Once again, Everything is Possible and its fantastic young volunteers from all around Europe managed to salvaged enough equipment to support activities of around 35 local community organisations.
More than 30 young people passionate by recycling and music flocked to the Yorkshire to play their part in efforts to keep this year’s Tribfest and Leeds Festival environmentally friendly. They came from Italy, Spain, Estonia, Sweden, Germany and Poland, for a two week volunteering project organised by Everything is Possible and supported by the British Council and the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. As part of their project they promoted recycling at both festivals by collecting cans, plastic bottles and by encouraging festival goers to do the same. When the bands stopped playing at Leeds Festival and festival goers left Bramham Park, they started salvaging abandoned camping equipment left in a good or reusable condition. In return, volunteers received a free ticket to the festival and the chance to discover the British culture.
Clair Brown, co-founder of Everything is Possible, said:
‘’This is a fantastic opportunity to give to young people who couldn’t normally access this kind of event the chance to see their favourite bands while helping the local community and environment. A lot of local organisations working with young people and the homeless, for example, have really made use of this equipment in previous years.”
Around 265 tents, 220 sleeping bags, 300 mats, 200 camping chairs, 110 pairs of wellies and other equipment have been recovered in just one day, despite the rain – much of it in near brand new condition.
Every year thousands of pieces of camping equipment are left behind by festival goers and are collected by the organisation at Leeds Festival. This is becoming an event well known by local community organisations around Yorkshire, and they are now using the expression ‘’Happy Salvage Day’’.
Bob McDougall, volunteer mentor: ‘’We only collect camping equipment in perfect condition to be reused. Many people buy a tent just for the festival and then leave it all there’’
This equipment has been passed on to 36 local community organisations supporting minority groups, scouts, refugees. This year again we asked organisations interested in getting camping equipment to send us their ‘wish list’ of material that volunteers collected. On the Tuesday 1st September they came from all around Yorkshire and even Lancashire to pick up their material. We already received some positive feedback on social media.
Thank you @eispossible for all the fab camping gear! Now we can take 20 disabled young people away on an adventure! pic.twitter.com/pJc1A6RjN5
— ibk initiatives (@ibkinitiatives) September 2, 2015
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South Parade Baptist Church, Leeds – “I’d like to say a huge thank you for running the salvage operation at Leeds Fest. The camping equipment we received from you has already ben used on our church youth camp over. We had a fabulous time”
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Derbyshire Autism Services Group – “We’re absolutely delighted with the salvaged equipment that you and your volunteers were able to source for us. We are a small charity working with children and adults with autism in Derbyshire, many of whom find it very difficult to go on ‘traditional’ holidays so they and their families don’t often get to experience ‘normal’ family fun times together. Situated as we are, in Derbyshire, there’s endless opportunity for short camping breaks right on our doorstep so being able to offer our families the loan of this equipment, at short notice and for free, could mean the only chance they get for a holiday together, without spending a lot of money on a traditional week away that might end in disaster and in them having to come home unexpectedly when things don’t go as planned.”
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Mama Africa Rotherham – “I would like to say a massive thank you to Everything is Possible for getting us the camping gear. The gear will go a long way to help in a project in Africa. Much much appreciated”
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The project was supported by the British Council, the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, Festival Republic, and Tribfest.
