 9th, where we will meet you at the upper exit by platform 2! ========= Train: The nearest station is Taunton. Journeys take about 2 hours from London or Birmingham, 1 hour from Bristol and 30 minutes from Exeter. ========= Coach (Bus): Taunton is about 4 hours from London and 1 hour from Bristol. National Express run regular services to Taunton. See www.nationalexpress.com. If you come by coach you will need to allow 15 minutes to walk to the train station exit by platform 2. ========= Local transport: Once in Taunton, there are two buses per day which can drop you within 10 minutes walk of the Festival site. The bus stops are about 15 minutes walk from Taunton station and five minutes from the coach station. ========== Departure: The leaving day for International Volunteers will be Thursday 25th July. If you could try and arrange your travel from Taunton after 11am that would enable us to take you to the bus or train station.