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Sensory Calm Space


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A new Sensory Calm Space.

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The charity Diverse UK is making its debut at Glastonbury this year with their Sensory Calm Space. The aim of the space is to provide a safe, low-level stimulation and recalibration zone for our neurodivergent festival goers. This is created by using adjustable lighting, textures, and sounds. There will also be weighted blankets and ear defenders that people can use whilst in the space. The space is managed by a mixture of Autism specialists and neurodiverse volunteers who are passionate about the importance of calm spaces in busy, vibrant, and loud festival environments.
 
The tent is located in Kings Market, between the Leftfield Tent & West Holts Stage and will be open Wednesday 4pm – 10pm, and Thursday to Sunday 10am – 10pm. Please keep an eye out for the Sensory Calm Space signage.

https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/access-information/sensory-calm-space/

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That's amazing! 

As much as I love Glastonbury, it can get very overwhelming at times so I can imagine that ND people would benefit massively from this place - regardless if they use it or not, sometimes just knowing that there is a quiet, calm place to go to is enough to reassure at times.

 

I'm definitely going to stop by and have a chat with them to see if I can volunteer with them as it's right up my street.

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I remember at my first festival in 2010 them having a calm space with huge beanbags. I cant remember exactly where it was but it was near the Pyramid as I could hear it from in there. I remember being in there and being able to hear Snoop Dogg in the background. I've never seen it since or even heard it mentioned but it was really lovely. Made even better by the fact that it was one of the people working there who told me that Thom Yorke was the secret set at the Park. 

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a thoroughly brilliant idea, and the kind of thing that makes Glastonbury a lot more manageable and doable for ND people - particularly kids. I'll definitely pop by and have a nose around, see if they need any help/have any great ideas i can steal for work and home! 

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Just now, gigpusher said:

I remember at my first festival in 2010 them having a calm space with huge beanbags. I cant remember exactly where it was but it was near the Pyramid as I could hear it from in there. I remember being in there and being able to hear Snoop Dogg in the background. I've never seen it since or even heard it mentioned but it was really lovely. Made even better by the fact that it was one of the people working there who told me that Thom Yorke was the secret set at the Park. 

Not 100% - but that could have been the Guardian Lounge. 2010 was their last appearance before the space was taken by the much less relaxed Beat Hotel.

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Just now, incident said:

Not 100% - but that could have been the Guardian Lounge. 2010 was their last appearance before the space was taken by the much less relaxed Beat Hotel.

Yes I don't recall ever lying down and chilling out in Bean Bags at The Beat Hotel. In my head it was linked to some charity but I couldn't tell you which one so you could be right. It was my first festival and my mind was already blown by how many different things that were there than I had expected so when we were asked if we'd like to chill out on some bean bags we just said of course we would. 

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2 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Yes I don't recall ever lying down and chilling out in Bean Bags at The Beat Hotel. In my head it was linked to some charity but I couldn't tell you which one so you could be right. It was my first festival and my mind was already blown by how many different things that were there than I had expected so when we were asked if we'd like to chill out on some bean bags we just said of course we would. 

The only other thing I can think of, that would've been around back then and might have had beanbags within vague earshot of the Pyramid, is a welfare chill out space at the top of Big Ground - but that's off the beaten path for most people and not sure what it'd have offered in 2010.

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I know it's not the same thing, but there is/was a calm type meditation tent at the bottom of the Stone Circle field which I've popped into to catch my mental breath occasionally.

They'd set up a pond to sit around with cushions and blankets, and you could adopt a folded up paper boat and set it off to sail, symbolising whatever was helpful to you.

I was struggling a bit with various things that were bothering me at the time, and being able to do this and let go of those worries for the rest of the evening; putting them on that little boat and letting them go their own way, was quite profoundly moving.

That I was given the space to do that, in a safe and peaceful environment, compose myself surrounded by people also practicing some self-care, then step out into the night life of Glastonbury, was everything.

Yet another example of the care this place takes to allow everyone to have the best experience possible, even when that experience needs to take five.

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6 minutes ago, incident said:

The only other thing I can think of, that would've been around back then and might have had beanbags within vague earshot of the Pyramid, is a welfare chill out space at the top of Big Ground - but that's off the beaten path for most people and not sure what it'd have offered in 2010.

For me the most important thing it offered was the info about the secret set. I don't know who she was but I'll be forever grateful to that lady and her insider knowledge! 

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25 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

I remember at my first festival in 2010 them having a calm space with huge beanbags. I cant remember exactly where it was but it was near the Pyramid as I could hear it from in there. I remember being in there and being able to hear Snoop Dogg in the background. I've never seen it since or even heard it mentioned but it was really lovely. Made even better by the fact that it was one of the people working there who told me that Thom Yorke was the secret set at the Park. 

Yep, Guardian Lounge. Saw a Bombay Bicycle Club acoustic set in there once when my mate got far too high and needed a lie down. Someone gave him a banana and a sprite and he sang a song about it for hours.

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This is why Glastonbury is THE BEST FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD.

For as long as I can remember I watched Glastonbury from afar via. BBC but that only told me one side of the story. When I first arrived in 2017 I was genuinely blown away by how inclusive the festival is. It's actually been the main message I've brought home with me. It didn't matter if you were young or old. It didn't matter who you were or where you came from. And it didn't matter if you had additional needs. There was a space for everyone at the festival.

I work with kids with additional needs and it's genuinely moving to again see the festival being pro-active in promoting inclusivity. So many of the other big festivals across the globe should take a leaf out of the Glasto book.

Edited by TheDayman
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1 minute ago, TheDayman said:

I work with kids with additional needs and it's genuinely moving to again see the festival being pro-active in promoting inclusivity. So many other of the big festivals across the globe should take a leaf out of the Glasto book.

It's fantastic to see.  When I was working in a life skills centre for adults with LD my back up plan to get into Glasto was to have a stall selling all the crafty creations we made and take some of our service users with us.  It was probably the only year I was gutted that I got a ticket because I would have loved to have taken some of my guys and completely blow their minds.

These days I'm working in residential / supported living settings and though there's a few service users who would love Glastonbury, sadly their support needs are just that little too challenging to safely take them

 

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50 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

I was wondering this morning if Humblewell would be back, given it shared a space with the now defunct Wormhole.

https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/areas/the-park/humblewell/

 

I did go to an early morning yoga class in Humblewell. Happy to try most things. Once.

In fairness it was a really good contrast to usual festival life and definitely a relaxing space.

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