Today at the #DL2018 Press Day we announced the major improvements being made to this year’s festival to make it our most accessible and greenest Download ever!
Viewing platforms are going to be available across all stages and British Sign Language interpreters will be on the Main Stage and Zippo Stage. Last year’s festival received a 4-star Creative Green Certification from Julie’s Bicycle and this year we’re raising the bar in our commitment to environmental protection even higher with the introduction of our first ever Eco Campsite.
We’re also proud to officially introduce to you our brand new bookers Kamran Haq and Sean Ryman to the family. Both joined last year and work alongside Download Promoter Andy Copping keeping their ears firmly to the ground and handpicking the most exciting emerging talent around the world to bring them to Download for you.
Speaking about the latest improvement’s Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn says:
“Download Festival is built upon an ethos of inclusivity and it’s incredibly important to us that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the festival to the fullest. The appointment of accessibility ambassadors has provided us with invaluable feedback so that we’re able to implement practical improvements to site the that we hope will dramatically improve the experience for all. Being awarded a 4 out of 5 star Creative Green Certification is a huge milestone for Download Festival, and in this current climate I can’t help but feel proud of what we are doing to protect the environment including the introduction of Greenpeace’s Eco Campsite.”
Read on to discover all the latest access and green improvements being made to make your experience at Download the best yet.
Access Improvements
Access viewing platforms are now going to be available at all stages across the festival as well as in The DogHouse – Download’s resident party stop located in the Village. Whether you’re on The Dogtooth Stage or Main Stage, you’ll always have a great view.
We’re incredibly proud to welcome British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters for the first time on the Main and Zippo Encore Stage platforms. The BSL Interpreters are provided by Performance Interpreting, a unique company providing British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to the music and entertainment industry.
The Castle Donington Volunteer Centre is also returning to Download for the fifth year, to provide an almost 24-hour free shuttle service between the campsite and Village, along with Campsite and Public Transport Hub for Access customers. This year will see a 50% increase in the shuttle bus vehicles due to significant demand in 2017.
Marie Pascall, Director of Performance Interpreting says:
“Performance Interpreting are proud to be providing the first ever BSL Access Team at this year’s Download Festival. We will be providing a team of 8 qualified interpreters over the 3-day event, including deaf and hearing coordinators to ensure Deaf rock fans have an unforgettable experience. Rock music can be extremely challenging to interpret, embodying the energy, power and raw emotion of these almighty rock legends is an ambitious achievement. Bring it on!”
If you’re camping in the accessible campsite you’ll now be able to drive right up to your pitch to drop off your equipment. A team of ready and willing helpers will be on hand to unload your car. A wheelchair charging tent with 50 charging points will be available for the first time, and the possibility of adding extra, and there will even be a 50% increase in the number of toilets in the Access Campsite as well as the check-in facility doubling in size to help make the process as comfortable, smooth and efficient as possible.
Laura Mina, Festival Republic’s Senior Access Coordinator comments:
“We’re continuously improving accessibility for our customers, and we’re predicting a 31% increase in Access arrivals at Download Festival following changes we implemented last year, an increase from 1450 to over 2000. We work tirelessly to ensure we deliver the best possible experience for our Access customers and this year is no exception.”
For more Access news check out this month’s edition of the Dog Blog coming this Thursday!
Sustainability Improvements
We’re dedicated to to improving our understanding, commitment and improvement towards environmental sustainability. Since 2016 we’ve participated in the Creative Green Certification which is an external assessment by Julie’s Bicycle, a charity who support the creative industries to act on climate change. We achieved an incredible four out of five stars due to last year’s environmental ethics. Find out how well we performed by reading the full report.
At last year’s festival there was a decrease in the overall carbon footprint by 96 tonnes of CO2e compared to 2016. For this year’s festival we’ve introduced carbon balancing by adding £1 to the cost of all parking passes, which will be donated to the charity Energy Revolution, who invest in renewable energy projects. This is on top of all our other current travel initiatives with Big Green Coach, Liftshare and shuttle buses to encourage the reduction of traffic coming to the site.
Last year we successfully decreased the overall waste 61% of the festival compared to 2016. We also introduced reusable cups resulting in a half a million single use cups being saved! The Deposit Return System has seen an amazing 100,000 bottles collected and recycled since 2016, which we couldn’t have done without you.
To ensure 2018 is the most environmentally friendly yet, we’ve increased the number of campsite recycling points and food traders are not allowed to use single use plastic cutlery or food containers. Did we mention plastic straws have been banned since 2016 too?
Victoria Chapman, Sustainability Coordinator at Festival Republic says:
“Download fans have been shown to be extremely environmental conscious and I am delighted that this has been reflected in the achievement of a 4 out of 5 star award, in only the second year of undertaking Creative Green Certification.”
Eco Camp
For the very first time Greenpeace are hosting a brand-new campsite called Eco Camp at Download in a beautiful part of the Donington Estate, which is home to ancient oak trees and native wildlife. You can join 3000 other fans in the campsite who like you value spending time in the great outdoors just as much as listening to their favourite bands.
Staying in the campsite is free, all you need to do is purchase a valid weekend camping ticket and pre-register in advance to the campsite in advance. The pre-registration includes signing up to the set of eco-principles, which include respecting the natural environment and fellow campers, being responsible for your rubbish and taking your camping equipment home.
In the Eco Camp you can join Greenpeace in nurturing a community of like-minded people and get inspiration about how to live in a positive way and where only your experiences and memories will remain behind.
Get ready for the most greenest and accessible Download Festival yet! \m/