As we closed the door on 2022, we’ve taken a look back at all the different initiatives that ran before, during and after Shambala this year and totted up the totals – and thanks to you lot we’ve managed to collectively raise a whopping £133,807.45 for a whole host of community and environmental causes! This total has smashed our previous record of £105,000 in 2019, and we couldn’t of done it without the kindness and generosity of every person who donated their time, skills or pennies this year. A massive THANK YOU to everyone who got stuck in and contributed…
The money and awareness raised this year will support our partners who are having a real impact on communities and the environment – here’s a few examples…
- Pay It Forward: Share The Love. This year we introduced our new Pay It Forward initiative to raise a pot of funds that will enable us to create full festival access experiences (not just tickets, but travel, camping equipment and food) for folks on low incomes to come and join the party, in 2023 and beyond. We will be working with charity organisations and support services local to our festival site to identify individuals who’d love to attend, and make this happen. You all got thoroughly stuck into the cause, donating at our Shambala bars when getting your drinks in, and making further donations buying your tickets for 2023. A big thank you to everyone who’s enabled us to kickstart this project with such a bang!
- Flags for Peace: Each year, as part of our annual ‘Flags For..’ campaign, we ask you generous souls to sponsor the strings of pray flags flying from the Shambala Stage, for a different cause or campaign. In 2022, we chose Peace Direct. Every penny you raised has gone to Peace Direct work with local people across the globe to stop war and build lasting peace in some of the world’s most fragile countries.
- Our incredible Oxfam stewards, who are an integral part of the Shambala crew, donated their time to raise money to fight poverty and provide disaster relief in worldwide projects.
- Our MyCause volunteers also donated their time to raise funds for their chosen initiatives, including: Autism Alliance UK, Bristol Refugee Rights, Coppafeel, Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, Sea Shepherd UK, Stonewall and War Child to name just a few!
- Rebel Soul‘s on site cafe raised money for various grass roots initiatives with their delicious offerings.
- This year, we were proud to host a festival exclusive of possibly the funniest art exhibit on the planet – and all for a good cause. ‘The Worst Record Covers Exhibition‘ raised donations for Different Strokes, a charity supporting younger stroke survivors and their families.
- NOSH Community Cafe kept our bellies full this year with their hearty meals on site, and all proceeds went directly towards supporting social and charitable causes in the local area.
- Temwa, a charity doing some seriously vital work in Malawi raised money through providing phone charging services at Shambala this year, which will go towards various Malawian community projects.
- You lot balanced 100% of your car and van travel emissions with Ecolibrium, helping to to plant trees, protect the rainforest and create renewable energy projects. The total number of miles balanced was 1,113,326.57 – which equates to a whopping 307.10 tonnes CO2e!
- Our stainless steel water bottles are supplied by RAW Foundation, and FRANK Water kept them full for you over the weekend at their refill stations! Helping us to donate money for FRANK’s sanitation projects – helping provide safe drinking water in India and Nepal and raise funds for RAW’s commitment to raising awareness and campaigning against pointless plastic.
- Our merch team raised raised much needed funds for Bansang Hospital through the sale of our Special 20th Anniversary Edition Programmes.
- All profits raised by the sales of Love Specs heart shaped magic lenses at Shambala, helped Love Support Unite empower communities in Africa through sustainable development, education and healthcare.
- The Flying Seagull Project provided brilliant entertainment in the kid’s area this year, raising money for their work with disadvantaged young people in the UK and across Europe and the Middle East.
- WaterAid provided some lush toilets for us this year and raised money to provide people across the world with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene thanks to your generous donations.
We’re forever grateful for everyone’s hard work and generosity this year, without which this impact would not have been possible. Thanks to you lot, this money will enact some real and direct change.