WOMAD

Lots of usefull information for the festival can be found here, including details on Safety advice for WOMAD Charlton Park2009 from Wiltshire Police, Parking, Disabled Facilities, Site Information, WOMAD Spa

Parking

Free parking is available to all ticket holders. There are separate sections for Weekend, Disabled, Campervan/Caravan (You must pre-book a campervan/caravan space) and Day Parking. Due to Health & Safety legislation, cars and tents will be separated but you should be able to park within a reasonable distance of your camping spot. The car park is divided into numbered sections to help you locate your vehicle easily.

• For Weekend Parking follow signs for Red Gate
• For Disabled Parking follow signs for Red Gate
• For Campervan/Caravan Parking follow signs for Red Gate
• For Day Parking follow signs for Purple Gate
• For Box Office pick ups follow signs for Purple Gate

Bicycles Bicycles can be left securely in the Campers Lock-Up in the campsite. There is a charge of £1 per item for this service.

Leaving On Monday If you are leaving by car between the hours of 10am and 2pm on Monday, please note that you may be subject to delays in getting off site. Please ensure that you leave plenty of time for your journey, and have some provisions in your car.

Disabled Facilities

Disabled Camping Please see the information on facilaties for disabled campers.

Toilets & Showers There are disabled toilets within disabled camping are and at locations throughout the arena. Adapted showers will be available within the disabled camping area.

General Assistance at the Festival At the disabled campsite the staff can advise you of specific arrangements on site, are in radio contact with other staff and will be your main point of contact at the festival.

Wheelchair Access The festival is spread over a 400-acre green field site. There is a tarmac road that runs through the Arboretum and temporary roadway is used in some areas, but the site can be very difficult to traverse. The weather can have a massive impact on how easy it is for people to move around the site, please take this into consideration when deciding on what equipment to bring with you.

Viewing Platforms There are viewing platforms at the main stages. These platforms are solely for the use of disabled festival goers plus one carer/friend. Every platform has a team of stewards ready to assist people where needed. The access ramps will be in accordance with disability regulations.

Wheelchair/Scooter Hire & Battery Recharging You will be able to hire electric scooters and manual wheelchairs at the festival from Event Mobility. For more information or to pre-book, please go to www.eventmobility.org.uk or contact Event Mobility directly on 01386 725 391. Event Mobility will be located at the entrance/exit of the disabled camping. Electric charge points will be located in the Recharge Tent, located at the entrance/exit of the disabled camping area.

Guide Dogs Guide dogs are allowed on site.

Medicine Storage The Red Cross can store medicines that need to be refrigerated. They are located near World Of Kids. The disabled campsite manager will also have fridge for this purpose. Please let one of the disabled campsite staff know on your arrival.

BSL Interpreters BSL interpreters will be available free of charge for individual bookings for workshops and stage signing on a first-come, first-served basis. Please ask at the Information Tent on arrival for information on how to book. Patrons are advised that flicker, laser, strobe and other lighting effects may be in use at the Festival site.

Disabled Wristbands If you have booked a space in the Disabled Camping area, on arrival at the festival you will receive a Disabled wristband. This wristband gives access to the whole festival, plus the Disabled Camping area.

Information In Alternative Formats To receive information in digital or large print prior to the festival, please email info@womad.org or fax 01225 743 481 and give your contact details, stating whether you would prefer to receive information through the post or by email (Microsoft Word or plain text).

Site Information

Site Map We are currently working on the new and improved site plan.

Lost Property To be confirmed closer to the event.

Information at the Festival There is a central Information Tent at the festival where staff will try to answer queries and provide information about programme changes, site information, train and bus times, taxi numbers, local dentists, doctors, etc. A large notice board will be available for personal messages. There is a Comments Book here and we welcome your feedback. In addition, there will be several smaller Information Points around the site providing information about the programme, site info and a message board.

WIFI at WOMAD Charlton Park 2009
If you simply cannot survive without being on-line for less than one weekend then fear not etherLive will be supplying WOMAD Charlton Park with WiFi. Head to the internet page on your PDA or mobile phone and pay for your day or weekend WiFi access by credit card. Lets get twittering..
1 day: £5.00
All weekend 23rd - 26th July: £10.00

Traders - Food and Shopping There are over 250 food, drink and merchandise traders on the festival site, as well as 5 bars. For day-to-day provisions and essentials there will be a number of competitively-priced general stores. The deadline to receive trader applications for WOMAD Charlton Park has now passed.

Cashpoint Machines Cashpoint machines will be located by the arena entrance, near to the BBC Radio 3 Stage. There is a £2.50 charge and a maximum withdrawal of £260 per transaction.

Radio WOMAD - 87.7fm Charlton Park audience can listen to the sounds of Radio WOMAD - the festival's very own station, which will be broadcasting within 20 miles of the festival site from midday on Wednesday 22 July and continuing around the clock until Monday 27 July. There'll be music, exclusive interviews and live sessions with festival performers, competitions, reviews and thoughts from the audience, plus important updates about the festival site and programme; so don't forget to bring along a FM radio.

