Bestival are collecting unwanted tents and sleeping bags to donate to the Calais refugee camp

As well as the obvious charitable element, it surely helps combat the recurring issue of crowds abandoning their tents post-revelry - this could be a very worthwhile solution to a pervasive issue in U.K. festivals.

Writing in a post on their website, the team explain:

It can’t have escaped your notice that there is a huge humanitarian crisis happening on our doorstep right now. Families are living in a makeshift camp in Calais, known as ‘the Jungle’, in appalling conditions, and in however small a way, we want to help them. We like to keep our politics personal at Bestival but whatever your affiliation, we hope everyone agrees that these are real people who are suffering and need help.

Every year at Bestival A LOT of tents, sleeping bags, wellies and camping gear is left by people who don’t want to take them home. So, for the past 10 years we have teamed up with local charity Challenge & Adventure who work with Isle of Wight Scouts, The House that Zac Built and Oxfam – and this year five individual groups collecting for Calais with more groups who are collecting for CalAid.

The Tent Salvage Team salvage what they can and reuse it. It takes a lot of time and hard work to do that, so this year we are asking for your help. Please do us a huge favour – if your tent, your sleeping bag or roll mat you’re leaving is in good working order, pack it all away and leave it at a designated drop off point(it will take you 10 minutes, there will be signs for the drop off points, there is no excuse not to). But please do make sure it’s all in good working order, if it’s not, please pack it away and take it with you. Every tent dropped off will be collected by Challenge & Adventure and the other charitable groups and sent to Calais to provide shelter for the people camped there.

It’s not a lot to ask. If you’re leaving your tent, please do this small favour to help. It could make a huge difference to someone in need.

Thanks

X Bestival

Bestival 2015 begins this Thursday, with Duran Duran, Missy Elliott, and The Chemical brothers headlining.