Inclusive Event Planning: Toilets, Showers and Welfare for All Guests

Making Every Guest Welcome: A Practical Guide to Inclusive Event Welfare

Inclusive event planning is not about ticking boxes. It is about creating an event where every guest — regardless of disability, age, gender identity, or personal circumstance — can participate fully and comfortably. Toilet, shower, and welfare provision sits at the heart of this. You can have the most accessible stage in the country, but if a wheelchair user cannot reach the toilet or a parent cannot change a baby, your event is not inclusive.

This guide covers practical welfare provision for diverse audiences, going beyond the legal minimum to create genuinely welcoming events.

Who Are You Planning For?

Inclusive welfare provision starts with understanding who will attend your event and what they need. Your audience may include:

People with physical disabilities

• Wheelchair users who need accessible toilet units with ramps, grab rails, and sufficient turning space
• People with mobility impairments who need firm, level approach paths and may need more time in the facility
• People with reduced hand dexterity who need accessible locks and taps

People with learning disabilities

• People who may need assistance from a carer and therefore need facilities large enough for two
• People who may be distressed by queuing, noise, or unfamiliar environments
• People who may need Changing Places facilities with an adult-sized changing bench and a hoist

Older people

• May have mobility issues similar to wheelchair users even if they do not use a wheelchair
• May need more frequent toilet access
• May need well-lit facilities and clear signage with large text

Families with young children

• Need baby changing facilities
• May need a private space for breastfeeding
• Children may need assistance from a parent in the toilet

People who menstruate

• Need sanitary waste bins in every toilet cubicle
• Need adequate toilet paper and hand washing facilities
• Benefit from free sanitary products being available

Trans and non-binary people

• May feel unsafe or unwelcome in gendered toilet blocks
• Benefit from at least some gender-neutral toilet provision
• Should not be forced to use facilities that do not match their gender identity

People with hidden disabilities

• Anxiety, autism, Crohn's disease, colitis, and other hidden conditions can make toilet access urgent and stressful
• Anything that reduces queuing time and provides a calm, private experience helps

Toilet Provision for Inclusive Events

Accessible units

Provide accessible portable toilets that meet the following specification:

• Minimum 900mm door width for wheelchair access
• Ramp access (no step at the threshold)
• Minimum 1500mm x 1500mm internal floor area
• Grab rails positioned for lateral transfer from wheelchair
• Non-slip flooring
• Accessible lock (lever, not thumb turn)
• Alarm cord connected to a monitored system or steward

Position accessible units on the firmest, flattest ground, closest to the main event area, with a clear approach path at least 1200mm wide. This is not optional — it is the difference between accessible provision that works and accessible provision that exists only on paper.

Changing Places facilities

Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of everyone with a disability. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities, and some people with complex physical disabilities, need Changing Places facilities. These include:

• An adult-sized, height-adjustable changing bench
• A tracking hoist (ceiling-mounted)
• Sufficient space for the disabled person and up to two carers
• A peninsular toilet (accessible from both sides)
• A shower or wash-down facility

Trailer-mounted Changing Places units are available for event hire. For larger events, providing at least one is a significant step toward genuine inclusion.

Gender-neutral provision

Providing some gender-neutral toilet units alongside conventional male and female facilities is straightforward with portable toilets — every standard portable toilet is already a single-occupancy, lockable unit that can be designated gender-neutral simply by changing the signage.

For events where gender-neutral provision is important:

• Designate a proportion of units as gender-neutral
• Use clear, inclusive signage
• Ensure gender-neutral units include sanitary waste bins

Baby changing

Baby changing facilities should be available in both male and female toilet areas — or in gender-neutral and accessible facilities. A fold-down changing shelf can be fitted inside some portable toilet units, or a standalone baby changing station can be positioned in a sheltered area near the toilets.

Shower Provision for Inclusive Events

For multi-day events with camping, shower provision raises its own inclusivity questions:

Accessible showers

At least one shower cubicle should be wheelchair-accessible, with:

• Level or ramped access
• A shower seat or bench
• Grab rails
• Sufficient space for a wheelchair and carer
• Non-slip flooring
• A call alarm

Privacy

Shower facilities at festivals are often communal or semi-communal. For inclusive events, provide individual, lockable shower cubicles. This benefits everyone but is particularly important for trans people, people with body-image concerns, people with hidden medical conditions, and people who need assistance from a carer.

Family showers

If families with young children are attending, at least one larger shower cubicle suitable for a parent and child is appreciated.

Welfare Beyond Toilets and Showers

Handwashing

Handwash stations with running water and soap should be positioned adjacent to every group of portable toilets. Hand sanitiser alone is not sufficient — it is a supplement, not a replacement.

Drinking water

Clean drinking water should be freely available. Position water points on accessible routes and at manageable heights for wheelchair users and children.

Quiet spaces

For people with anxiety, autism, sensory processing difficulties, or other hidden disabilities, a designated quiet space near the welfare facilities provides a place to decompress. This can be as simple as a sheltered seating area away from the noise of the event.

First aid

Position first aid provision near the welfare facilities. People who become unwell often need the toilet and medical attention in close proximity.

Signage and Wayfinding

Inclusive signage is:

• Clear: Use symbols, not just text. Use established symbols for accessible facilities.
• Visible: Large enough to read from a reasonable distance. High-contrast colours.
• Positioned at decision points: Signs at the event entrance, at pathway junctions, and at the facilities themselves.
• Consistent: Use the same symbols, colours, and language throughout the event.
• Multilingual: If your event attracts an international audience, consider signage in relevant languages.

For accessible facilities specifically:

• Use the International Symbol of Access
• Include directional arrows with distance estimates
• Consider tactile or Braille signage at the facilities

Planning and Briefing

Site visit

Walk the site with inclusivity in mind. Test the routes from the car park to the facilities. Push a wheelchair along the proposed approach paths. Note slopes, steps, narrow points, soft ground, and any other barriers.

Staff and volunteer briefing

Brief every steward and volunteer on:

• The location of all toilet, shower, and welfare facilities
• The location of accessible facilities specifically
• How to assist disabled attendees
• The location of the quiet space and first aid
• Who to contact if a facility is out of service

Pre-event information

Publish detailed information about your welfare provision before the event:

• Types and locations of toilet facilities
• Accessible provision details
• Shower facilities (if applicable)
• Baby changing locations
• A contact number for accessibility queries
• A downloadable accessible site map

People with disabilities plan events carefully. Detailed advance information enables confident planning and demonstrates that your event is genuinely welcoming.

After the Event

Gather feedback

Ask disabled attendees about their experience. What worked? What did not? What would they like to see next time? This feedback is more valuable than any guidebook.

Review and improve

Use the feedback to improve provision at future events. Inclusive event planning is iterative — each event builds on the last.

The Commercial Reality

Inclusive events attract wider audiences. The purple pound — the spending power of disabled people and their families — is substantial. Events that are known for good accessibility attract loyal, appreciative attendees who return year after year and recommend the event to others.

Inclusive welfare provision is not a cost. It is an investment in your event's audience, reputation, and future.

What We Provide

We stock standard portable toilets, accessible units, handwash stations, and shower facilities. When you book with us for an inclusive event, we will discuss your specific requirements and advise on positioning, quantities, and specifications. We want every unit we deliver to be genuinely useful for the people who need it — not just present on site for the sake of compliance.