Shuttle bus to Malmesbury town

• There is a shuttle bus from the festival to Malmesbury town centre should you wish to visit the attractions and shops there. This will operate on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• A timetable will be posted here soon.
• The journey will take roughly 10 minutes and will cost £1 each way.
• All pick-up and drop-offs at the festival site will be made at the Garden Centre.
• All pick-up and drop-offs in Malmesbury will be made at the Malmesbury X Hayes car park, which is close to the library.
• A timetable will be posted here soon.

Respect The Site Our beautiful site is home to an abundance of fantastic trees, shrubs and wildlife. We aim to leave it in the same condition that we found it in and you can help us do that. Please use the toilets provided not hedges, ditches or streams. Do not climb the trees. Don't litter/go in the Lake - it is a nature reserve. Use eco-friendly products when washing. Dispose of all litter in the relevant recycling points. Respect any wildlife - don't scare them. Do not start fires.

Litter & Recycling Please help us to keep the beautiful site clean and tidy and recycle as much as possible. There are plenty of recycling points around the site - please use them and dispose of your litter in the correct bin. You will be given recycling sacks to use when you arrive to use in the campsite. If you require extra sacks you can visit the Campers Lock-up. Please make sure you dispose of your cigarette ends in a litterbin or a specially-designed ButtsOut box which are available from various outlets across the festival site.

Toilets There are plenty of toilets on site, all emptied and cleaned regularly over the weekend by a dedicated hygiene team.

Found/Lost Children There is a space provided on children's wristbands to write your mobile number or vehicle registration, we recommend that you do this. If you have lost your child please report this immediately to the on-site Police or any security/steward. All found children will be looked after in the Found/Lost Children tent, which provides experienced childcare. The Found/Lost Children tent is not an unofficial crèche. If your child is left in the care of the Found/Lost Children team for an inordinate length of time or on multiple occasions, the Police could be legally obliged to report this occurrence to child protection agencies.

The Police Unit Wiltshire Police have a 24-hour unit in the Main Arena and will be happy to deal with any police-related matters.

Security & Stewards Our security team and stewards are easily identified. Oxfam stewards wear orange or yellow and orange tabards with Oxfam written on them. Security wear hi-viz tabards with their security ID card on display.

Crime Prevention Advice We are often asked about how we plan to tackle the modern festival plague of tent thefts, and even though last year's festival saw the level of crime drop to very few incidents, we continue to work hard to achieve our aim of zero crime and to maintain our reputation as a safe family festival.
We have worked closely with Wiltshire Police to plan for this year's event and we will be: employing extra security staff and Police officers; liasing with Police forces around the country to identify known criminals who operate at festivals and may attend Charlton Park; increasing the number of covert security and Police officers in the campsite; erecting dummy tents across the campsite and observing them; employing night-vision equipment; utilising more CCTV cameras as this is how last year's offenders were caught; basing a Crime Prevention team in the campsite, who will be able advise people.
We know that almost all tent thefts occur on Thursday night and are organised by small gangs who have bought tickets to the festival. The first night is clearly targeted as people are most likely to have more money on them then, but people should remain vigilant throughout the whole weekend.
Don't forget that there are plenty of things you can do to ensure you don't become a victim of crime: leave high value items at home and deposit them in the Camper's Lock-up if you must bring them; get to know the people in the tents around you and keep an eye out for each other; place a tag on the outside your tent to identify it - if someone is caught, they will typically say it is their tent, but if they don't know the name or ID on the tag this may help the Police to detain them; place valuable items in your sleeping bag at night; keep your mobile phone safe at all times; beware of pick-pockets and keep an eye on any bags you carry around with you; read the crime prevention advice available at the festival; and be sure to report crimes or suspicious behaviour to the Police.
It must be stressed that the chance of being a victim of crime remains small, but being aware of the situation can only make for a more relaxing and enjoyable festival for all of us.

Drugs Policy WOMAD have been working with Wiltshire Police to tackle possible problems of drug misuse at the festival. We ask our audience to work with us in helping to make the festival drug free and to take note of the statement below.
The unlawful supply or illegal drug use is not condoned by WOMAD. Drug enforcement laws are as applicable on-site as anywhere else in the country. Police officers will be on-site and will deal with drug offences in accordance with national guidelines. If you engage in the unlawful supply of drugs, it is likely that you will be arrested. Neither anti-social nor illegal behaviour will be tolerated and participants will leave themselves liable to eviction from the site.

First Aid The Red Cross provide 24-hour First Aid cover. They are located near World Of Kids.

Welfare at WOMAD The Campsite Welfare Service is open 24 hours a day from 8pm on Thursday until noon on Monday. Come and see us if you need some help. We will try to sort out any problems you have. When the Information Tent is closed, you will be able to leave messages with us, or check out site and local information, running order, location of facilities on site, etc. If you are worried about something or need a bit of support, we are here to help you. We want you to enjoy the festival.

