BARAC UK at Glastonbury 2025

A report from BARAC UK Team Member Natalia Levene, about their second year volunteering for us at Glastonbury Festival for Workers Beer Company. We are grateful to Natalia, team leader Leroy and the entire team for all their hard work raising funds for us while enjoying Glasto.

This was my second year attending Glastonbury as part of the BARAC UK team, volunteering with Workers Beer Company and it felt so good to be back.  One of the things I was most looking forward to, was being reunited with my teammates from last year. We were an inter-generational team aged between 20-60, and we travelled from Birmingham, Brighton, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, and Newcastle. 

A gorgeous blend of accents, from all walks of life united in our love for music and our commitment to fundraising. It was also great to see some of the volunteers from other organisations returning to the festival.  As volunteers we had a dedicated campsite, and the feeling of being surrounded by new and familiar faces, excited about what the week will bring is quite hard to put into words. There is a real sense of pride and purpose in the small roles we all play in contributing to the Glastonbury experience for over 200,000 festival attendees.

 This year the BARAC team worked at the Solstice Bar, which was next to the Other Stage. Positioned perfectly to listen to the live performances and catch a glimpse of the stage on our breaks. Although being so close to a main stage meant that we were put through our paces in between acts with lots of thirsty customers queuing at the bar. You don’t find out your shifts until you arrive at the farm, so we prayed to the festival gods that our rota would align with the acts we wanted to see. There was some heartbreak for our team missing out on Charlie XCX, but I was so grateful to be able to see Busta Rhymes, Fabio & Grooverider’s history of drum & bass set with a live orchestra and the performance I waited all weekend for, The Prodigy. I still get goosebumps when I think about the atmosphere during their performance of Firestarter. 

This year it was also great to see the Black at Glasto presence in Silver Hayes, a hub of connection for festival attendees of black heritage. I had the honour of facilitating an African-centred healing circle in the space and another teammate Jodie, led a yoga session. It was such a gift to share our skills and offer a moment of solace and connection to our community. 

Glastonbury really is the festival of all festivals, and to be able to enjoy it with a great group of people whilst fundraising for an incredible organisation like BARAC UK made it even more special. Thank you, BARAC UK, for the opportunity and thank you to Amos, Ettie India, Issy, Jodie and our team leader Leroy for being the team of dreams.

BARAC UK at Glastonbury 2024 - A Great Time Was Had and Big Thanks to Our Brilliant Team

For several years BARAC UK has been pleased to work with Workers Beer Company to send a team of volunteers to Glastonbury and other festivals to raise funds for our work. Many thanks to our team for 2024 for volunteering this year.We appreciate you. 

Report by Isobel Abatan, first time volunteer on the BARAC UK team for Workers Beer Company at Glastonbury  2024

Isobel Abatan

 I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to volunteer at Glastonbury festival this year but a bit nervous going on my own. I didn’t need to worry, because as soon as I got on the coach at Clapham Junction everyone was very friendly and happy to chat. I was regretting overpacking and it is   definitely a lesson for the future to not overpack but the organisers were very good at making sure that the staff were looked after.

I thought working five shifts at Glastonbury Festival would limit my ability to enjoy the music and events, but the shifts were fun and went by quickly. The other BARAC UK volunteers were extremely welcoming and always happy to help when I was unsure of something. Everyone was so friendly, it hardly felt like work. I was nervous about having to pull pints as my bar experience was limited, but the bars had machines that pulled pints for you. This meant that all I had to do was pour the spirits and place the orders on an easy handheld device. The organisation for workers at the festival  made the whole process very easy and stress free for volunteers.

