Great Britain: Buddhafield Festival 2026

About the local hosting organization

The International Voluntary Service is a peace organisation working for the sustainable development of local and global communities throughout the world. We are a leading charity which has existed since 1931, involving volunteers in international exchanges at home and abroad (international voluntary projects). IVS is the British branch of Service Civil International (SCI), a world-wide network of like-minded branches and partner organisations supporting the mutual exchange of volunteers to work on projects of direct benefit to local communities. Since 2025 Volunteer Action for Peace merged with IVS and we are now the same charity. Aims IVS/VAP aims are: • To foster peace and understanding between people and nations through voluntary work. • To provide volunteer help to international projects and organisations working for the benefit of the community. • To organise international projects and other activities in the UK. Activities We deliver a range of activities, the largest of which is coordinating a programme of international voluntary projects in Great Britain which are run in partnership with local voluntary organisations and community groups. A typical short-term project consists of 6 to 15 volunteers from several countries who work and live together for 1 to 3 weeks. Projects are diverse, ranging from environmental conservation to supporting refugees or from holiday play schemes for children to working with people with learning difficulties.

Presentation of the programme

During set-up and take-down there will be organised events around Buddhist themes, attendance at which is completely voluntary. There are generally also alternatives such as spontaneous musical gatherings, often around a fire. They will also have someone on site who is their direct contact for support and pastoral care. They will meet as a group together each day. Work description Needless to say, in order for the Festival to be a life-enhancing and indeed for some a life-transforming experience, much hard work is required. From the day we arrive in an empty field with a small vanguard, our numbers gradually swell until we have around eight hundred volunteers welcoming the three thousand visitors. The set-up crew erect the structures that will act as kitchens and venues. They establish the infrastructure such as plumbing, compost toilets, showers and saunas. They make the site beautiful and safe with flags, bunting, paths, fences and lighting. Then during the Festival we have stewards to welcome and guide festival goers, to manage parking and traffic and to attend to people's well-being. Toilet wizards maintain the compost toilets. A team of recyclers sorts materials so as to minimize landfill. The kitchen crew feed volunteers and festival goers alike. The site crew look after the infrastructure, tents, water etc. During the set-up phase, volunteers will get one day off and during the festival two days either as full days or half days, depending on the needs of the particular teams. IVS/VAP volunteers will be invited to work in one of a number of areas before and during the festival, for example: the Healing area, the Buddhafield cafe, site crew, recycling and ‘toilet wizards’, décor, welcome and departure teams. During the Festival the volunteers will have work shifts, but will also have time to enjoy the huge variety of events taking place and facilities available as outlined above. Volunteers are asked to attend daily morning meetings, the exact time depending on what area of work they choose to join. The work is very team-based. The whole enterprise runs on goodwill, awareness of each others’ needs, good communication and mutual support.

About the accomodation

Volunteers should bring their own tents, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and everything you would need for a camping trip. Weather can be range from very hot in the sun to very cold at night, so please bring plenty of blankets as well as sun cream, warm-weather clothes and proper waterproof jackets and trousers. Showers and toilet facilities are outdoors and though cleaner and better cared for than other festivals, they are outdoors and basic.

About the food

Buddhafield will provide 100% vegan food and hot drinks and snacks are available throughout the day. If you need animal products, you will have to bring with you a supply of food that does not need refrigeration.

About the location

The festival is located in the Blackdown Hills near Taunton, Somerset

Requirements

Volunteers will be interviewed online by IVS/VAP before they get the final acceptance in the project. They are required to read the following document before the interview: Safeguarding Code of Conduct: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HKmzCb7llBp6rKb69L6TQvus6eqHOn1wZ352m0fUFjs/editThey have to know how to speak english between 18-99 years old