Weather and your Health We strongly suggest you bring sun protection with you and if it's sunny, wear hats and protective clothing at all times. It is advisable to bring plenty of bottled water. Also bring warm, rainproof and protective clothing, especially if you are camping. There is some shade available on site, but as it is a festival, exposure to the elements is pretty much unavoidable!

Smoking at the Festival Smoking is illegal in enclosed public spaces. WOMAD will enforce a No Smoking ban in ALL enclosed structures. Please dispose of your cigarette ends responsibly - in a litterbin or a specially-designed ButtsOut box, which are available from various outlets across the festival site.

Your Safety Please enjoy yourselves safely. Make sure you clean your hands regularly, especially after going to the loo and before eating, to avoid the risk of stomach upset. Though we make every effort to keep the site clean (and hope you will too), please don't walk barefoot to minimise the risk of accidents. Cover up in the sun and use sun protection. Always take care with LPG and FIRE.

Lost/Found Property Wiltshire Police are looking after all items that were handed in over the festival weekend at Charlton Park. The Police will be at the Hangar, where they are based on-site, until approximately midday on Monday. After that all remaining items will be taken to Melksham Police Station.

Animals Guide dogs are the only animals permitted on site.

Funfair There is a funfair on site which charges separately for rides and games.

Opening Hours

Please note that all timings below may be subject to change.

On-Site Box Office Opening Hours For those needing to collect pre-booked tickets (ordered on or after 16 July only) at the festival. All tickets types that haven't sold out, plus Thursday Camping and Child tickets can be purchased here.

• Thursday 23 July: 8am - 10pm
• Friday 24 July: 8am - 10pm
• Saturday 25 July: 9am - 6pm
• Sunday 26 July: 9am - 6pm

Wristband Exchange Opening Hours If you have all your tickets with you, you can enter the festival via the wristband exchanges, which are open as follows:

• Point 1: General access. Open 24 hours a day from 8am, Thurs 23 July
• Point 2: Campervan and Disabled access. Open 8am - Midnight each day
• Point 3: Box Office and Day Parking access. Open 24 hours a day from 8am, Thurs 23 July

Campsite Opening Hours The campsite is only open to Weekend ticket holders.

• If you hold a Weekend Ticket plus a Thursday Camping Ticket, you can camp from 8am on Thursday 23 July to the morning of Monday 27 July.
• If you hold a Weekend Ticket only, you can camp from 8am on Friday 24 July to the morning of Monday 27 July.
• Thursday Camping tickets will be available to buy on the door at the on-site Box Office.

Arena Opening Hours

• Thursday 23 July: 2pm - 4am
• Friday 24 July: 8am - 4am
• Saturday 25 July: 8am - 4am
• Sunday 26 July: 8am - 4am

WOMAD Spa

WOMAD SPA
Not only do you get the chance to find a moment of relaxation in the WOMAD Spa but you get a free WOMAD sarong thrown in when you buy a weekend spa ticket. Take this chance to feel spoilt rotten!


The treats available at the WOMAD Spa:

• Hot showers
• Jacuzzis
• Cocktail lounge
• Makeup mirrors and hair dryers
• And after all your hard work in the Spa relax in the Garden Sanctuary with a refreshing cup of tea.
• As a special offer for WOMAD 2009, buy a weekend ticket for the spa and get access to the WOMAD Backstage Bar and a free WOMAD Sarong.
• The Spa opens at 7:30am - 12 midnight
• If the spa is very busy we may need to run a reservation system to limit the numbers of people in the spa. At times of peak capacity visits may be limited to 2 hours
• Children 13 and under are not permitted in the Spa.
• Buy WOMAD Spa and Charlton Park Festival tickets at womadshop.com

Saturday and Sunday Day Spa tickets now sold out
Friday Day and Weekend tickets still available

Police safety advice

WOMAD 2008 saw a very positive Police presence which not only saw a number of persons arrested but also resulted in a decline in reported criminal offences. Wiltshire Police are committed to ensuring that you have a safe and enjoyable time at WOMAD 2009 and Police Officers will be on duty throughout the festival. Crime Reduction Officers will also be on site to give Crime Prevention advice however there are few basic things that you can do:

• Take care of your property, particularly mobile phones, wallets, purses and bags.
• Fit a purse chain or lanyard to your wallet, purse or bag. (Chains and Lanyards will be available from the Police Control point)
• Do not leave valuables unattended in your tent, caravan or car.
• Keep your cards separate from your cheque books.
• If your cards are stolen, do not delay, report the loss to your bank and the Police as soon as possible.
• Treat your credit cards like cash - never let them out of your sight, and never keep your PIN number with the cards.
• Register your mobile phone with your network provider.
• If your mobile phone is stolen, report it to the Police and your network - the handset can now be barred on all networks and will be useless to thieves (If it is then stolen the handset can be barred
• Do not bring too much cash with you. There will be ATMs on site.

Remember the slogan Keep it safe. Keep it hidden. Keep it locked