INTRODUCTION
On behalf of Elderflower Fields, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our deaf and disabled customers. We hope that you find this information sheet useful.
CONTACT DETAILS
If you have any queries or requests relating to accessibility, please contact the Event Manager, Stuart Balkham. We aim to respond to all queries within 5 working days.
Email: stuart@sosussex.co.uk
Phone: 07552 572614
Post: FAO Stuart Balkham, Elderflower Fields, Spithurst Hub, Spithurst Road, Barcombe, East Sussex, BN8 5EE
SITE DESCRIPTION
Elderflower Fields takes place on a part of the estate of Pippingford Park. The festival occupies roughly 60 hectares in total, made up primarily of grass fields and mixed woodland. The site is generally sloped. There are gravel roads around some parts of the site and firm dirt tracks through parts of the woodland, but much of the festival is accessible only over grass or through unpaved woodland. This can be especially difficult if the ground is wet due to heavy rain.
The festival site has two primary performance venues and dozens of children and family activity locations dotted around the site. Of the two performance locations, the Dragonfly Stage sits at the bottom of a gently sloping grassed field. To view the stage requires access off made up pathways and roads. The Woodland Stage is located in a small natural hollow in the woods at the edge of the main camping field. To view the stage requires access down a significant slope or down about 5 or 6 shallow steps. Other informal performance, workshop and activity spaces are located around the site and are generally accessible directly from or within a short distance of a made up pathway or road.
At present, we offer spaces at the bottom of our live in vehicle field as accessible camping pitches. For those who require it, customers may reserve a dedicated space into which they can bring a car or other vehicle allowing them to pitch a tent on flat ground, with a guaranteed amount of space. Their car is allowed to stay there for the duration of the festival. This area is located about 200m from the Dragonfly stage and the heart of the festival site.
For customers staying in the general camping areas, the distance from the car park, through the ticketing tent, to the middle of the main family camping field is about 650m. The distance between the Woodland Stage and the Dragonfly Stage is about 400m. The distance from the furthest part of the live in vehicle field, to the very bottom of the site, which is conceivably the biggest single distance which you could travel across the whole festival site, is about 1200m. The route from the car park, through ticketing to the campsites is mostly downhill across grass with occasional flat sections. Obviously, on your return to the car park, this means the walking route from the campsites is mostly uphill.
BOOKABLE ACCESS FACILITIES
Free Tickets for Personal Carers
We offer a free ticket scheme for carers or personal assistants. You are eligible for a free carer ticket if you are entitled to Disability Living Allowance (no specific rate required), are in receipt of Personal Independence Payments, have a registered assistance dog or are registered severely sight impaired. If you would like to take advantage of the free carer ticket offer, please book your own tickets in the normal way via the tickets page of our website, and then contact us at hello@elderflowerfields.co.uk. You will need your ticket number, proof of DLA or that you are registered severely sight impaired, plus the name and contact details of your carer.
If you are not able to provide any of the above evidence but feel you need a PA ticket to access the festival, please contact us and provide any evidence you have which we will consider on a case by case basis.
Accessible Camping
There are two options, in addition to camping in the general camping areas or live in vehicle field.
If you would like, we have a limited number of pitches reserved at the bottom of the live in vehicle field, close to the top of Dragonfly Hill. These cost the same as standard live in vehicle pitches (see the camper van page of the website for more info). They are allocated strictly on a first come first served basis. You can use these pitches to park a car next to your tent or for a live in vehicle.
Alternatively you can camp in a reserved area of the main family camping field, close to toilets, showers and as near to the main areas of the festival site as you can get. If required, we can consider allowing early access here to pitch your tent and drop of your gear prior to the festival opening.
To enquire about the availability of these spaces, please contact us at hello@elderflowerfields.co.uk.
OTHER ACCESS FACILITIES
Accessible Parking
We reserve the section of the car park closest to the ticketing tent for blue badge holders. There is no need to book these spaces in advance, just make the car park stewards aware as you arrive on site and have your blue badge clearly displayed. They will direct you to the reserved accessible parking area. Please note, these spaces are still within the main car park and simply mean the distance between your car and the campsites is reduced by a few hundred metres.
Viewing Platforms
We do not have any viewing platforms for our performance venues.
