‘I watched a guy who thought he was a slug’: A Glastonbury Festival paramedic reveals all

‘I watched a guy who thought he was a slug’: A Glastonbury Festival paramedic reveals all

Ever thought about volunteering to work at Glastonbury Festival?

It’s a dream for many, believing that free ticket that gets you entry to one of the world’s biggest and best festivals will inevitably lead to free food and drink, chilling back with friends watching your favourite bands, and just occasionally working to pick up some litter or working on a food stall.

But for the men and women who volunteer with the Festival Medical Services, a not for profit registered medical charity delivering high-quality event medical services at some of the UK’s largest festivals and gatherings, that dream is reality.



We spoke to one paramedic who works for the NHS but for seven days every year volunteers his services with the charity, helping revellers ease their sunburn, come down from their highs safely – and occasionally delivering babies.


So here’s everything you ever wanted to know about keeping the 175,000 people on Worthy Farm safe.

Tents for days (Picture: Getty)

If someone collapses in a tent, how do you find a specific tent?

‘There are campsite stewards on all of the camps. Either security or the stewards will put the call in with a grid reference for the response to get to the area and then we will be shown to the patient by them.

If they are unconscious then we will do whatever we have to get them to the ambulance, whether that be a carry chair, stretcher or straight carry with lots of people.

What’s the protocol for dealing with someone stuck in a portaloo?

No idea!

I’m sure the fire brigade would have a plan but we would just sort any injuries.

Toilet queue at Glastonbury Festival (Picture: Redferns)

What’s been your best moment ever as a paramedic at Glastonbury?

Delivering a baby a few years ago – it was a girl so I hope it wasn’t named after me,

What’s been the funniest moment from this year’s festival?

Watching a guy who thought he was a slug. He was crawling along the floor… on his front… as slow as he could.

Do celebrities have their own medical services?

No, we cover the whole site, in front of and behind stages.

Do you ever really come off shift? If you see something happening when off shift would you step in?

Not if I have had a beer. If it was serious, cardiac arrest for example, I’d obviously do CPR.

Crowds at the Arcadia at Glastonbury (Picture: Getty)

Have you ever worked backstage?

Yes but it’s different, you’re there for ‘what if?’

Most common injury?

Lower leg, ankle fractures – people go over on a lot of stones and bottles.

Funniest tent-related injury?

The funniest to watch are people tripping over guy ropes and falling into other people’s tents.

Have you ever had to rescue anyone from on stage?

No they have their own crews per stage, so we would only go if it was a major incident.



Ever treated anyone in front of the stage?

Oh yeah – we always treat people who have passed out, they’re hot and bothered and have had too much to drink.

Weirdest injury you’ve had to treat?

Trying to retrieve a guy out of a hedge – he tried to do a cut through to his tent but managed to get stuck in the middle of thorns, he thought it was just foliage.

How many shifts do you cover over the three days of the festival?

We provide cover before the festival for the people setting up in the form of a clinic, then ambulance and medical centre from the Wednesday to Monday. We do two 8 hour shifts ranging from earlies, lates and nights.

Do you get to see bands?

If you’re not on shift the time is yours – you’re just another customer. But you don’t get to pick your shifts, it’s a rota that changes every year.

Do you get free food and drink?

We get two meal vouchers per shift for use in our mess tent.

Are you allowed to party and drink when off shift?

Yeah, it’s our free time to enjoy the festival. As long as you are clear of alcohol before your shift – same rules apply as if you were on the road.

How long have you been volunteering with Festivals Medical Services? How do you apply?

This is my 5th Glastonbury.

You apply to the charity and then if you’re selected, you work!


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