Medical & Welfare

Boomtown is all about respecting each other, our city and importantly ourselves. So, please take a look at all the medical and welfare services we have on-site to help keep yourself and your mates safe!  

Packing List: Come Prepared!

✓ We’d recommend bringing a small stocked first aid kit including plasters, basic medication like; painkillers, antihistamines, antiseptic cream, sun cream, after sun and insect repellant.

✓ If you have pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma or diabetes make sure you bring what you need for your time on-site and see our prescribed medicine section below.  

✓ Refillable water bottle.

✓ Clothing for all weather eventualities (and sun cream!)

✓ And everything else that you need in order to be warm and dry in a field for several days and nights. 

The most important things you can do:

• Eat, sleep, hydrate - repeat!
• Know where Medical and Welfare are located and that you can ask anyone in a tabard (stewards, security) for help at any time. 
• Look after your friends
• If you choose to experiment with drugs or alcohol, understand the risks and educate yourself first. The Loop will have a presence onsite in Hilltop camping to offer drug education. (They will not have a drug testing service this year).  Visit our Drug Safety page here.

Services available to you:

• 24-hr Welfare Centres (Hilltop and Downtown) with support workers and advice services
• 24-hr Medical Centres (Hilltop and Downtown)
• Talking services support in the Campsite Villages provided by partners from the Samaritans, Tonic, Blink mental health and Cocaine Anonymous.
• The Safer Spaces tent in Pepperpot Market provides a supportive space to talk about sexual safety.
• Welfare Teams in the campsites offering advice and support
• 24hr campsite help points in every campsite
• Stewards and security visible throughout the festival

MEDICAL CENTRE

There is a  fully operational 24-hour medical centre in Pepperpot Market, Downtown for first aid support. 

Our on-site field-hospital is based in Hilltop camping staffed with medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and mental health practitioners. Medical outreach and response is carried out by foot patrols and 4x4 ambulances. 

The medical centres are equipped to deal with almost all medical emergencies, right through to minor illnesses and injuries. They function in a similar way to many A&E departments across the country and are supported by festival ambulance buggies and paramedics.

There is a pharmacy service available at the medical centre where you can buy over the counter items such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, plasters, tampons and condoms.

Help in an emergency

If there is an emergency, the nearest steward or security member will call for assistance immediately, via a radio.  If you need medical help and you are able to make your own way to the medical centre, then please do so. All stewards, security and front of house staff will be able to direct you if you don’t know where it is.  We would request that you notify a member of staff if you have a medical emergency, rather than calling 999, as we are better placed to respond quickly than an off-site ambulance.

On-site Ambulance Buggies

Festival Ambulance Buggies operate around the site. They are all-terrain ambulances and will be dispatched for emergency assistance. Any emergency calls received will be triaged by medical staff who will prioritise life-threatening calls over sprained ankles or minor injuries. 

Foot patrols will be sent into busier areas such as the arena, where vehicle movement is limited, supported by vehicles if these are needed.

Getting off-site for medical reasons

If you require transportation to a hospital in an ambulance the medical team will arrange this for you, either in a festival ambulance or via the local hospital ambulance service.

During your consultation, you may be advised to attend hospital for an X-ray or other tests not offered on-site. We can’t transport non-ambulance patients to a hospital, so you’ll need to make your own way by taxi from the Pick-Up/Drop Off point, or a lift. If you are unable to get to the Pick Up/Drop Off point, please speak to the medical or welfare teams who will do their best to assist you where possible. Life-threatening calls will be prioritised, so depending on the situation there may be a wait.

If you have to leave without your belongings please ask a friend to look after or collect your things. If someone needs to access the site to collect your things, they will need to do so by midday on Monday when the show closes. On arrival, they should speak to a Gate Manager who will be able to help.

If you need to leave the site to get to a local pharmacy or hospital you can do so! The festival gates open at 10 am each day and close at 9:30 pm. You can leave at any time but remember you will not be able to get back in after 9:30 pm.  

