Silverstone sensory space helps make British Grand Prix more accessible
Bass Therapy has created a dedicated sensory space in the Family Zone
A sensory space at Silverstone is helping make the British Grand Prix more accessible for everyone this weekend by offering visitors a place to step away from the large crowds and noisy engines.
Bass Therapy is running the chill-out area in the Family Zone, aimed at supporting autistic people, those with sensory processing difficulties, neurodivergent visitors, people with disabilities, and even fans simply feeling overwhelmed by the scale of the event.
Founder of the organisation, Kyley Dickinson, says, “Going to Sainsbury's can become overwhelming. So, something like the Grand Prix is likely to trigger people.”
Ms Dickinson said some people may find it challenging being at an event like the Grand Prix because it is a “barrage on your senses”.
She said: “A lot of people perceive it to be noise, which obviously it is a factor, but for many people it's purely the environment itself, such as the amount of people that you're surrounded by.”
Kyley said it is “huge for events like Silverstone to realise that accessibility isn't just a box-ticking exercise anymore.
“There's so much more that people can do, and events like the Grand Prix are actually putting things in place to make it possible for everybody to be able to go.”
Bass Therapy has helped thousands of people up and down the UK enjoy events they may otherwise have been unable to.
The Sensory Experience was developed in collaboration with SEN specialists, mental health professionals and people with lived experience.
The organisation was started by Kyley after her sister, Jody, who lived with life-limiting disabilities, passed away in 2021.
A celebration-of-life festival soon started in her memory, called J-Fest, which became one of the UK’s most inspiring examples of a fully accessible festival.
Kyley said it is part of Jody’s legacy to remove the barriers that separate people.
She said: “We've lived it, we know it, and we know how hard it can be.
“Anything that we can do to make other people's lives easier, we're going to do that, and that's why we exist.”
The sensory space is available throughout the British Grand Prix weekend, giving visitors who need a calm environment the opportunity to enjoy one of the UK's biggest sporting events.