Free Buggies
We also have accessible golf buggies which are dedicated for customers with accessibility needs. If you think you might have trouble moving around the site during the festival, please contact the Event Manager in advance of your arrival. We can provide a limited service with these buggies and a dedicated person and phone number to call during the event in case you need help.
If you are a wheelchair user, we can arrange for our accessible buggy to pick you up from the car park and drop you off in the festival site (and vice versa) at prearranged times if required.
TRAVEL GUIDE
Taxi Drop Off
A drop off point is located close to the ticketing tent within the car park. If you would like to book a taxi to collect you from the festival, please head to the Information Tent and they will be able to assist you.
ARRIVAL GUIDE
Site Opening Times
The site opens to the general public at 12noon on the Friday and closes completely at 2pm on the Monday. If you are concerned about arriving during the busy Friday afternoon period, we can arrange for you to pre-pitch your tent on the Thursday afternoon, before the festival opens to the public. If you would like to discuss this option, please contact Stuart.
Arriving on Site
When you arrive on site, you will be directed by the car parking stewards to an appropriate parking space. Once parked, you should follow the signs or the stewards directions to the ticketing tent. You will then exchange your tickets for festival wristbands which will allow you access to the festival site and campsites. At peak times on Friday afternoon there can be queuing of up to an hour at this point. Peak times are on Friday between 12pm and 2pm and again between 4pm and 7pm. You need to bring your festival ticket, either printed out, or preferably on your phone or tablet.
If you have booked a live in vehicle pitch or reserved one of the accessible camping pitches, you should mention this to the car parking stewards when you arrive. They will direct you past the main car park to the live in vehicle area. As you drive down the hill, the rows are marked with letters. Find your row and drive in, then find your pitch – numbers will be marked on the ground. If you are unsure or unable to find your pitch, look for a steward in high visibility jacket and ask them for assistance. Once you have found your pitch you can set up camp. Before you continue by foot into the main festival site, you’ll need to make your way to the ticketing tent where you can exchange your tickets for wristbands. One person can do this on behalf of a whole group if you prefer.
INFORMATION TENT
Once you arrive on site, we suggest you make a note of the location of the Information Tent – it’s marked on the festival map and is right in the middle of the festival site, close to the main performance venues and also to the main campsite. It’s a good place to go with any queries or questions during the festival. If you need any assistance whilst at Elderflower Fields head to the Information Tent and one of the team will be able to support you as best possible.
If you have wheelchair batteries or other equipment which needs charging, the team at the Information Tent will be able to help you with this.
If you have medication or special food items which you need to keep refrigerated, this can also be provided via the Information Tent team.
The team in the Information Tent will also have access to a microwave, should you require one for heating food.
TOILETS
Ample toilet facilities are located around the festival site. Most of these are in the form of (nice) trailer units, but some are of the plastic single toilet variety. All toilet locations are marked on the festival map and all main toilet blocks have an accessible toilet. An accessible toilet is located approximately 20m from the reserved accessible camping pitches.
There are proper sinks in most of the toilet units, but a few will only contain alcohol sanitiser gel. There are dedicated hand wash and drinking water points located next to all main toilets blocks. These will be marked on the festival site map.
There are also free hot showers located in all the campsite areas. These can be very busy first thing in the morning and you may have to queue to use them.
MEDICAL SERVICES & WELFARE
St John Ambulance provide our medical services and they have a First Aid Tent and a Mobile Treatment Unit in the centre of the festival site, adjacent to the Information Tent. We also have an on site ambulance. Please feel free to go and see the friendly team there at any point during the festival if you have a medical issue you would like help with.
Next to the Information and First Aid tents there is also a baby change and breast feeding tent. The team in the Information Tent has access to a microwave should you need one for warming milk.
ACCESS TO PERFORMANCE
At the moment we do not have any audio description, sign language or captioning services for our performances.
ASSISTANCE DOGS
If you require an assistance dog to attend the festival, we request that you contact us first to discuss how best we can accommodate you. You will also need to provide proof that any dog is registered with an organisation that is a member of Assistance Dogs UK.
STROBE LIGHTING
We have a strobe free policy at Elderflower Fields and can confirm that none of our stages or performances will include the use of strobe lighting.