Putting your Leeds and Reading tent to good use

Today I was supposed to be waking up in Bramham Park getting ready to see Liam Gallagher live with my friends. I bought tickets for the Reading and Leeds Festival months ago as well as a hiker’s backpack, rainboots and a tent in anticipation of the big day. Then, like every other festival, it was cancelled… But this weekend I found out that my effort wasn’t all in vain. I can make good use of my tent by donating it to a refugee who needs it instead, all while I watch classic Leeds Festival sets on the BBC website from the safety of my own home.

Refugee charities rely almost entirely on festival salvage to gather tents for the winter in Calais. This year widespread event cancellations means they have been left with almost no stock. In addition there have been frequent police evictions in Calais and Dunkirk, so many tents have been lost. There are people sleeping on bare tarmac and sharing tarpaulins between large groups.

If you have a tent lying around that you bought for a festival, consider donating it so that a refugee can have somewhere warm to sleep as the nights get colder. To see our drop-off points visit care4calais.org/thedropoffmap.

Or you can make a donation instead. For £12 we can buy a tent to provide shelter for two people. Visit care4calais.org/emergency-appeal to donate.

You can check out the BBC’s compilation of classic Reading and Leeds sets here.

Photo by Kevin Neagle