Glastonbury Festival

Medical Services and Information

How to get help

If you need medical or first aid attention, make your way if you can to one of the two Medical Centres or the Greenfield First Aid Centre if you can.

In an emergency, approach a festival steward, security person, or a police officer, who will be able to summon assistance. Only dial 999 from a mobile phone as a last resort – this may not be the most effective means of getting help on the festival site. Certainly don’t try to make your way off site to hospital – this may result in very long and possibly dangerous delays in getting treatment.

Medical Facilities

Festival Medical Services (www.festivalmedical.org.uk) have been looking after festival goers for nearly 25 years. Most problems can be dealt with on site and very few people have to go off to hospital for treatment. FMS provides a comprehensive medical and first aid service at the festival which includes:
· Ivy Mead Medical Centre
Emergency Department
Doctor & Nurse Consultations
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Psychiatric and Substance Misuse Service
Dispensing Pharmacy
· Pennard Hill Medical Centre
Doctor & Nurse Consultations
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Emergency Dental Service
· Greenfield First Aid Centre
· Paramedic Rapid Response
· Site ambulances
· Midwives
· Retail Pharmacy (I Market)

FMS works closely with Westcountry Ambulance Service, whose primary responsibility is to deal with incidents outside the festival site.

Samaritans

Festival Branch of Samaritans has been going to Glastonbury since 1974, and will be here once again this year offering 24 hour emotional support. Previous years they have spoken to many upset, depressed or suicidal people, and are fully expecting the same this year.

But why Samaritans at a festival? Glastonbury is about having a good time, isn't it?

At any event where there are thousands of people having a great time, there are inevitably some who are not. Sometimes people arrive hoping to forget about their problems, but the sight of so many seemingly happy people can make them feel even worse. Others can arrive feeling relatively OK, but something happens during the event which leaves them feeling low.

"We have two teams who work shifts throughout the day and night" explained Angus, a volunteer with the branch who will be at Glastonbury this year. "It's hard work, but it's worthwhile as there really does seem to be a need. What's rewarding for us is that many people who would never consider telephoning or visiting a local Samaritan Branch, do seem comfortable speaking to us here."

Their tents (with prominent green and white "SAMARITANS" banners and huge flags) will be situated in two locations – one in the Main Markets area and the other in the Green Field. Callers can discuss anything that's getting them down, no matter how serious or how trivial, and the conversation is completely confidential. Whether people feel suicidal or not they are given the opportunity to talk through whatever is on their mind with a non-judgmental volunteer who is trained to listen. Samaritans respect a caller's decisions and do not impose their own views.

"People speak to us about as many different problems as there are different people!" said Angus, "Some feel close to suicide, others don't. Obviously we want everyone to have a great time, but if they don't, we hope they'll come and speak to us."

See the Festival Branch website. The admin address for Festival Samaritans is: [email protected] Samaritans national telephone number is 08457 909090. Or if you'd rather "talk" via email the address is: [email protected]

www.festivalsamaritans.org

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