THE Trussell Trust and Glastonbury Festival have teamed up to raise £116,738 for families facing financial hardship.

Members of the public had the chance to bid on tickets and once-in-a-lifetime festival experiences, such as the chance to watch a set from the viewing platform on the Pyramid Stage, take part in the festival's opening ceremony or even hit the ‘fire’ button on the legendary Arcadia Spider.

Many more prizes were also available from the scheme, which ran from February 6 until February 13 at 5pm.

A grand total of £116,738 was raised, which will go towards feeding families who are facing hardship.

According to The Trussell Trust, in April and September 2022, food banks in its network provided an emergency food parcel every 13 seconds and 320,000 people were forced to turn to a food bank for the first time.

All net proceeds, minus auction listing costs, went to the charity.

Emily Eavis, co-organiser of Glastonbury Festivals, said: “We are really pleased to be able to partner with the Trussell Trust, who together with their network of food banks, work tremendously hard during these challenging times to provide food and practical support."

Speaking before the auction, Emma Revie, CEO of the Trussell Trust, added: "People are struggling to survive amidst the soaring costs of food, energy bills and other essential items. 

"We are extremely grateful to Glastonbury Festival for offering such amazing experiences and enabling us to launch an auction that will raise vital funds." 

View From The Stage: 50 Years of Glastonbury by the People that Played​

 

Former County Gazette editor and Glastonbury Festival devotee Paul Jones has written a book charting the first 50 years of the event’s history, featuring the memories and experiences of dozens of artists who have performed at Worthy Farm.

His book, View From The Stage: 50 Years of Glastonbury by the People that Played​, has been described as a “brilliant collection of beautifully-written interviews” detailing some of its brightest and quirkiest moments. Interviewees include members of Oasis, Status Quo, Napalm Death and Toploader.

You can buy the book online for £6.50 (including UK P&P) HERE.

North Somerset Times: Paul Jones' Glastonbury book.Paul Jones' Glastonbury book. (Image: NQ Staff)