‘I’ve been to Glastonbury for free five times – I’ve saved thousands of pounds’

A woman claims she "doesn’t know how much" a ticket to huge festival festival costs because she’s gone so many times for free. Mary Horesh, 47, began going to Glastonbury Festival in 2002 and originally paid like everyone else.

After four years of being a paying customer Mary claims she found a way to attend the festival for free! Doing so has saved her a whopping £1,000.

The charity worker discovered she could guarantee a free place by volunteering to guard attendees' personal belongings at one of the festival’s "lock ups". People leave everything from passports to instruments inside.

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Mary works around 25 hours in total volunteering at the lock up from Wednesday to Monday – including one eight hour night shift. After that she’s free to enjoy the festival and watch her favourite performers.

Mary, from Ealing, London, said: "All the volunteers have a great time. We get to enjoy the festival and also meet and speak to so many people you wouldn't normally.

"Someone was asking me how much a Glastonbury ticket was and I actually didn't know – I don't need to know.

"All the volunteers have designated camping spaces, access to showers and we all get to go the day before the site opens. It's great to hear the cheers when the fence opens and see the site gradually fill up and get used to the festival vibe.

"You have to work up to 30 hours and do one night shift across the six days but if there's an act you particularly want to see usually you can swap with another volunteer. I remember it being an absolute nightmare trying to buy tickets yourself.

"I'd definitely recommend volunteering. It's such a unique way to experience Glastonbury and I've probably saved thousands."

The 14 lock ups Mary volunteers at are free for festivalgoers to use to store your valuables. They also give out phone chargers and loo roll to guests who need them.

The lock-ups are run by volunteers from Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament groups, Brighton Peace and Environment Centre and Birmingham Friends of the Earth – which Mary is a part of. They’ve seen all kinds of goods pass through from bicycles, trolleys, rucksacks, car keys, medical supplies and passports to coach tickets.

Mary noted: "We take the smallest to the biggest of items so quite the variety. One year an entire orchestra who were playing left their instruments and I've also had a DJ leave his precious records.

"We do get busy at peak times, especially on Sunday night as everyone packs up in the day and leaves other rucksacks with us, but usually it's just a drip feed. The only thing we don't take is children – but there's still a few every year who try it."

The lock ups are manned and guarded day and night by the volunteers and there are lots of security precautions to keep your things safe. While the shifts can be hard work Mary says it’s "worth it".

She added: "It's swings and roundabouts. You still have all the frustrations of work so it doesn't always go smoothly but you don't have the hassle of trying to get tickets.

"I always have an amazing time and volunteering enhances it. You have to let Glastonbury happen to you. I'm really excited to get back this year and do it all over again."

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