Essential information for Greenbelters with access needs.
We are proud to have been awarded the Gold level of Attitude is Everything’s Live Events Access Charter for 2024-2026, demonstrating our commitment to improving the experience for our disabled audiences, artists, and team.
We work hard to ensure that disabled people – and their friends and families – are welcomed and included at Greenbelt Festival.
One of the ways we do this is by designating the area closest to the Festival Village entrance for disabled camping. (In fact, we have two separate areas for disabled camping – one for tents, and one for caravans, motorhomes and trailer tents.)
CAMPING AND CARAVANNING:
The disabled camping section of the site is a pre-booked* camping site only. Booking is now closed. Bookings for 2024 will open soon.
*Pre-booking does not guarantee you a space in disabled camping. But it helps us plan how much space we need to allow. We advise early arrival to ensure that you find the best space for you and your group. The campsites will have accessible toilets. Free charging facilities for scooters and wheelchairs will be available.
Tents
Our tented village is nearest the main gate to the festival. Nearby is the Campsite Hub, Campsite facilities and the Charging Tent for Mobility Aids and Accessibility Devices.
We do not put a limit on groups sizes in this area, however we ask that non-disabled people are conscious about the space that use and make sure that space nearest the roadways is kept clear for those who need to camp near it. We also ask that people camp closer together rather than in a big circle. Our volunteers are around on the main set-up days and can help groups think about where is best to camp.
Our tented disabled campsite operates on the following ratios:
This site is a pre-booked section of the campsite. Booking for 2023 are now closed.
There is no access by vehicle to the campsites. But there will be trolleys and taxi-buggies, as well as volunteers, to help you get your stuff to the campsite from your vehicles. We advise that you pack what you need with easy transportation in mind. (Car trailers will also need to be left in the car park and unloaded there.)
The campsite will have accessible toilets and overnight charging facilities.
Large groups will be asked to transport their own belongings, with the Access Team supporting individual Disabled people and their immediate companions.
Disabled people booking glamping or pre-erected tents can arrange for these to be placed in the Access Campsite with the company you have booked through. Please do notify us by registering – form coming soon!
Caravans, motorhomes and trailer tents
The disabled camping section of the site is a pre-registered* camping site. Bookings are now closed. Bookings for 2024 will open next year.
*Pre-booking does not guarantee you a space in disabled camping. But it helps us plan how much space we need to allow. We advise early arrival to ensure that you find the best space for you and your group. The campsites will have accessible toilets. Free charging facilities for scooters and wheelchairs will be available.
We have two separate areas of disabled camping – one for wheeled vehicles such as caravans, motor homes and trailer tents, and a separate area for tents.
Our tented disabled campsite operates on the following ratios:
There is no access by vehicle to the tented campsites. Car trailers will also need to be left in the car park and unloaded there. See below for information on support to get to your camping area.
To camp in the Campervan Field, you must book your space through the main Festival Box Office HERE before registering for your space in the disabled caravan area.
Because we are restricted to the area that wheeled vehicles can access, we need to follow a strict protocol of 1 pup tent OR 1 awning per unit.
If you’re disabled – or in recovery that will affect your mobility or mental health at the festival this year – and require an assistant to enable you to attend the festival, we’re happy to provide you with an extra ticket for them, free of charge.
Please note that you’ll need to provide proof of ID registered in your name, such as the following:
Personal Assistant tickets can be booked via our Box Office when you buy your tickets.
Please note: PA tickets are provided with the understanding that the PA is willing and able to assist the access customer throughout their entire stay at the festival. The PA must be able to perform all requirements as needed by the access customer, and must provide assistance to the access customer during an evacuation or other emergency.
Thursday (24th)
For a number of years now, Access campers have been rocking up to Greenbelt a day early, so that they can settle in, rest and get ready to enjoy the festival starting the next day. And this year is no exception.
This year, you’ll still have an arrival day to enable you to take your time – getting parked up, set up and caught up, at your own pace. Only now, you’ll be joined by more happy campers, because Thursday is our new arrivals day – for everyone.*
You’ll still get the same dedicated service you’ve come to expect from Greenbelt. So, although the carparks and campsite will be busier, we’re confident that one long afternoon (that’s six hours, from 12 noon to 6pm on Thursday) will give you enough time to get sited and settled. Especially with the help you’ll get from our excellent Access Team volunteers. With their support, you’ll still have the time we know you need in order to have the best experience.
So, gates will open on Thursday at 12 noon for everyone. But, provided you’ve pre-booked online with our Access Team, then the Access Team will be on hand to offer you dedicated assistance from that opening time through until 6pm, at which point we’ll be opening up the Glade Arena.
Read more about what to expect on the Thursday here.
After the festival, please send any feedback about your experience to access@greenbelt.org.uk or record it in the post-festival feedback form.
*We thought long and hard about moving Access arrivals forward to the morning of the Thursday. But from a nuts-and-bolts, festival-making perspective, it’s just not doable for us.
Disabled parking is available in the day parking car park next to the Festival Box Office. Taxi-buggies run from the Box Office down to the Festival Village entrance, via the mobility scooter hire location.
