Please enable JavaScript for this site to run correctly.

Accessibility

Summary

Science and Engineering Day will be taking place on Saturday 16th March, from 10:30 to 16:30, at Highfield Campus and Boldrewood Innovation Campus.

We aim to make Science and Engineering Day an enjoyable experience accessible to everyone.

Who is who

Our Festival team (red t-shirt) and Student Ambassadors (light blue t-shirt) will try their best to assist you during your visit.

Science and Engineering Day exhibitors will wear white t-shirts or other branded t-shirts from their team.

All Student Ambassadors, the Festival team and exhibitors will be wearing name badges.

The Security team at the University of Southampton will be patrolling the event. They will wear a black uniform with yellow high-vis jackets on top.

All Science and Engineering Day signage will have a light blue background.

 

Upon arrival

There will be five Welcome Desks located in different areas of both campuses. These will be located at the entrance of: 

Please make sure to check-in to collect your event programme and talk to the Welcome Desk team if you have any queries upon arrival.

Additional Ticket Desks will be located in buildings of timed events that require booking through Eventbrite (Building 32, Building 44, Building 46, Building 58, Building 67, Building 100).

We will have a series of stickers available at each Welcome Desk to support people with different needs in engaging with our exhibitors, the Festival team and Students Ambassadors.

 
 

HOW TO CHECK-IN

To keep waste to a minimum, we kindly ask everyone to avoid printing their Eventbrite tickets if possible.

Once at the Welcome Desk, please show on your mobile phone the QR code on the email confirmation you received from Eventbrite or just provide the name and surname of the contact you used for booking. You can also download the Eventbrite app onto your iPhone or Android device to show the QR code at the desk.

 

Event maps

The official Science and Engineering Day 2024 map will be available on the event main page closer to the event's date.

Printed programmes with the official map, including a list of activities and locations, and facilities, will be available as an A5 booklet at the Welcome Desk. If you wish to print a copy of the map in A3 for easier readability, please contact us to festival@soton.ac.uk or use our dedicated contact form.

To help you plan your visit and to provide some more information on what to expect on the day, we have developed an interactive sensory map in ThingLink.

SENSORY MAP


Click here to view the accessible version of this interactive content

 

Parking

Car parks near to some of the Festival venues include a number of dedicated bays for Blue Badge holders. The closest ones are located near the following buildings:

  • Highfield Campus
    • Next to Building 32 (northern entrance) – access only through University Road
    • In front of Building 44 – access only through Chamberlain Road
    • Behind Building 46 (Physics) – access only through Chamberlain Road
    • Behind Building 52 (Turner Sims) – access only through Chamberlain Road
    • Next to Building 59 (Gower Car Park) – access only through Salisbury Road
  • Boldrewood Innovation Campus
    • On the way to the multi-storey car park, in front of Building 176 – access only from Burgess Road

 

Quiet Rooms

A few quiet Rooms (for some peace and privacy) will be on both campuses. These rooms will have a black sensory tent with padded flooring and soft dimmable light, a hand sanitiser pump and a bag of disinfecting wipes.

Quiet rooms are available as follows (please ask a member of the Festival team or student ambassador for directions if needed)

  • Highfield Campus
    • Building 42, Level 2, Meeting Room 4
    • Building 46, Seminar Room 2001 (in the foyer)
    • Building 58, Room 1035
    • Building 85, Wellbeing Room 2103 (along the corridor)
  • Boldrewood Innovation Campus
    • Building 176, Level 1, Room 1105

 

      Sensory overload

We know that Science and Engineering Day can be quite intense and overwhelming at times for some.

A few areas of the Festival might become crowded and the programme includes some activities with loud noises, flashing lights, some funny smells and darkened spaces. You can check each individual activity for accessibility information on our website: this may help to inform your choice of activities to visit.

A few ear defenders will be available to borrow on a first-come-first-served basis at the entrance of the lecture theatre for the following shows (ear defenders will need to be returned once leaving the room):

  • Science Magic... Magic Science, in Building 32
  • The Light Express Laser Show, in Building 46

Explore our Sensory map in ThingLink to find out a bit more about what to expect on the day - see above.

