Serving with Purpose: My Volunteer Experience at Newday Festival 2025

I recently took some time off work not just for rest, but to reconnect with something meaningful.

While on annual leave, I spent five refreshing days volunteering at Newday Festival , one of the UK’s largest Christian youth gatherings, where over 7,000 young people come together for a week of faith, friendship, worship, and fun. The event runs on the strength of over 1,000 volunteers, and I had the privilege of being one of them.

🌱 From a Bare Field to a Fully Functioning Festival

I joined the Tech Ops team, and when we arrived, the site was literally just an open field. Over the course of a few days, we transformed it into a functioning digital hub: installing Wi-Fi infrastructure, laying Cat 6 cables, configuring access points, and setting up CCTV systems across the site.

It was a completely hands-on experience , no screens, no office, no formal titles. Just cables, walkie-talkies, problem-solving, and teamwork.

⚙️ Product Mindset in Unexpected Places

Despite the different setting, my product and project management instincts showed up without being invited 😄. At one point, I rallied the team to put together a simple action plan ,prioritising critical zones, mapping dependencies, and breaking tasks into manageable chunks. It reminded me that the skills we build in the workplace can (and should) serve outside it too.

I even helped on arrivals day, supporting the delegate check-in process to keep the flow smooth and reduce wait times. It was fast-paced, people-first, and deeply rewarding to contribute to something that helped others feel welcomed.

👥 The People Made It

One of the biggest highlights was the people I met. I worked alongside bright, driven, servant-hearted young individuals many of them still students who brought energy, curiosity, and quiet leadership to the job. It was inspiring to be around them.

And honestly? It was refreshing to step away from corporate routines and spend time in a space where the only goal was to help others and serve something bigger than yourself.

💭 Final Reflections

Volunteering at Newday reminded me why I got into product work in the first place: to build things that matter. To solve problems. To create systems that serve people whether it's AI-powered software in a boardroom or internet cables across a campsite.

If you’ve ever felt the pull to give back or step outside of your usual rhythm do it. Sometimes the most meaningful projects aren’t on roadmaps. They’re in tents, on walkways, behind the scenes, serving others quietly.

And those moments? They stick with you long after your annual leave ends.