Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis has pledged “continued support for Oxfam”, in the wake of the charity’s recent sex abuse scandal.
Since 1993, the festival has raised funds for Oxfam, with a portion of each year’s ticket sales going towards the charity’s various global projects.
Earlier this month, Oxfam hit headlines following a report on its staff using sex workers, some of whom may have been underage, while working in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake.
Some wondered if this could spell the end for the charity’s ties with the festival, however, Emily has made it clear that will not be the case.
In a statement posted on Twitter, she wrote: “Like everyone else, we’ve been horrified at the reports in the news. Oxfam assure us they are continuing to take action to ensure a vigorous safeguarding plan for the future.
“But let us not forget that abuse of power is a wider issue in society.
“So we would like to pledge our continued support for Oxfam, and the brave and vital work which it undertakes. I have been to Haiti, and talked with people in remote communities where Oxfam is a lifeline. Oxfam do outstanding work all over the world and we firmly believe that the good does still far outweigh the appalling behaviour of the new whose actions have caused such harm.
“We will continue to support Oxfam’s incredible work for many more years to come.”
So far, two celebrities who previously worked with Oxfam - Talia Storm and Minnie Driver, who served as an ambassador - have severed ties with the charity.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has also quit his ambassador role and Oxfam’s deputy chief, Penny Lawrence, who was the charity’s international programmes director when the alleged sexual abuse happened, stood down on Monday (12 February).