If you need Disabled parking as a Day Visitor, or if you are staying for the weekend, you will need to fill out the access form. Blue badge holders will not need to pay for a parking space, but must fill out the access form to book a parking space. The access form for 2024 will open soon.
Event Mobility provides electric scooters and manual wheelchairs for the use of disabled, elderly and mobility-impaired visitors at Greenbelt Festival.
To reserve an electric mobility scooter or manual wheelchair for Greenbelt Festival 2024 please book online here.
Online bookings must be made 2 days before the Greenbelt Festival begins. Bookings cannot be taken during the festival. If there is spare equipment available at the festival it is offered on a first come, first served basis only.
If you’re visually impaired, you will need to fill out the access form (when it becomes available – closer to the festival). This means we can include you on our list of those requiring Festival Guide information about this year’s festival in advance.
We can send electronic versions of the Festival Guide/App in plain print to you shortly before the festival. This means you can change the font and the size of the information to your specifications, and print it for the festival, or download it to your own device.
We can also print this onsite for you onto white paper (at a cost of £5). However, it’s a big document and you may find it easier to print it ahead of time and organise it to suit your needs.
If you’re Deaf or hard of hearing, you will need to fill out the access form. The access form for 2024 will open soon.
You can expect:
High Quality Interpreters
In partnership with Signs of God we provide a team of around ten top quality interpreters. Each interpreter has been professionally trained and most will be registered with NRCPD. You can be confident we will do our best to meet your communication support needs. We aim to have enough interpreters to give you choice to attend the events of your choice. Though many of our interpreters are full time professionals they give their time free of charge to give the deaf community full access to the Greenbelt programme. You can also expect some workshops and worship events in sign language.
Deaf speakers/contributors
At Greenbelt we don’t believe that access is only about letting deaf people access hearing people’s contribution to the festival. We also encourage deaf artists and speakers to contribute to the programme. You can also expect some workshops and worship events in sign language.
Previous speakers and contributors have included Clark Denmark on the importance of BSL recognition, Penny Beschizza on storytelling, Esther Maycock leading signed and cross-cultural worship, and Ian Stillman telling of his experiences in India.
Assistance dogs registered with organisations recognised by Assistance Dogs UK are permitted to attend the festival.
Having consulted with the festival’s insurers and our first aid providers, we’ve decided that it’s not possible to safely and securely store medication at Greenbelt. This is not unusual for festivals of a similar size.
We recommend that affected Greenbelters speak to their GPs or pharmacists for advice, or research alternative methods of keeping their medications cold and secure during the weekend.
Greenbelt Festival is an outdoor event held on the Boughton House Estate, featuring sloping grassy areas that are steep in sections. Some areas can be large with no solid pathways or hard ground. There are also rocky, uneven pathways. These conditions for some will be harder to walk on, and some wheelchair users with powerchairs that have low chassis’ may find the ground and some of the tracking more challenging. Please consult with our access team via access@greenbelt.org.uk
It is important to be aware that during inclement weather some parts of the site may be muddy, water-logged or dusty, and may be difficult to navigate around.
The majority of our Viewing Platforms are uncovered so please dress appropriately, and for all weather conditions.
Toilets and Showers
There are a number of different types of toilets on site, including composting toilets, urinals, portaloos, wheelchair-accessible portaloos and a high dependency changing unit. We also hire wheelchair-accessible showers.
Here’s some more information about accessible toilets on site.
Wheelchair-Accessible Portaloos
These are located at the Access Camping area in the campsite and at multiple points throughout the festival Arena. Their features include:
High Dependency Mobile Disabled Toilet Unit
There is one high dependency unit located in the Arena at the festival. This can be accessed 24 hours by those who need it, even after the Arena has shut (just ask a steward for access back into the Arena and they will assist). Its features include:
There is more-than adequate space in the changing area for the disabled person and up to two carers. There is a centrally-placed toilet with room either side for the carers, and a curtain to allow the disabled person and carer some privacy.
Wheelchair-Accessible Shower
Located with the showers in the campsite, features include:
Only car battery power supply is permitted (and the battery needs to be removed from the car first!).
Yes, this information is on the app, and available from the Haven and Info Desk. All traders must have up-to-date allergy information about all items they sell, in line with the law.
There are a number of websites that can help you find suitably accessible accommodation. You might want to try Airbnb or Hotels.com. Alternatively, one of the best sources of reasonably-priced accessible rooms can be the ‘motel’ style chains: Travelodge, Holiday Inn, etc.
Yes, we will be updating our Easy Read information, please request this on the Access Form (when it becomes available – closer to the festival).
For numerous safety reasons, petrol generators are not permitted onsite. You should only bring a generator if it is essential for medical/other special needs and arranged with the Fire Safety Team (firesafety@greenbelt.org.uk) prior to the festival. When you arrive, you must contact the Access Team on site, so they can ensure that you are appropriately sited, and the Fire Safety Team knows the location of the generator.
If you’re disabled – or recovering from an operation that will affect your mobility at the festival this year – and require an assistant to enable you to attend the festival, we’re happy to provide you with an extra ticket for them, free of charge.
Please note that you’ll need to provide proof of ID registered in your name, such as the following:
Personal Assistant tickets can be booked via our Box Office when you buy your tickets.