Working Festivals with We are Hummingbird

Imagine that feeling of walking into a post-Covid festival world. Sun on your skin, frantically checking if you packed your portable charger and almost smelling the Strongbow Summer Fruits as you walk through the gates. 

For many of us, (although some festivals came back last year) 2022 marked a new era of festivals in a world reeling after the global Pandemic. And like masses of you out there our team at We are Hummingbird and I couldn’t wait to pitch up and get back in and amongst it all with you guys!

I’ve been working with the guys at We are Hummingbird for a few months now, and 2022 summertime marked the beginning of my journey of festival volunteering with them.

We’ve been attending festivals for 4 years now, and it’s always one of the highlights of our year. Don’t get us wrong, we look forward to the festival vibes just as much as you guys do, and always like to sneak off and have a cheeky watch of one of our favourite artists or bands, but festival season is close to our hearts for one reason mainly — we get to hang out with you guys! The general public.

Yes by day 3 we’re all missing the home comforts and many of us haven’t had a thorough wash for a while, but it’s all worth it when one of you lovely lot rocks on up to the tent to learn a lil’ more about what we do at We are Hummingbird.

Festivals for us are an opportunity for us to do three things; and I’m gonna share those with you now:

1) Raise Awareness

Festivals are an incredible way for us to spread the love and share about who we are, our mission and what we’re hoping to achieve through our work. We’ve been surfing the We are Hummingbird wave now for 7 years (can you believe it?!) and getting to talk to you guys at festivals is a great way for us to raise awareness of what we’re doing through our work.

We’re all at a festival for the same reason - a love for music. One of the founding pillars for WAHB, our love of music is what brought our lil’ team of six together, and what remains our strongest talking point day by day. But the reformation of mental and physical health through the power of music, well that’s what we’re really hoping to chat to you guys about when you roll on up to the tent to ask ‘Hey, so… what is it that you guys actually do?”

We have informational leaflets, stickers and even tote bags that we hand out to you guys for free! So that when you get home, after that ritualistic Burger King on the motorway, you have that moment when unpacking when you think “Oh yeah, those dudes from We Are Hummingbird, they were sick! I’m gonna look them up…” - mission accomplished.

2) Raise Some Cash

At our festivals, it’s safe to say we’ve got you covered with some awesome merch. From branded up t shirts, vests, bags and even fans (for those super hot days where there’s no oxygen left!), but the best thing when you purchase a piece of merch off us at a festival, rather than any of the other vendors? You’re supporting a non-profit and the work we do. Cool huh? 

For all the money raised we like to tell you lovely lot what your donations can go towards helping in the work that we do, investing in students and schools teaching kids from a young age the power of music and mental health:

• £10 will pay for a music stand
• £40 will pay for a microphone
• £100 will pay for an acoustic guitar
• £350 will pay for a drum kit

Neat stuff right there, thanks so much guys. For every piece of merch you buy from us at a festival you’re helping shape someones awareness around mental well-being - you awesome thing you.

3) Safe Guarding

Something we can offer at any music festival is mental health safe guarding for attendees. Most of our volunteers are Mental Health First Aid trained, from our sister company Hummingbird Health, and can really be present and there for any festival go-er.

From anxious moments, to maybe suffering from low mood, or even a bad trip (let’s be honest - people take drugs at music festivals, even though we wish they wouldn’t) our team of volunteers can support you and your friends to make sure you have the best festival experience ever.

And a sneaky cheeky one: 4) Meeting some incredible, like-minded people

At Nass festival alone this year we’ve met some amazing people and made new friends for life.

Like Anna, the incredible founder of Safer Spaces who’re taking the next step to creating equality and safety for all at festivals. Or Mikie, from Radical helping raise awareness of depression and mental wellbeing through his awesome clothing company. We met some incredible friends and made connections even we didn’t know we were going to make, with scope to work together and collaborate to have wider conversations about mental health and wellbeing in the future.

2022 festival season isn’t over for us yet; come down and see us at Boardmasters and Victorious in August!

With future festivals on the horizon also for 2023, we can’t wait to continue utilising festivals to help spread our message, and hopefully even meet one of you at a future one too. But make sure you bring your own sun cream, okay guys?