An optional set of three stickers with a traffic light system will be available to use. This will help Festival members be more considerate about specific needs and will aid better understanding e.g. how visitors in the autistic spectrum feel during the day. The colour of each sticker represents the following:

  • RED = I can’t interact with others and I need some quiet time.
  • YELLOW = I am anxious so don’t interact with me unless I initiate it.
  • GREEN = I am feeling okay.

The stickers are free to take and will be available for pick-up at all Welcome Desks.

Also remember that Quiet Rooms with sensory tent (as detailed above) are available on the day. Just ask a member of the Festival team (red t-shirt) or a Student Ambassador (light blue t-shirt) for directions to the nearest one if needed.

 

Baby Changing Rooms

Baby changing facilities are available as follows:

  • Highfield Campus
    • Building 6, New and Expectant Parents Room – please ask one of the Student Ambassadors on site for the access code 
    • Building 42 (SUSU), Level 4, foyer – in accessible toilet
    • Building 44, Level 2, foyer – in accessible toilet
    • Building 46, Level 2, New and Expectant Parents Room, foyer – please ask the Welcome Desk team for the access code
  • Boldrewood Innovation Campus
    • Building 176, Level 1, please enquire on site

 

Breastfeeding

Science and Engineering Day is breastfeeding-friendly, please feel free to breastfeed wherever is comfortable and convenient for you and your baby.

Quiet Rooms (detailed above) will be available with chairs or sofas.

For people who prefer quiet and privacy when breastfeeding, a room fitted with blinds or frosted windows and a lockable door are available in the following buildings:

  • Highfield Campus
    • Building 6, New and Expectant Parents Room – please ask one of the Student Ambassadors on site for the access code 
    • Building 46, New and Expectant Parents Room, foyer – please ask the Welcome Desk team for the access code
  • Boldrewood Innovation Campus
    • Building 176, Level 1, Room 1133

 

Multi-Faith Rooms

Two Multi-Faith rooms (for some peace and privacy for praying) will be located as follows:

  • Highfield Campus
    • Building 85, Room 2211
  • Boldrewood Innovation Campus
    • Building 176, Level 1, Room 1103

The rooms will have chairs, space with padded flooring, hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes.

 

BSL Interpreter

A British Sign Language interpreter from Deaf Action will be available at one repeat of the following shows:

 

Hearing Loop

All Lecture Theatres (L/T) where shows and talks are taking place are fitted with induction loop for hearing aid users.

The front 1-2 rows at each show will have priority seats for hard of hearing, deaf, visually impaired and blind visitors.


Assistance Dogs

Fully trained assistance dogs are welcomed at Science and Engineering Day.

Water bowls will be made available for them at each Welcome Desk.

Where possible, we kindly ask you to have your dog wearing a harness or jacket to identify it as an assistance dog.

 

Special routes, toilets and building evacuation for disabled persons

Toilets for disabled persons are available in all buildings except for Building 15, Building 17 and Building 61.

Adult changing rooms with hoist and changing table are located as follows:

  • Building 42 (SUSU), Level 4, Room 4057
  • Building 44, Level 2, Room 2107 

Please be aware that Highfield Campus and Bolderwood Innovation Campus have a series or ramps in between some of the buildings where the Festival is taking place.

For more information on wheelchair routes (unaided or with assistance), ramps and toilets for disabled persons (with wheelchair access), please refer to the University of Southampton map available HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: Activities in Building 44, Building 46 and Building 100 will take place on levels that will require evacuation through a service lift or an Evac chair in case of emergency.

In case the alarm is set off in Building 44, 46 or 100, please ask the activity lead or a Student Ambassador (light blue t-shirt) on site to show you the way to the dedicated Fire Evacuation Lift on the floor where you are located, and wait until a member of the Festival team or Security will assist you to enter the lift to leave the building.

For more information on accessibility, please refer to the University of Southampton's Accessible website.

If you require further assistance on the day, please get in touch by emailing us at festival@soton.ac.uk