Frances Ryan talks to disabled festival-goers about the "military grade planning" they undertake to see their favourite artists perform live.
'Festival season is upon us, and the mud and sun are a sign that summer is coming. But I have only tried it once myself – Leeds festival in 2005. Packing for a weekend’s camping in sludge or blazing heat – or both – is tough enough. But for people with disabilities, it can require military-grade preparation, as well as mild disregard for personal safety.
I arrived at Leeds on the Saturday – after a night at a wheelchair-accessible budget hotel 20 minutes from the campsite – to find the entrance was atop a steep, three-metre (10ft) hill. The way out was no easier: I got trapped in the car park thanks to the erratic parking in the Blue Badge section. The whole thing was such a faff that I threw away my Sunday ticket and drove home.' ... Keep reading on The Guardian
'Festival season is upon us, and the mud and sun are a sign that summer is coming. But I have only tried it once myself – Leeds festival in 2005. Packing for a weekend’s camping in sludge or blazing heat – or both – is tough enough. But for people with disabilities, it can require military-grade preparation, as well as mild disregard for personal safety.
I arrived at Leeds on the Saturday – after a night at a wheelchair-accessible budget hotel 20 minutes from the campsite – to find the entrance was atop a steep, three-metre (10ft) hill. The way out was no easier: I got trapped in the car park thanks to the erratic parking in the Blue Badge section. The whole thing was such a faff that I threw away my Sunday ticket and drove home.' ... Keep reading on The Guardian