Whether you're hosting a festival or a get-together, it's crucial to ensure your event is inclusive to everyone, and that means making sure that accessibility won’t be a problem.
It's estimated that 22% of people in the UK have a disability, and this number skyrockets to 42% of people who are of state pension age.
Planning an event is a challenge at the best of times. When you're not living with a disability, it can be hard to know what to do to make your events accessible.
But even small things can make a significant difference, and with this in mind, we've put together this guide to help you hold an event that everyone can enjoy.
- The law and accessibility
- Know who is coming to your event
- Choose the right venue
- Provide extra support on the day
- Ask for feedback
- Getting organised is vital when it comes to planning an inclusive event
- Wight Event Toilets: your supplier of disabled toilets
The law and accessibility
The Equality Act 2010 says that 'reasonable adjustments' must be made. This ensures that people with disabilities are not placed at a disadvantage and that they receive the same levels of services as people who aren't disabled.
For example, take toilets. You've found the perfect venue for your event, but the toilets are at the top of a very steep flight of stairs. This means that people with mobility impairments or that are in a wheelchair will not be able to access them.
You need to ensure there's another toilet available that they can easily access. If the venue doesn't have a toilet in place (for example, on the ground floor), you will need to provide one.
Not complying with the Equality Act can not only get you in trouble with the law, but can also result in negative publicity for your event. To give you an interesting example, a disability conference in Australia came under fire when a speaker in a wheelchair had to be carried onto the stage!
So, how can you make sure your event is inclusive to everyone? Here are four steps you can take to ensure your event is not only successful, but accessible too.
Know who is coming to your event
If you're holding an event that people need to buy tickets for or RSVP for, it's a good idea to know more about your attendees' needs so you can prepare.
Ask your guests if there are any accommodations you can offer to make their experience as seamless as possible. After all, it's better to plan in advance than have to panic on the day!
For example, if you have any hard-of-hearing people attending, you could consider offering a BSL interpreter or giving them close access to the stage so they can lipread.
If some of your guests are neurodiverse, you could provide a quiet space where they can grab some respite from all the noise.
If any of your guests need to bring an assistance dog, you can make sure there are water bowls on standby!
Some people may need to bring carers and assistants, so you'll need to factor this into the number of people attending your event.
Don't forget to ask your speakers and guests if they need special accommodations too!
There will be times when people don't book in advance and turn up on the day. If this is the case, you can still take steps to ensure your event is as inclusive as possible.
Choose the right venue
It's essential to check the venue you plan to use to make sure it is accessible to all.
If you're able to, visit the venue beforehand to see if it provides disabled access and if there is anything the staff can do to put 'reasonable adjustments' in place.
Ask the following questions:
- Is there adequate disabled parking?
- Are there good public transport links in place?
- Are there ramps and lifts in place to ensure disabled people can access the building?
- Are the toilets accessible? Remember, if there are no accessible toilets, or you need additional disabled toilets, we can help!
- Is there braille signage on the doors?
- Are there various types of seating available?
- Are there railings on the ramps and stairs?
- Can disabled people access all parts of the building?
- Does the venue provide additional functionality, for example, mobility aids or hearing induction loops? If the venue doesn't offer these as standard, you might need to hire or buy them, so make sure you factor any potential costs into your event budget
Can't make it to the venue? There are review sites like Euan's Guide and AccessAble that provide detailed information about venue accessibility, with disabled people providing reviews of their own personal experiences.
Provide extra support on the day
While it's advisable to do as much preparation in advance as possible, it's important to offer assistance and support on the day of the event too.
Get to the venue before the event is due to start to do one final sweep:
- Are the disabled parking spaces free?
- Are the pathways and corridors easy to navigate and free of clutter?
- Are there any doors that can be kept open for the duration of the event?
- Is any food being served clearly labelled, and will the table be set at a height that everyone can access?
- Have you reserved seating for those that need it? For example, if you have interpreters, you want to ensure that your hard-of-hearing guests can see them clearly.
Make sure there are plenty of staff available to support people who need a little extra help. They can guide guests around and help them get the information they need.
Also, make sure your staff are briefed on evacuation procedures and know where the emergency exits are so they can help people out of the building in the event of a fire.
If you can arrange disability awareness training for your staff, it's a good investment. This will help them appropriately communicate and support disabled people.
For example, asking a person in a wheelchair if they need help rather than moving it without their permission, or giving someone with an intellectual disability more time to respond to a question.
Ask for feedback
The day is over, everything has been cleared away, and you're getting ready to plan your next event. What happens next?
It's highly likely that you will send a feedback form out to attendees to ask what they thought of the event. If you don't already, it might be a good idea to ask how people found the accessibility of the event.
This will provide you with valuable information about what you did well and what you need to improve on in the future. Some of your respondents may even be happy to talk to you in more detail about what you can do to make their experience more comfortable in the future.
Getting organised is vital when it comes to planning an inclusive event
We hope this guide has provided you with valuable information when it comes to planning an accessible event. While you can't prepare for absolutely everything, being organised means your event is more likely to run smoothly and be inclusive to as many people as possible.
If you need a little extra help, we recommend getting in touch with your local council. Most local authorities have an equalities officer that will be able to offer support and advice and signpost you to useful resources.
Wight Event Toilets: your disabled toilet provider
We offer luxury disabled toilets that not only add a touch of class to any event but also help make your event accessible.
Our 4+1 portable toilet includes a built-in accessible toilet with a hydraulic ramp for easy access.
Sparkling and clean, all our toilets come with plenty of hand towels and toilet rolls, with fresh running water from the onboard water tank. We can even provide an attendant if your event attendees need a little extra help with access.
We'll bring the toilet to your venue and pick it up when you're done. No mains water connection is needed, and we'll deal with the waste. One less thing to worry about when organising your event!
If you're looking for a disabled toilet provider in the Somerset area, we're the company you and your guests can rely on.
