Chase Park Festival

WHETHER IT BE GLASTONBURY, Proms in the Park or the Notting Hill Carnival there is nothing quite like a summer music festival to chill out and relax. Lazing about on the grass, supping a cool drink and listening to a wide variety of musical talent, it’s just bliss. However, not always so easy to attend if your are disabled or confined to a wheelchair.

Now in its seventh year, the Chase Park Festival is a musical event aimed at offering a great day out for disabled people and their families along with showcasing a diverse mix of disabled musicians and local musical talent.

The Chase Park Festival is marketed as Britain’s most inclusive festival. It is an event for people of all abilities and is the biggest open air event of its kind in the UK. The festival provides disabled people, in particular, with the opportunity to be involved in an activity that many people take for granted; but perhaps more importantly, it’s a great occasion to benefit from a communal event offering enjoyment, fun and pleasure which can help improve a sense of wellbeing.

The inspiration for the festival came from a young man called Paul Belk, who in 2010 was a resident at Chase Park Neuro Centre. Paul was a big music fan and played the drums in various bands before his brain injury. Paul and his physiotherapist approached staff member, Alister McDonald, with the idea of running an accessible music festival on the door step of the rehab centre for people to enjoy.

Initially it proved to be a challenge as, although they had been to a number of festivals, they’d never tried to run one before! However, their knowledge and understanding of what people with disabilities needed proved invaluable in ensuring the event was easily accessible. Despite the stress and uncertainty, the event proved a hit and was successful enough to run again the following year.