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Original poster

Reading Festival 2021 - Help

71 replies

Festival2021 · 23/08/2021 08:03

Posting here for traffic. Long time user, but NC for this.

Every year there are posts from parents whose children are at Reading Festival and there has been some kind of issue/situation and the parents are unsure as to what to do or how to help them.

I live 5 minutes from the Festival site, and this year I’m working there. Our Church has two large tents (one in Brown, and one in Orange) in the campsites, under the name of ‘Reading Street Pastors’. We offer tea/coffee along with a helping hand and conversation, and we are a safe space for anyone to come along to.

For those of you who have children attending this year and are worried/concerned for them, please let them know we are there. We are running 24 hours every single day from Wednesday to Monday.

Hope this helps some of you.

OP posts:
SardineJam · 27/08/2021 20:20

What a super idea!

MoveHouse · 27/08/2021 20:22

What an awesome idea. I have no doubt that you’ll be helping some people tonight. Hot chocolate or wine 🍷 for you when it’s all over!

Original poster
Festival2021 · 27/08/2021 20:24

@mbosnz

You are wonderful OP, thank you so much. May I ask, (don't answer if you don't want), which is your church? I'm from Caversham. . .
I've sent you a message so as not to be too outing on here Wink
OP posts:
Original poster
Festival2021 · 27/08/2021 20:25

@MoveHouse

What an awesome idea. I have no doubt that you’ll be helping some people tonight. Hot chocolate or wine 🍷 for you when it’s all over!
Thank you! I think I'll settle for the Hot chocolate to be honest. That, and a nice hot bath and some peace and quiet Grin
OP posts:
mbosnz · 27/08/2021 20:27

Thank you so much!

Kittii · 27/08/2021 20:27

Thanks you for doing this. Love in action ❤

OverByYer · 27/08/2021 20:32

Thank you OP, my son is there at his first festival. Good to know there are people like you and your church there to help.

Slatkater · 27/08/2021 21:22

I’m a practising atheist, but if my daughter was at the festival I would be very grateful and appreciative for your church’s attendance. Thanks

Chickydoo · 27/08/2021 21:36

Thank you so much
Sent info to DS, First festival for him.

Pebbledashery · 27/08/2021 21:39

I don't have any children at the festival.. My daughter is only 3! But just came on to say thank you for being a wonderful human 😍. This is so lovely and heartwarming to see x

Localher0 · 27/08/2021 22:20

Thank you Festival21 she is all fine now. She just got totally overwhelmed by how busy it all was with tents almost on top of theirs and nowhere she could chill. The welfare tent were great and very caring but they had some real emergencies coming in and DD felt like she was taking up space from people who were really ill. Had we known about your tents yesterday she would most definitely have come to you - especially with the hot chocolate!! The world is a better place for special people like you who go out of their way to help strangers. Good luck over the weekend. Xx

gogohm · 27/08/2021 22:30

Let your young people know that street pastors are also out and about in many city centres late at night, they are non judgmental and not there to convert you - they are simply a listening ear and we also gave out flip flops to women walking barefoot because their heels were broken/too painful plus other practical solutions.

beethecrackon24995 · 27/08/2021 22:32

thanks op. dd is off there tomorrow just for saturday. i've just forwarded this info to her. thanks again

AlannaOfTrebond · 27/08/2021 22:47

Thank you so much.
I had my wallet stolen from my tent whilst I was asleep inside at Reading 98. I'm not sure if it was your organisation or other equally lovely people, but I still remember being given food, drink and general loving care at a welfare tent.
So glad this is still happening and wishing you the best for what I'm sure will be a very busy night.

Snooks1971 · 27/08/2021 22:51

Lovely thread and thank you xxx

Furries · 28/08/2021 01:55

Oh, this is lovely. Thank you OP, and others, for doing this.

VetInAVat · 28/08/2021 02:11

The Samaritans are there too, for emotional support.

AngelDelightUk · 28/08/2021 06:22

I’m over the other side of Reading, but I want to come and see you at 2am for a hot chocolate!!!

Amazing the work you’re doing

SpicyJalfrezi · 28/08/2021 06:27

I have no wish to denigrate the good work doubtless being done by @Festival2021 and no doubt many other churches, but it isn’t an act done out of pure kindness, is it?

The Christian Union did this way way back when I was at university and the aim was to try to talk to vulnerable students and to persuade them to come along to church or to attend a CU meeting. Obviously, if you’re Christian, you’ll see that as a good thing but I do have some reservations about it, as you can be caught at a time when you’re pretty vulnerable.

LawnFever · 28/08/2021 08:09

I have no wish to denigrate the good work doubtless being done by @Festival2021**

Well don’t then Smile this is a lovely positive thread and nobody has suggested anything like this whatsoever.

Please can everyone just ignore this and continue with the positive thread about people doing something nice for kids who have over cooked it as their first festival.

Localher0 · 28/08/2021 09:17

Exactly Lawnfever - trying to convert people is hardly likely to happen in a tent at Reading. Not to mention that people are coming from all over and are not necessarily local.....
I really wish my DD had known - having a quiet safe space to wait while we organised getting her home would have been very helpful and reassuring for both of us.
One silver lining though was she shared her blanket with another girl who had had a medical problem and they left together. In opposite directions but texted all the way home for safety. A new friend made!!

ididitsocanyou · 28/08/2021 09:29

Thank you for the work you are doing. My young daughter is at reading I cannot get hold of her as I expect issues with battery or signal but it helps to know you are there. I love the Christian sentiment. I’m not religious in the official sense but if I were I’d turn to Christianity. ‘Love thy neighbour’ is the single most important message there is. How was last night? Was it busy after the big event? I wish I was there helping you. Xxx

Original poster
Festival2021 · 28/08/2021 10:53

@SpicyJalfrezi

I have no wish to denigrate the good work doubtless being done by *@Festival2021* and no doubt many other churches, but it isn’t an act done out of pure kindness, is it?

The Christian Union did this way way back when I was at university and the aim was to try to talk to vulnerable students and to persuade them to come along to church or to attend a CU meeting. Obviously, if you’re Christian, you’ll see that as a good thing but I do have some reservations about it, as you can be caught at a time when you’re pretty vulnerable.

I'm sorry you feel that way. It actually couldn't be further from the truth. Whilst we are Christian, we are not allowed (nor want to) preach our faith to any of the revellers. Obviously if they ask us questions we can answer them, but our primary goal is to help others. We want a young persons opinion of Christians to be one of kindness and non-judgment. I'm not sure we would achieve that if were trying to push our faith onto them. Feel free to ask any of the MN members here whose children have visited us this weekend if you're sceptical about our agenda.
OP posts:
Flatdisco · 28/08/2021 10:55

Aww that so lovely op.

Original poster
Festival2021 · 28/08/2021 11:06

@ididitsocanyou

Thank you for the work you are doing. My young daughter is at reading I cannot get hold of her as I expect issues with battery or signal but it helps to know you are there. I love the Christian sentiment. I’m not religious in the official sense but if I were I’d turn to Christianity. ‘Love thy neighbour’ is the single most important message there is. How was last night? Was it busy after the big event? I wish I was there helping you. Xxx
It's really hard as parents when our children go to these things and then we can't get hold of them! More and more people know we exist, so I'm sure your daughter knows of us by now and would absolutely come and see us if she needed help. Last night was incredibly busy for us. We had queues out of the tent for our legendary hot chocolate!
OP posts: