Meadowlands 27 – 29th May

A small happy little festival in the Sussex countryside. They are in their third year and GAMA is hoping to support and advise them with their website information and compliance on site.

Sunrise Celebration 2nd – 5th June, Somerset.

GAMA has been working with Sunrise for about five years now, and each year we are aware of things we want to get better. Sunrise are committed to compliance, and we are supporting them in a site-wide approach. We are having a GAMA field as usual; at sunrise, and we are working with traders, the venues and the organisers to increase accessibility in every aspect of the festival. We are running a GAMA information line and have already had quite a few enquiries. Last year Sunrise helped out a lot of GAMA people by accepting “swaps” on tickets from the Big Green Gathering cancelled from the year before.

Glastonbury 22 – 26 June, Somerset.

We are hoping to continue working with Glastonbury and meeting with them to support their disabled provisions on site. Last year they introduced a showcase afternoon for performers with disabilities on the Continental Drifts stage. We are proposing that one of the GAMA team do a photo/story and interviews of accessibility on site.

Glade 10 – 12 June.

We understand that the Glade Festival has new dates, and a new site. We are waiting to hear back from the organisers. The important thing for us is that if the Glade is back on form after the unfortunate cancellation last year, then if it has different people running it, they need to be aware of the GAMA facilities that are normally provided on site, and of how well Seagh and Mike run the GAMA area. Seagh and Mike have provided flexibility and support throughout the previous years for the Glade, and each year the area has got larger and more appreciated.

Green Gathering 2011 27 – 31 July, Berkshire

The Green Gathering is a small gathering, up to 5000 people, with having fun, green education and ecological principles at its core, for the end of July. We have been asked to run a GAMA field on site, which we are happy to do. The organisers are also keen to support and push for site wide compliance for all its stalls, cafes and venues. The site is flat and easily serviceable and we are hoping that it will be a great new green success! If you would like to buy tickets or look at their site, here’s the link: www.greengathering2011.com

Brighton Pride 13th August

Brighton Pride seems to have become a victim of its own success. Last year the Park was packed, and most of the facilities got swamped (in the case of the wide access toilets – literally!) GAMA has been asked to take on the stewarding of the wide access loos. There are also proposals to cordon off the Pride area, and charge for entry, so there are issues we are a GAMA group will need to consider before making any definite plans with Pride. We would like to be able to support Pride in Brighton and help them provide good access for everybody.

Out of the Ordinary 23 – 25 September, Sussex.

We hope to be well involved again for the Out of The Ordinary Festival. This has become a GAMA favourite for many people in the local area.

Alchemy Festival 16 – 18 September, Lincolnshire.

We are waiting to hear what is happening with this one.

That’s all for now – as the season progresses I am sure we will get more information to share. If any one out there wants more information, advice on compliance, and other access and festival/outdoor event information, do contact us.

We are here to receive as well as give information, and the more we can do, and campaign for, the more between us we can achieve. Photos, stories, anecdotes, questions and answers – all welcome.

In date of event order, we are now involved in the following:

Sunrise Festival – 3rd / 6th June 2010

GAMA has been confirmed to run the green access area on site, and we are involved in all the planning and logistics. Jos, Penny and Jane all attended the site visit and planning meeting last weekend, which was very positive. The GAMA area during the festival will be run by Miki and Penny, and their dedicated crew.

Sunrise very kindly agreed to offer a “ticket swap” for those who bought GAMA tickets for last years Big Green Gathering, which did not take place. This scheme is now drawing to a close, and hopefully all those that wanted to swap, have done so. This is being administered by Jos and all those that responded will be hearing from Jos in the next few weeks. This scheme was put into place for just the GAMA tickets, and does not include any other tickets. For any further information regarding general BGG tickets, look on the BGG website.

Glastonbury Festival – 23rd / 27th June 2010

GAMA has been involved in feedback from last year, and Miki sent in a resume of comments for their planning meeting for this year. The disabled facilities at Glastonbury are constantly being extended and increased, and GAMA hope to continue being involved in all aspects of this work. We are happy to continue liaising with the Festival’s own support staff, and hope to be a positive and vibrant part of future developments.

Glade Festival – 15th / 18th July 2010

Seagh and Mike are cracking on with organising the Glade festival disabled access. This will be the second year on the very successful new site at Matterley Bowl, near Winchester, so this year we know more of what to expect. They are planning a slightly larger team this year and have started liaising with the Glade organisers to bring about the best camping facilities within this incredible dance festival.

Croydon Mela and World Party – Saturday 31st July, 2010

The world party is taking place on Saturday 31st July, and the Croydon Mela on the Sunday 1st August, both in Lloyd Park. Jos is working on a new venture with the organisation Green Stewards to train up the stewards in Access support and information. We have put together a training package which will provide practical advice, an outline of the legal obligations, support inclusivity, and give confidence to the stewards to help all the public.

Shambala Festival – 27th / 30th August 2010

The report we got from last year’s Shambala was that the Access area was their busiest one yet – this year Jos has started having discussions with the organiser and we hope to continue supporting the area in what ever way we can.

Out of the Ordinary Festival – 17th / 19th September 2010

Miki and Penny have started thinking and planning for this years Out of the Ordinary, a charming little festival held in the Sussex Downs. Each year the festival takes on more eco planning and conscious thinking, encouraging zero waste and only functioning on green power and eco products.

So that’s where we are so far – If there are any other festivals that you would like us to get involved with, or any campaigns we can do, please let us know. As we get further involved during the season we will update this regularly. Similarly, if you want to be more involved with GAMA, sign up to the email newsletter, follow us on twitter, or just contact us.

The ticket swap to Sunrise 2010 is now closed & finished. The Big Green Gathering website has a new available offer for ticket swaps to the “Green Phoenix Festival”, 19th – 22nd August 2010, and we will be supporting a GAMA field there.  There will shortly be instructions on the Big Green Gathering website as to how to process and swap tickets for the Green Phoenix Festival.

UPDATE:

GAMA has had negotiations with the Green Phoenix Festival, 19th – 22nd August 2010, near Newcastle, ( www.greenphoenixfestival.org.uk )   and is pleased to announce that they will accept GAMA tickets from last years cancelled Big Green Gathering for their GAMA area.  THE TICKETS WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE ARE ONLY THE BGG 2009 GAMA TICKETS – FOR ALL OTHERS GO DIRECTLY THROUGH THE GREEN PHOENIX WEBSITE AND CONTACT ADDRESS.

Conditions:

• This can only be done if you have not already used your tickets to swap to any other festival.
• That you have proof of purchase of BGG 2009 GAMA tickets.
• This offer will close at the end of June 2010.
• To be involved in this offer, please contact  joscolover@btinternet.com by email ONLY, and give us your name and address, any ticket details you have from your purchase of tickets for the BGG, and a contact phone number.
• Green Phoenix is also doing a reduction, so if you want to buy more tickets direct from them, they are offering a 10% discount for those that bought BGG 2009 GAMA tickets.
• If you want to buy more tickets for your friends and family for the Green Phoenix Festival, then go directly to their website.

After many phone calls, negotiating, chatting to people and using our common sense, we can now confirm that padlocks can be bought from the RADAR lock manufacturers that will fit onto a normal hasp & clasp to go on portable toilets (portaloos).

This will enable all festivals and outdoor events to have RADAR locks on their portable toilets, ensuring that the wide access toilets are only used by those people that need to use them – and not by any one who should not be using them…

The padlocks are quite chunky and need a “space” of at least 1cm (so the small staple type device on each side of the door are not big enough). They can be opened by the normal RADAR key that most people with disabilities have, and this would stop the abuse of these toilets by people who are not disabled and should not be using them.

Large notices would need to be put on the toilet to say this is a RADAR padlock, so people know it can only be accessed by those with the keys.