Winchester A&E
The nearest A&E department is in Winchester:
Hampshire County Hospital Emergency Department
Romsey Rd
Winchester
Hampshire
SO22 5DG

WELFARE CENTRES

For our citizens who need to make use of a calm environment there are Welfare Centres on site where there are trained staff on hand to help. Here you’ll find confidential help, counselling services and advice for any emotional problems. The welfare teams have staff trained to provide professional support and advice on a wide range of issues, including drug and alcohol abuse, addiction, bereavement, eating disorders.

Our charity partners from the Samaritans, Tonic and Blink have tents in the Campsite Villages and will be open if you would like to have a chat about your mental health.

Cocaine Anonymous will be running regular meetings onsite. 

SAFER SPACES

Boomtown wishes for everyone at our show to feel safe and enjoy their weekend, and not experience harassment, unsolicited attention, sexual violence or domestic abuse. We have teamed up with Safer Spaces Now, who are running a tent in Pepperpot Market. They will have mirrors and hair straighteners, and offer a space staffed with experienced support workers, who will talk about sexual safety. This is the place to report any experiences of harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence both onsite and also historical experiences. 

The Safer Spaces tent also provides a calm, sensory space if you feel sensory overwhelmed, or just need a bit of a break.

ACCESSIBILITY

We are working hard to make it as easy as possible for our citizens who have additional accessibility requirements to enjoy everything Boomtown has to offer. We work closely with a team of experts who provide accessible camping and can offer practical advice and support at the festival. To find out more please see our Accessibility page.

PRESCRIBED MEDICATION

If you have prescribed medicine that you need to bring with you, please bring a copy of your prescription, your medication in its original packaging, make sure it’s labelled in the name of the ticket holder with a contact number. Please only bring enough for the duration of the festival. If your prescription is not for a well-known medicine please bring a doctor’s note to avoid any confusion on the gate searches.

If you have any specific medical needs like allergies etc please do bring your medical notes with you and make sure your group is aware so they can pass the information on to any medics.  

Any medical waste can be disposed of at the medical centre. If you need special storage or refrigeration, this can be arranged through The Meadows camping. Please contact us in advance at access@boomtownfair.co.uk and we can help you with your individual requirements.

PREGNANCY

Pregnant people are of course welcome to come and enjoy Boomtown, but please note that if you are pregnant there are no obstetric services at the festival. Boomtown’s policy is to advise women who are experiencing complications, or in labour to attend the nearest hospital. We can arrange ambulance transport where necessary.

RECENT INJURIES

If you have recently injured yourself, then please note that Boomtown is a large, greenfield site and a hilly one at that and it can prove challenging to all!  We would advise that you think about arriving on Friday if you would prefer to avoid standing and waiting on arrival, that you come prepared with any prescribed or over-the-counter medication that you may need, dressings, or mobility aids and make sure that your friends understand any challenges you may face and are on hand to help. Our medical centres can assist with any dressings.

Please note, there is no on-site transport service available to the public beyond that provided by emergency medical response or accessibility shuttle for people with permanent access needs.

ANXIETY & CLAUSTROPHOBIA

If you suffer from anxiety and on occasion can find crowded or loud spaces difficult then we would advise that you think about avoiding the busiest arrival times - perhaps consider arriving at site on Friday.  Please arrive with friends and pack carefully for the queue and come prepared with plenty of water to keep hydrated. You are welcome to visit the Welfare Centres and the Safer Spaces tent where you are welcome to enjoy the calm space for as long as you would like.  Our Campsite Villages aim to provide a space away from the main hubbub of the festival where you can partake in wellness activities or just get some relative quiet. 

TOILETS

We have wide access toilets located across the site, which are locked to avoid them being misused. The locations will be marked on the  Access Map which is available shortly before the festival.

If you have a medical condition which means you require access to the wide access toilets, please contact the access team to arrange a key.