Couple in their 80s are delighted to be Glastonbury volunteers

A couple in their 80s who have been volunteering at Glastonbury Festival since 1995 have said they are “delighted” to be doing their bit for charity.

Judy Cole, 81, and her husband Graham, who is celebrating 84 years at the festival, are volunteering as stewards to support Oxfam’s work.

Glastonbury first invited the poverty alleviation organization in 1993 and has partnered with it ever since, with Oxfam receiving donations from the festival.

The couple, who have been married for six decades, are keen supporters of humanitarian aid, said: “We should all be doing more to help, especially rich countries.”

Oxfam said its work cuts across different sectors of the global emergency response, including women’s rights, the climate crisis, food and water scarcity, inequality and poverty.

Last year Glastonbury volunteers gave up over 206,000 hours of their time over the summer and helped raise over £1.5 million to support Oxfam’s work.

“It’s a fantastic charity that does a lot to help with humanitarian aid,” Mr Cole said.

“Any small part we can play in this, we will. Every country that can do something, should do something.”

Volunteer stewards work three eight-hour shifts during the five-day event.

After arriving on Sunday, the couple helped set up and greeted thousands of eager festival-goers who had been queuing since dawn.

Now they had finished their shifts and were relaxing.

Mr Cole, who turns 84 on Saturday, said: “We’re just sitting in the shade now, enjoying the great views.”

“We’re not necessarily huge festival people, we just really enjoy the atmosphere of Glastonbury in particular,” Ms Cole added.

“You can just sit on the grass and talk to the people around you. That is what is so brilliant. It brings people together, no matter who you are or where you come from.”

The couple live in Sheffield and endured a five-hour coach ride to get through the gates at Glastonbury.

“We try to come every year,” Ms Cole said.

“We don’t always make it, but it’s become kind of a staple in our calendar. We’ll keep doing it as long as we can.”

The pair will camp out for the rest of the festival and said they are looking forward to wandering around the site and seeing what they “like”.