Meet Eric Shepperd
Volunteers are very legitimately the back bone of Home County. We are incredibly thankful for the massive number of people who give up their time to help us put on the Festival. Each month, we want to take the time to honour these amazing people.
You may have seen May's Volunteer of the Month around London at one of the many of the other events he supports - BUT - he'll always have a Home County t-shirt on! Meet Eric Shepperd - our Volunteer of the Month!
Eric has been volunteering at Home County since the late 1990s - as he recalls, 'the year that the volunteer shirts were a horrid celery green.' But before he was a volunteer, he attended every single Home County - even in utero! Absolutely incredible.
As soon as he was old enough, Eric started to volunteer. The question really is what hasn't he done! He started with park maintenance and moved up to the Home County Ice Cream Stand. He assisted with Performer Services - moving artists and instruments from stage to stage. In later years, He was Jackie Washington's personal golf cart chauffeur - a great honour and privilege. From there - production crew, stage manager, production coordinator and a Board Member. What a list! Currently, Eric is still an integral part of the production crew and can be seen riding around on his bike and solving problems over the Festival weekend (YES!) and carrying, in his words, 'comically oversized items.' The Board was thrilled when Eric decided to return as a Board member this year.
We asked Eric what his favourite part of Home County is, and he replied, 'seeing all my HC friends (and meeting new ones!). Each festival, we get a whole year older, and we always get a chance to catch up about what's happened since last time. And you can't beat a full weekend of great music in the park!'
And his favourite memories?? Well his answer is magical. 'My fondest memories often involve the afterparty - hanging out with a bunch of musicians, jamming together until the wee hours of the morning. One of the most significant ones was when I was up in the spotlight tower at the mainstage, and I saw my mom in the crowd talking to someone in the row behind her - who is that guy?? A few years later, they were married! But every festival, there's a golden moment - usually at a workshop stage, late in the afternoon - when the stars align for a perfect musical experience, and all is well with the world.'
Eric - wow. You are truly are the personification of Home County. Your passion and knowledge for music, tradition and all things Home County are unparalleled. We will be forever grateful to your mom for bringing you to the Festival all those years ago. Thanks for your years of commitment to the League and the Festival.
*Do you have an area at the Festival that you’re passionate about? Remember you can request to work in specific areas on our Volunteer Application form!*