Being part of the crew at the festival meant that I had access to crew bars dotted around the festival site. The crew bars had toilets for staff to use, our own bar, comfy seating areas, DJs and our own pizza van. This meant that when the acts finished and the queues for the toilets were getting longer, staff had an area they could go to without having to wait. This alone has made me want to pick volunteering over getting a normal ticket as there are  so many perks! Not to mention the two free meals  per day at the campsite, which felt like luxury waking up to a full English breakfast and a cup of tea whilst my friends with normal tickets woke up to stale, squashed chocolate brioches. The campsite also had lots of toilets and hot showers which were frequently cleaned. 

I don’t think anything could have quite prepared me for how big Glastonbury is and the sheer amount of walking. Although my feet are still recovering, the 45 minute walk back from the South East Corner at 5 o’clock in the morning was merely character building. 

When I signed up, I made sure not to get my hopes up about seeing certain acts as I didn’t know what the rota would be. This actually made the experience more carefree and relaxed as I was open to seeing new people and enjoyed wandering around different stages. However, I was very happy that I was able to see Coldplay, as I’ve never been able to secure tickets for their concerts. Their set was amazing and everyone there was enjoying themselves, including Stormzy who passed me in the crowd. 

Thanks to BARAC UK, I got to experience Glastonbury, which is a memory I will cherish. I met amazing people volunteering for BARAC UK and couldn’t have asked for a better group to experience the festival with. Volunteering at Glastonbury Festival allowed me to have fun whilst raising money for a good cause. BARAC UK have been such a valuable support to my family so it was nice to have the opportunity to help them raise money. I would love to volunteer again… once i get the feeling back in my toes.

BARAC UK team, from left to right: Leroy Boateng, Team Leader, with India Smith, Amos Walker, Cameron Brown, Isobel Abatan, Ettie Smith, Natalia Levene

Donna Guthrie, BARAC UK Women's Officer and our Workers Beer Company / Festivals coordinator says:

Teaming up with Workers Beer Company to provide volunteer servers at Glastonbury Festival allows us the opportunity to raise much needed funds for BARAC UK to campaign and challenge racism and injustice.

Our volunteers are able to build relationships with other social campaigns and trade union groups in camp and are very well looked after by the WBC staff and infrastructure at the festival.

It is extremely rewarding to provide this fundraising opportunity to our volunteers, who may not otherwise have experienced one of Europe's largest music festivals, and their feedback is always positive.

It's literally a win win for BARAC and our supporters. 

Representing BARAC UK at Glastonbury 2016; a report by Parisce Francis

BARAC team at Glastonbury with left to right Parisce Francis, author of this article, Felicia OluTease, Barbara Ntumy (Team leader) and Aaliyah Oke 

Team member for this year's BARAC team for Workers Beer at Glastonbury writes on her experience.

If you are interested in volunteering next year get in touch or watch out for updates.  BARAC.info@gmail.com. 

Glastonbury 2016 by Parisce Francis

I had told myself that 2016 was going to be the year that I finally go to Glastonbury, but I didn’t get

tickets. They sold out in a stupidly small amount of time and I missed out even though my mum, my

friends and I all tried. Needless to say when I saw the BARAC request for volunteers on Facebook I

was beyond happy.

I have been to a few festivals before in the UK and around Europe but I have never worked one

before. Let me tell you I will never be buying a ticket again! Volunteering is the way to festival!

Honestly, my first impressions were not great but that was completely outside the control of BARAC

and Workers Beer Company (WBC). What should have been a 4 hour journey (according to Google

maps) ended up as a 16 hour trip and the majority of that was spent in a traffic jam within 5 miles of

the festival site.

The coach from Manchester arrived in the WBC campsite, known as the village, just as breakfast was

beginning to be served, so my disappointments fell away as my belly filled. During breakfast I met

Aaliyah, a member of my BARAC team. As a group, we had chatted a bit over Whatsapp but not met

in person. Aaliyah showed me about; the showers, portaloos, posh toilets, where to set up my tent

and introduced me to the rest of the team; Barbara and Felicia.

