Volunteers helped thousands of Parklife festival goers last weekend after running a 10am to 3am sanctuary near Heaton Park.

Heaton Park Methodist Church was opened up to almost 2,500 festival goers on June 10 and June 11 as around 30 volunteers worked to keep people safe and hydrated.

This is the second year that the Parklife Sanctuary has been running and volunteers say they are “definitely up” for coming back again in 2024.

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Reverend Jez Hackett said: “We had nearly six times the amount of people coming in to see us than last year either for a safe space to wait after the festival, for some water, suncream, to charge phones or to meet up with their friends.

“The volunteers who worked up until 3am the next day were definitely tired after it but more than anything, we were all buzzing.

“We are just so happy with how it's gone and are already talking with the Parklife people to say we are definitely up for it next year, and they're up for having us back.”

A number of people volunteered from different churches as well as some members of the community who wanted to get involved.

The idea for the Parklife Sanctuary was devised when a member of the church raised concerns for their children who were attending the festival that year.

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Worries arose over what happens after leaving the venue and the conversation started around if there was anything the church could do.

Around 350 people visited the sanctuary last year, however, this year that numbr swelled to 2,300.

Rev Hackett said: I want to say a huge thank you.

“Thank you to Parklife for letting us be involved, thank you to the volunteers, and thank you to all the young people who came to see us.”

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