‘I was trying to run away from the circus’

Flufeee’s first festival was a life-changing experience that led him to join the circus and go on to lead the extraordinary life of an activist, environmentalist and performer.

Now “a bit long in the tooth” to be out blocking roads and sleeping in trees, he is concentrating his efforts on putting on an incredible line-up at Shindig Weekender and using the platform to drive positive change.

Settled in a corner seat of St Werburgh’s City Farm Café with a soy latte, Flufeee is clearly a man very much at peace with himself, but he is still hugely passionate about making a difference in the world – and firmly convinced by the life-changing power of festivals.

High wire walking at Shindig. ©Sarah Koury

As the newest director of Shindig, he was drafted in to head up the circus element of the festival, held this bank holiday weekend in the idyllic Somerset countryside, and has now also taken on the mantel of driving sustainability.

“It’s been a bit of a dream job,” he says. “I’m now in charge of sustainability which, to my mind, is something that every festival organiser has to take on.

“It would be great if everybody took responsibility themselves, but they don’t. I think it’s up to us to lead the way through example and make it easy for people to take responsibility.”

Initiatives running at this year’s festival include a tent recycling project, linking Shindig with a charity supporting refugees in Calais, recycling crews, who will be on hand to greet festival-goers on arrival, a carbon off-setting scheme, a cycle to the site option and eco-friendly glitter.

Flufeee admits it’s not easy as the site currently has no mains water, so as a compromise, organisers have found a company that provides water in biodegradable bottles. He is aiming to keep improving sustainability.

“I was trying to run away from the circus when I was asked to join the Shindig team,” he says, with a grin.

Reflecting back on his unusual life, he reveals it was a chance encounter with a circus family at his first ever festival that prompted him to join the circus.

“The lifestyle just really appealed to me,” says Flufeee, “I learnt to juggle and do basic acrobatics.”

He went on to spend years at the frontline of non-violent direct protest, blocking roads with fellow activists, including the infamous environmentalist Swampy. That’s where he officially adopted the name ‘Flufeee’ – coined because of his passionate belief in non-violent action.

Pulling back a bit from protesting as he was on the verge of getting into too much hot water with the authorities, Flufeee’s circus career really kicked off.

“I have been very lucky to be involved in some of the most cutting edge circus works and worked with some of the most creative circus people on the planet,” he says.

“When we started out, there was nowhere to learn other than in circus families – Circomedia was just starting out.”

Circomedia was only just starting out when Flufeee was working as a circus performer

His quest for sustainable lifestyle alternatives led Flufeee to explore the possibility of shipping goods by sea and he took on an instrumental role in establishing the Sail Cargo Alliance, which now has 40 members all over the world.

Now settled in St Werburgh’s, a director of one of the major players on the summer festival circuit and occasional tree hugger, Flufeee likes to stay true to his roots.

“I’m still an activist, but I’m getting a bit long in the tooth now,” he says.

“I want to create positive change and that’s what really drives me now. I think it’s really important that there are still people going out there and risking their life to make a difference, so I’m giving anti-fracking a big platform this year.

“I really want Shindig to become synonymous with an amazing party, but also that it’s creating a positive change. We need to have something to fight for – if I had not found peaceful direct action to channel my anger, I would be dead or in jail now.”

Read more: Shindig Weekender announces full 2018 lineup