The village is definitely one of the reasons why I’d volunteer again. It is located pretty centrally;

there are hot showers, toilets that flush and somewhere to charge your phone. We were also given

2 meals a day and 2 drinks vouchers after each shift. Within the food/beer tent there was a laid

back, community feel which meant that even if you started off sitting alone charging your phone,

within a few minutes you’d be swapping stories about the crazy people you’d served the night

before. Similarly it was nice to walk around the festival site and see familiar faces.

If I had any hesitations about working at the festival before going, it was about working behind the

bar. I have been at festival bars where the queues are 30 men deep and have seen people get angry

with thirst. But that was nothing to worry about; it was really easy and fun. We had a quick brief

before our first shift and were then put to work. We got a pretty good deal; 2 shifts starting 11am till

5pm and 2 starting at 10pm till 3am. Behind the bar you could still feel the party vibes. Our first shift

was in an old school garage tent and when the DJ dropped little man looking at us you would’ve

thought we were on the dance floor.

My time at Glastonbury differed greatly from my previous experiences at festivals, not only because

I was there as a volunteer, but because of the company I was in. Usually I’d go with my friends from

Uni but as the girls I was with this time are political activists my experience differed due to the topics

of the conversations we had. As 4 black women we discussed everything from the transgressions of

white men wearing afro wigs as fancy dress to vintage clothes shopping, to gender identity of/ in

children. Other people in the WBC village were volunteering for a range of social or environmental

causes/groups so conversation was never dull with other teams too. Being around such politically

active and aware people when the result for the referendum was announced was pretty special.

Now I’m home (and mud free) I think Glastonbury definitely lived up to the hype, it was huge! 2016

was not about headliners (no offence Adele) it was all about grime, seeing Novelist get the crowd to

chant ‘f**k David Cameron’ isn’t something I’ll forget. But even if music isn’t your thing there are 

so many other things going on like the cinema, comedy stages, even a healing circle. I definitely

recommend volunteering and  if you are there next year I’ll see you there!

Go to Festivals including Glastonbury, Latitude and Tolpuddle for free and raise money for BARAC at the same time

Dear BARAC supporter,

Go To Festivals for Free, Work Bars and Raise Money for BARAC UK

Would you like to fundraise for Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC UK) by working festival bars at Latitude and Glastonbury? 

If so please read all this e-mail first before responding.

Get back to me at the very latest by 2pm on Thurs 10th March with your interest (barac.info@gmail.com and cc :donnaguthrie118@hotmail.com)

Also confirm a good email address you monitor regularly and your latest mobile number where you can pick up texts - a speedy response to information requests is sometimes needed. The same is required NOW of any friends you hope to bring.

We are looking for volunteers to join our teams of BARAC volunteers that will raise funds for our campaign by serving at some of this year’s most popular music festivals. This year there are places available at 3 festivals;  Glastonbury, Latitude and Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival.

Please read the details here carefully so there is no confusion about the minimal requirements of your arrival and departure times.  

Please also check with your employer and family NOW that you can be available for all that time.  The end of this e-mail also summarises what you give and get from the whole experience.

Here’s how it works: volunteers get free entry to the festival in exchange for working shifts (between 4 and 7 hours per day of the event) serving for Workers Beer Company (WBC) and £7.00 is paid to BARAC for every hour you work to help fundraise for the campaign work we do. Free coach travel is included from designated UK points supplied by WBC and you must arrive in that transport to gain access to the festival site.

Glastonbury

Dates required to travel/be onsite: Tuesday 21^st June, and remain onsite until Monday 27^th June 
Total no of days onsite: 7

Latitude

Dates required to travel/be onsite: Weds 13th July and remain onsite until Monday 18th July

Total no of days onsite: 5/6

Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival (very limited places available)

Dates required to travel/be onsite: Saturday 16th July, leave Sunday 17th July

Total no of days onsite: 2

If you want to know more about what working the bars involves and costs see the end of this email

We are just at the stage of putting in a bid but we need firm offers so we know we can deliver the bid. Nothing is confirmed until we get our allocation at the beginning of April.

Glastonbury is extremely popular and you are not guaranteed a definite place by responding to this email.  If you offer to do more than one festival that is great, but you must be able to deliver for all that you offer, unless you specify you can only make one.

Remember our bids are serious, so we have to deliver if we offer so please make sure you are serious about what you can do.  Please do not let us down at the last minute as we have to fill our allocation or be penalised financially, so make very sure you can deliver and we will try and return the favour.

If you hope to come with friends we need their name, e-mail and phone number NOW. Also think of the smallest group size that will go e.g. would you go alone?  Or with one other(name the person etc).

Friends have to be reliable and hard working! You will be representing our campaign and will be seen as a member of it and our reputation at the festival rests with you.  All funding raised will help BARAC in campaigning effectively.  So while the experience is fun it has a serious dimension and requires responsibility.

Remember what you give and get:

·        Bars are organised by the Workers Beer Company and we provide one of many dozens of teams of volunteers, many from the Trade Union movement

·        You have to be over 18 now

·        You get free entry to the festivals

·        You work a shift of between 4 and 7 hours per day of the event -you have no choice about shifts so often miss headliners, but there are 18 more hours of the day to fill and enjoy

·        Secure campsite with showers, toilets, canteen and bar provided

·       2 meal vouchers per day will be issued for use in the canteen

·        2 drinks vouchers will be issued at the end of each shift worked at a nominated bar on the site or in the WBC campsite bar

·       Volunteers will be required to bring all their own camping equipment

·       Transport will be available from all over the country: volunteers are required to use this option. There is no facility for camper vans and car parking can only very rarely be provided

·       You will work hard on the bars (bar experience is NOT required) and spend a great deal of time on your feet communicating with the general public and conditions can be challenging due to the unpredictability of our weather,

·       You need spending money to survive the rest of the festival

·       Our campaign gets £ 7.00 for every hour you work: Thank you for your support

Call if you need advice or have a question. We look forward to hearing from you again soon, please reply to the email below with FESTIVALS in the header.

Kind Regards

Donna Guthrie, BARAC Women’s Officer on behalf of BARAC UK

barac.info@gmail.com  and cc: donnaguthrie118@hotmail.com  - To be used for all correspondence

Dear White People goes to Parliament; racism in the arts & culture sector must be challenged

BARAC UK are working with The New Black Film Collective (TNBFC)  campaigning against institutional racism in the film industry.

In the past months we have supported and participated in a wide range of campaigns against institutional racism in the arts and culture sector and the disproportionate impact of austerity on the sector. 

This has included Boycott the Human Zoo, Show Culture Some Love, the PCS union campaign against privatisation at the National  Gallery, Race Equality in the Music Industry and now the Dear White People UK campaign.

The BFI has refused lottery funding to distribute the film Dear White People in the UK even though by their own admission it meets their criteria and cinemas have been reluctant to screen it, especially outside of London with no cinemas agreeing a standard 7 day run. 

This week the BBC interviewed Director of TNBFC, Priscilla Igwe together with a spokesperson from the BFI  who was unable to explain their rejection of the film, you can listen here.

We can only conclude in the absence of any other explanation offered by the BFI or those cinema chains rejecting it that institutional racism lies at the heart of their decision. 

TNBFC has now lodged an appeal against the BFI decision, we challenge them to do the right thing and not only apologise for their blatant attempt to ghettoise the film as only suitable for black audiences but to grant lottery funding for its distribution. 

Racism is deepening every day and the film offers an opportunity to initiate dialogue about some of the issues explored in it. Whilst the film  is set in a USA university,  highly racist and offensive 'blacking up' is something that has taken place in universities in the UK as recently as this year; Stirling University Students Black Up and  York University students black up for fancy dress prank. These types of horrific events and the discrimination and isolation that black students face in the UK, in addition to the disproportionate impact of austerity on black students, mean that the work of the NUS Black Students Campaign is essential. 

