General information

This page will be updated regularly with more information - if you have a question that is not answered here, or if you would like this page to be audio described to you, please do get in touch on [email protected] / 0207 240 4556, or if you are using textphone or a textphone app use the pre-fix 18001 0207 240 4556.

Here's a video guide to the Open Space process:

Tickets

There is free entry for Carers/Personal Assistants. This can be arranged by emailing [email protected] or by phone on 020 7240 4556 or textphone 18001 0207 240 4556.

We can accept payment for over the phone for tickets for those who cannot or would prefer not to use online booking. This year all tickets are Pay What You Choose. Please call 020 7240 4556 or textphone 18001 0207 240 4556 to place your order. 

Parking and transport

Details of the closest parking spaces for disabled badge holders can be found on the Battersea Arts Centre website here.

It is possible for cars and taxis to drop off directly in front of the Grand Hall entrance, which is at the side of the building on Town Hall Road. Please let us know if you would like to do this, and we can arrange for someone to meet you.

Some local bus services also stop outside the venue - more details on the Battersea Arts Centre here.

If you have any other access requirements, such as assistance getting from public transport hubs to the venue, please let us know by emailing [email protected] or by phone on 020 7240 4556 or textphone 18001 0207 240 4556.

Venue Information

The venue for D&D is the Grand Hall at Battersea Arts Centre. The Grand Hall has level, step free access. 

There are two wheelchair-accessible toilets close to the Grand Hall and there will be a Changing Place toilet with a hoist for adults in a room close to the venue. These facilities will be gender neutral and clearly signposted.

There are plenty of chairs and spaces to rest throughout the event, and due to the relaxed nature of Open Space sessions, you are welcome to move wherever you like at any time.

Battersea Arts Centre has a quiet space where you can go if you need some time to yourself. This space will be clearly signposted at the event. You can also ask the support staff to show you the way to it.

Devoted & Disgruntled events are always “relaxed" events as Open Space, the format we use, encourages participants to move around wherever they choose and come and go from sessions as it suits them. Stimming, tics, movements, and sounds are welcome throughout the main space.

You can read more about the venue's access on their website here. We are also happy to arrange a visit to the venue if you would like an opportunity to to familiarise yourself with the space.  To arrange this, please contact us by phoning 020 7240 4556 or textphone 18001 0207 240 4556, or by emailing [email protected]

We are working to reduce the environmental impact of D&D. Previously, this event has used up well over 1000 disposable cups, so we now have a reusables-only policy. We are asking participants to bring their own mug or buy one of our reusable travel mugs at the venue. However, if bringing your own mug isn't possible as you already have to carry a lot of things, or if carrying it around during the event isn't possible, please let us know as we will be able to loan you a mug for the weekend that you can leave by the drinks station. Again to arrange this, please email [email protected] or phone 020 7240 4556 or textphone 18001 0207 240 4556.

If you need help at any time during the event, you should look for people wearing these yellow t-shirts. The t-shirt on the left shows what the front will look like. the t-shirt on the right shows what the back will look like.

People wearing these are our event support staff. They can help you to:

• Understand the Open Space Technology process
• Post your sessions on the timetable wall
• Read the timetable wall and find the breakout spaces you would like to visit
• Take notes and create your report
• Find your way around
• Answer any questions you have and clarify anything that is unclear or confusing.

Information for wheelchair users or participants with mobility impairments

All dedicated D&D15 spaces at Battersea Arts Centre (including the Grand Hall where most of the event will take place) are fully wheelchair-accessible. There are two wheelchair-accessible toilets close to the Grand Hall and there will be a Changing Place toilet with a hoist for adults in a room close to the venue. These facilities will be gender neutral and clearly signposted.

Information for Blind & Partially Sighted participants

Guide dogs are welcome.

We will be creating a floor map to enable you to find your way around the space. We can provide you with a dedicated assistant to guide you around the space, read out any written material - for example, the timetable wall - and to help you make notes and create your reports. Support staff will be wearing bright yellow t-shirts.

We are also happy to arrange a visit to the venue in advance if you'd like an opportunity to familiarise yourself with the space. To arrange this, please contact us by phoning 020 7240 4556 or emailing [email protected]

If you would prefer to make your ticket booking by phone rather than online, please call 020 7240 4556 and we can reserve your place and process your Pay What You Choose payment.

Information for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing participants

We will arrange for BSL Interpreters for those who require them. Please let us know in advance that you require a BSL interpreter, so we can make sure we book enough interpreters by emailing [email protected] or by phone on 020 7240 4556 or textphone 18001 0207 240 4556.

You are also welcome to bring your own interpreters if you prefer to use your Access to Work allocation. You don't need to buy tickets for your own interpreters, please just let us know they are coming and we will allocate them a free place.

We will be working Stagetext to provide live captioning for the Opening and Closing Circles each day.

We will have a number of these Sonido handsets which act as personal hearing boosters and can be used with or without hearing aids. If you find you are struggling to hear, please just ask one of the support staff on the day and they will be able to provide you with one and show you how to use it. For your comfort and hygiene, we recommend you bring your own headphones to use with the Sonidos. The devices have standard headphone sockets. We can supply a limited number of headphones if you are unable to bring your own.

Information for Neurodivergent participants:

Devoted and Disgruntled uses a process called Open Space Technology. If you would like to know more about how this process works and what to expect, please see our separate guide to Open Space Technology here.

Our walk-up video will be published on this page after Christmas 2019.

If you need help at any time during the event, you should look for people wearing the yellow t-shirts picture above. 

The venue has a well-equipped chill out space, where you can go if you need some time to yourself. This space will be clearly signposted at the event. You can also ask the support staff to show you the way to it. It has headphones and weighted blankets if you would like to use them.

Devoted & Disgruntled events are always “relaxed" events. You can move around whenever you need to. You can arrive and leave the event whenever you want. Stimming, tics, movements, and sounds are welcome throughout the main space.

We are also very happy to arrange a visit between now and the event, if you would like a chance to familiarise yourself with the space in advance. If you'd like to do this, please contact us on email at [email protected], on the phone using 020 7240 4556, on Twitter using @DandDUK, or on textphone 18001 0207 240 4556.

Trans and Non-binary participants

We welcome all genders at Devoted & Disgruntled events. Stickers for pronouns will be available on the way in. Gender neutral toilets are available on the first floor of the building, signposted according to what facilities are inside.

Parents

Children are welcome at D&D 15. Unfortunately, Battersea Arts Centre's children's play space, the Bees Knees, will be unavailable on Saturday and Sunday due to private bookings. However, D&D15 is run in Open Space, which is a child-friendly format and attendees are welcome to bring children to any of the sessions. In addition, we will set up an unstaffed "children's area" which will be set apart from the main breakout space areas. There will also be a dedicated quiet space for attendees which parents and their children can also use.

We don’t provide childcare but we are open to facilitating a network if parents wish to club together to provide a group childcare solution themselves, and would not charge entry for a paid childminder organised by parents. Please email or call us if you’d like to discuss this.

Financial Access

Devoted & Disgruntled events are run on a non-profit basis. this year we are trialling a Pay What you Choose ticket. Please click here to find out more.  We also have a limited number of free places in return for volunteering at the event, please contact us via email at [email protected], on the phone using 020 7240 4556, or on textphone 18001 0207 240 4556.