It’s been a whole week since we snipped off our wristbands and put them in the family 3D frame. Our toddler said ‘want to go again’ as soon as we had done so, which I suppose can only mean one thing… we’ve been to Greenbelt!

It was a Greenbelt with a difference for us. This time, I was 8 months pregnant! So, for the first time since I was 15, I didn’t stay on site. Instead, we three stayed at the local Hampton, a 20 minute drive away from the festival. I have to say, it was far comfier, even if it was so weird driving away that first night.

Like last year, one of my favourite Greenbelt bits was the Thursday night when the festival was open, but the programme had yet to begin. It’s a new thing post covid, but I love the relaxed vibe with folk chatting and groups of people with common interests gathering to discuss, play, or craft. The only downside was the length of the queues at the food vans. As only part of the site was open, the 4 or so food vans were very busy! But it made my steak sandwich from meatsmiths all the tastier for having to wait – yummy!

Like the last two years, I didn’t really hear many talks. A festival with a small person is very different from one where you are free to wander and please yourself! Not that I’d change it. I love the freedom Sophia can enjoy at Greenbelt. She can wander further, run around in bare feet, and dance freely to whatever music she can hear.

But there were some things that caught my attention. Daoud Nassar, who came to the Greenbelt Sunday morning communion live from Tent of Nations, issued an invitation to visit, and said,’Come and see, go home and tell’. A trip anywhere in the world is fairly unlikely for me for the forseeable, but it spoke to my heart of my own trips to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Palestine, and how sharing stories across the world is such a powerful thing.

I also got to listen to Dave Tomlinson. Nathan had gone to do some willow weaving, and I was getting uncomfortable, and a wiggly toddler wasn’t helping much. I went to find Mum and Dad and bumped into our pals Josh and Ash on the way. Ash sat with Sophia and her daughter while I listened, which meant I got to hear most of a talk, which was great! Here are couple of quotes:

We are never told that God is power, we are told that He is love. This interested me, especially as it was spoken with reference to the Problem of Evil. It’s not too far away from my own thinking on the subject, but I’d never heard it phrased in that way before.

I also liked: It’s time to give a s**t. Amen. And wondered if I’d ever be brave enough to finish a talk or a sermon in that way!

So what else can I say about Greenbelt 2024?

We have clearly been spoiled with the weather over recent years because the wind on Thursday and rain on Saturday came as quite a shock!

Much as I love the compost loos, I don’t advise trying to get a toddler and a big tum up those steps in the wet. It was very slippy and there wasn’t a lot of room inside for all three of us!

As always, I was just pulled towards the people I needed the most over the weekend, like gravity. Over the years, our groups have been bigger and smaller, but apart from my Hen night 7 years ago, I’ve never really plan to meet up with people. It just happens. It’s organic and lovely and as much as anything, I like seeing what other people have chosen to eat!

On Greenbelt overall, though, I just can’t deny anymore that it’s so far away from the Greenbelt I fell in love with. Things have to change, of course they do. But I miss the full and varied worship programme that there used to be. I’ve seen various comments online about the music programme, which lots of people go for, but I can take or leave. I miss dipping my toe into lots of different worship styles. Perhaps I need a year off, we shall see.

That being said, Greenbelt’s values of being pro-Palestine, environmentally friendly and a place where many outcasts can belong, are things that are close to my heart. I love the colour and the vibe. I love the state of the site once we’ve left (immaculate, in case you were wondering). I love the community feel I love that the festival is made as accessible for as many people as possible, including the very pregnant!

I’ll wrap up shortly, but one special moment was our Goddaughter showing Sophia her new Bible (bright pink and fluffy). She asked if Soph would like her to read, and she said yes. Sophia sat, still and attentive, as Abbie read ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…’. Actually, on reflection, maybe I don’t need any more worship input than that. It was beautiful.