Volunteer with us
Cheltenham Festivals rely on the support of volunteers to deliver four globally renowned Festivals each year as well as year-round Learning and Participation and outreach projects and events.
As part of the team, you’ll assist us to put on safe, enjoyable events while being part of an enthusiastic team with exclusive access to Festival activities.
Why volunteer with us?
As a member of the team, you will meet other like-minded individuals, and we aim to ensure a rewarding, enjoyable and enriching experience. Whether you're looking to give back to the Festivals, make new friends or gain experience to further a career, volunteering offers it all. You will receive an official Festival t-shirt and lanyard and in return for your time and support, we offer you the opportunity to access events for free throughout the Festival.
What is a volunteer?
A volunteer is assigned scheduled shifts, based on your own availability; it is on a part-time basis and shifts can be arranged around your other commitments. Once you have registered for the team, you'll be added to our database and contacted in advance of each Festival to discuss your availability. You will not need to reapply for each Festival.
The regular volunteers work alongside our team of Full-Time volunteers who commit to volunteering for a whole Festival.
Image gallery
What does it involve?
What makes our Festivals so special and successful is a strong team of volunteers who welcome and assist the thousands of performers, speakers and audiences. Our Volunteer Team are made up of local people who are interested in helping regularly at our events.
Tasks cover a range of activities, including:
- Welcoming visitors and assisting them with any queries, especially via our Info Point
- Assisting Event Managers with the safe and efficient delivery of the Festival programme including venue preparation, escorting artists and overseeing exits
- Welcoming audiences into venues, checking tickets, assisting with seating and ensuring that they are comfortable throughout the event
- Becoming Festival drivers; escorting artists and guests around Cheltenham and sometimes further afield
- There are also occasional opportunities to introduce events from the stage, support off-site events including walks and lunches and more
You will receive a general briefing before each Festival and a specific briefing before each shift to ensure you know exactly what is expected from you.
Working as a volunteer for Cheltenham Festivals is a fantastic experience. It’s great to feel you’re making a useful contribution to the running of the Festivals which are such a vibrant part of Cheltenham’s cultural scene. Volunteering provides a fascinating ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of how the Festivals work. You can experience a wide range of different jobs and meet interesting people, both fellow volunteers and event participants. You always feel welcomed by a supportive, friendly and appreciative team.
Chris Henshaw, Festival Volunteer
