Every year thousands of reusable items such as tents, sleeping bags and clothes are abandoned at the festival.

These items are invaluable to refugees. This year we are helping Herts for Refugees salvage on Monday (although you can also help on Tuesday).

Please register your interest with Herts for Refugees here: https://bit.ly/3DemIfz who are coordinating the collection.

We assemble in Tesco car park. When we get the go-ahead from the organisers, we will travel in convoy to the site where we will get our entry wristbands & vehicle passes*. This can take some time, as the site has to be cleared of festival-goers before we are allowed on. We hope this will be no later than 2.00 pm.

We are ONLY collecting tents, sleeping bags & blankets. These are the priority items needed for refugees so we want to collect as many of these as possible. You can of course salvage other items for yourself.

*IMPORTANT* If you are bringing your vehicle onto the site, please email us your registration number as soon as possible in order for us to get you a vehicle pass

FESTIVAL REPUBLIC GUIDANCE & WHAT TO BRING

Festival Republic runs Reading Festival and ultimately they set the rules for the salvage.

• Bring your own hi-viz vest and wear it at all times. The festival build and break is classed as a construction site and the usual rules apply.

• Make sure you know where you are at all times and stay close to your group.

• Always wear protective clothing including closed-toe shoes (no sandals) and heavy-duty gloves (you may come into contact with broken glass or other sharp materials).

• Be prepared for prolonged exposure to the elements with no cover – come ready for rain and sun, as the weather can change abruptly.

• Be aware of hazardous or dangerous items/tents. Inform your group’s supervisor within your organisation, mark them with hazard tape and notify a member of the festival staff.

• Bring water and snacks/lunch! The festival infrastructure will be starting to be taken down so no food or drinks will be available on-site.

Festival Republic have requested that all volunteers take a Lateral Flow Test no more than 72 hours before arrival at the festival site. They want this to be uploaded to an online portal but have not provided us with the link to this yet. Please take a photo of your lateral flow test and bring it with you on the day and if we receive the link to the portal, we will send it on to you.

** Personal Items

If any personal items are found such as bank cards, money, wallets and mobile phones these must be handed to the Sustainability Coordinator. Theft by finding is an offence.

Ending time is officially 8 pm but you can leave the site anytime.

At least 5 of us going from SA have done this before so don't worry, we'll show you how to be a Womble.