Preparations are underway for the biggest electronic dance festival in the UK right on the doorstep of the administrative headquarters of the Diocese of Chester at Daresbury Park. Temporary signage, a pop up pedestrian bridge, lighting gantries, marquees and stages are familiar visible signs that annual building is underway on the 600-acre (240 hectare) site as organisers prepare for 70,000 people over the August bank holiday weekend (22-25 August).
Planning coincides with a sudden upsurge in sales of a popular brand of biscuit from the shelves of local supermarkets. With the countdown underway, Jammie Dodgers are flying off the shelves in response to an appeal from the Archdeacon of Macclesfield Jane Proudfoot. She leads The Church at Creamfields, a team of volunteers from churches of all denominations in Warrington and beyond.
Jane explains: “This is the 5th year that there has been an official Christian presence on the site. It started in 2017 and after the first year the organisers asked us to come back and double our volunteers.
‘We do all kinds of things. We help people out when they’re lost and they can’t find their tent, or they’ve fallen out with their friends or they just need someone to talk to. Some people go to festivals and they end up having quite a bad time. They think it’s going to solve their problems and often it doesn’t. I’ve bandaged up feet, we’ve helped people with blisters. We’ve given people socks to wear because they’ve lost their flipflops. We’ve done all kinds of things and it’s all because we want them to know that the Church cares and that God loves them. And that little heart in the middle of a Jammie Dodger is a symbol of that.’
As well as packets of Jammie Dodgers, ten more volunteers are needed to be trained to help out.
“We’re looking for people who can commit to an eight hour shift over the weekend. The only requirement is that you are a church member, you enjoy meeting people and are a good listener. We are so grateful for the donations from churches across the diocese that enable this mission.
If you would like to donate Jammie Dodgers, get involved in volunteering or to find out more please contact the planning team: wearethechurchatcreamfields@hotmail.com
Listen here to Jane Proudfoot talking about Creamfields