The nine  people who were  murdered in Charleston

Black deaths at the hands of the State is a concern both in the USA and in the UK, since BARAC was formed in 2010 we have supported a number of family justice campaigns, a week ago we saw the horrific mass murder of worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, yet the media both in the USA and the UK have been reluctant to call it out for what it is, a terrorist attack by a racist supremacist  even though the murderer himself declared his racist intent. The church, one of the oldest black churches in the USA  was burned down in 1822 and 35 people were hanged  in response to a slave rebellion. 

Bree Newsome has now been arrested for taking down the flag in the USA #FreeBree

A debate has followed in recent days about the permanent removal of the Confederate flag in the US because of its historic connection to  racism and the fact that photos were found of the killer posing with the flag.  

BARAC team at Glastonbury led by BARAC Women's Officer, far right, Donna Guthrie

Last week BARAC sent an all black woman team of volunteers to work at Glastonbury Festival but they had not anticipated yet another campaign against racism in arts and culture whilst there. After only one day at the renowned music  festival, they were shocked to discover  a Confederate flag on display.  They  staged a picket outside the staffing area the flag was situated in order to force its removal by the festival organisers but we believe that questions must be asked as to the intent of those bringing the flag to the festival in the wake of such a brutal racist massacre associated with the Confederate flag and will be writing to Glastonbury about this. 

Confederate Flag found at Glastonbury 

Racism is very real and its effects are deep and harmful.  Black Lives Matter and It is time that the BFI puts in place robust equality monitoring and equality proofing systems, ensuring that those who make the decisions are representative of the communities and diverse population that  they are supposed to serve. if the BFI really believe that a film entitled Dear White People which explores race and racism is only for black people to view, then  are they suggesting that the racism experienced by black people is a problem for black people to address and not the perpetrators?

How do young black film makers in the UK stand a chance of getting a platform for their work with attitudes like this from the BFI?  

As the general release date is only a couple of weeks ago we want to present the campaign petition to the BFI - please help us to build the petition by signing and sharing widely here.

Well known people who have signed the petition include Clive Lewis MP, Assistant General Secretary of Unison, Roger McKenzie, actresses Dona Croll and Judith Jacob and broadcasters Rosemary Laryea and Jasmine Dotiwala. 

Photo by: T Cobham, all rights reserved 

We are grateful to John McDonnell MP for hosting a screening and post-film discussion in the Houses of Parliament about how we challenge institutional racism in the film industry which took place on June 24th.  Speakers included  Co-Chair of BARAC UK Zita Holbourne and Director of TNBFC, Priscilla Igwe. Jeremy Corbyn MP also took time out of his busy schedule to attend and give support.  Those in attendance committed to support the campaign and bring together the various campaigns against race discrimination in the arts and culture sector in joint campaigning activities. 

Left to right, Priscilla Igwe, Zita Holbourne, John McDonnell MP     Photo by : T Cobham, all rights reserved 

John McDonnell MP talked about film being a powerful medium for challenging negative views, Priscilla Igwe talked about the challenges she has faced trying to get the film distributed and her commitment to doing so and Zita Holbourne talked about the link between austerity and cuts and the deepening institutional racism in the film and wider arts sector. 

Zita Holbourne & Jeremy Corbyn MP      Photo by T Cobham, all rights reserved 

In the same week the film was screened as part of the Images of Black Women Film Festival at the Tricycle in Kilburn, London, followed by  a post film Q&A with Rosemary Laryea and Zita Holbourne. The film received a very positive response from the audience who also endorsed the campaign to get it screened and challenge the institutional racism in the industry.

Zita Holbourne & Rosemary Laryea

Links to the campaign media, social networking, forthcoming screenings and events can be accessed via the website www.dearwhitepeoplemovie.co.uk.  #dearwhitepeopleuk 

Dear White People cast

Zita Holbourne; National Co-Chair BARAC UK