Like anything that is new, do try them out first and check they work for your event. If you are a festival organiser do get one in advance and check them with your portaloo provider…

The padlocks are £15.96 each & the keys are £2 plus P & P. They can be bought from:

N & C Ltd,
41 – 51 Freshwater Road,
Chadwell Heath,
Romford,
Essex.
RM18 1SP

The man to speak to is Graham Hardwell, phone number 020 8586 4600.

They can be purchased by festival organisers or by portable wide access toilet suppliers, as long as the hasp and clasp is already attached to the toilet…….. Extra keys can be bought to give to the cleaning staff.

You are welcome to pass this information on to any other festival organisers and portaloo suppliers that you deal with.

Another First!

We can also announce that Shambala has said that it will provide the locks on all their wide access toilets at the 2009 festival.

The Act lays down a statutory responsibility to organisers to make “reasonable adjustments” so that any festival/outdoor gathering must now consider not just the provision of an area for people with disabilities to camp in, but accessibility for everyone over the whole site.

GAMA is made up of a group of people who have attended festivals for many years; and we have built up a knowledge of working in festival situations with people with disabilities. Because of the specific outdoor nature of festivals, the needs of disabled people have often been overlooked, and, in reality, can be challenging to provide for.

GAMA was set up in 2005 under the umbrella of “GEOFEST”, to promote and support facilities for disabled people on Festival Sites and outdoor gatherings. The first area we ran was at the big Green Gathering 2005. The Volunteer Crew which by this time had been named the Green Access Mobility Area (GAMA), as everyone wanted to get away from the connotations of the “Disabled Field”; arrived on site and began to create a welcoming space within the Festival.

Since then we have been involved with setting up and running many GAMA areas including:

• The Big Green Gathering 2005, 2006, and 2007.
• Sunrise Festival 2007 and 2008.

We are involved with the Rocket Festival in Spain, the Glade Festival, Croissant Neuf Summer Party, Out of The Ordinary Festival, and Glastonbury Festival.

• We have written articles for Festival Eye Magazine, and Green Futures Festivals website.
• We provide training and support, advice and consultation to other festivals.
• We have a team of trained and CRB checked volunteers.
• We have run training sessions for our own crew, and also for stewards and festival organisers.
• We can produce leaflets for stall holders, venues and other festival areas to help them provide good disability access for all.
• We work with both visitors to festivals and performers, artists, workshop leaders.
• We can provide a helpline and consultation right through the festival setting up process, from the very beginnings (including Council License procedures), through the actual event, and to the end.

We have green/environmentally aware standards and guidelines that we work within.

We can work with on site medical, welfare and other provisions to ensure the best care and correct facilities are provided for visitors and staff.

We do not offer personal care or child care.

We have a list of on site disability suppliers, such as showers, and suitable wheelchair providers. And a list of skilled volunteers who can add to the festival experience, eg signers.

We provide a welcoming, safe, informal, flexible, inclusive area with facilities that can be used by all on site that need them.

GAMA has grown each year – from small beginnings our work is being recognised and sought after. We can vary the size of the provision according to the demand; and we can adapt our work to specific festival requirements or to specialist areas, such as healing spaces or performance spaces.

Our work is unique. We have received positive comments, accolades and wonderful support. We carry out feedback and response sessions wherever possible. We have linked with other organisations to encourage and support disabled access, such as Attitude is Everything, and the National Outdoor Event Association.

We can help campaign for better access provision at festivals in the UK and beyond.

We can advise Festival websites on how to improve their accessibility.

We have been awarded grants from Awards for All and The Travellers Aid Trust, and UnLtd development money.

This website is the culmination of the development of GAMA. We aim to provide through this website all the information necessary to help those with disabilities make informed decisions about what festivals they choose to go to, and what they should expect to find when they get there. We aim to provide a discussion forum and information exchange, a training section, a campaigning branch, and an on-line community and regular updates as to what is happening for disabled people in the UK festival scene.

Many thanks to UnLtd for making this possible.