Event access information

Publish useful access information for a society event

People deciding whether to attend a society event need more than an accessible or inclusive label. Useful information describes the route, room, activity format and a way to ask questions. Build that information from confirmed venue details, then keep it aligned with the event as arrangements change.

Students' Union UCL recommends sharing an access statement with event information and discussing participation needs with attendees. Its room-booking guidance also shows that spaces vary in features and arrangements. Use these principles alongside your own union's process; do not promise a facility simply because a different room in the same building has it.

Tailored Deals · Researched guidance · 5 September 2026

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Collect facts from the venue and activity lead

Confirm the entrance, route to the room, floor, lifts, seating, nearby toilets and any available hearing system or other relevant feature. Ask which parts are operational during your booking period. Then describe the activity itself: whether people stand, move between tables, watch a demonstration or listen to a speaker. Check expected sound, lighting and any planned changes of location. You do not need to speculate about every possible need, but you should avoid leaving basic features unexplained. Record who supplied each detail so you know whom to ask when something changes or a participant requests clarification.

Write observable details instead of broad promises

Use concrete wording such as 'seated discussion in room 2.14, reached by the lift beside reception' when that has been confirmed. Explain any known barrier or uncertainty plainly, together with the action being taken to resolve it. Do not describe a venue as fully accessible to everyone. If you have not verified a particular feature, say that enquiries are welcome and give a responsible contact. A factual note helps attendees make decisions based on their own needs. Keep it short enough to find beside the date and venue, with a route to more detailed information where useful.

Provide a private route for requests

Name a contact who can receive questions and coordinate with the venue or union. Ask attendees what arrangement would help them participate rather than requesting a diagnosis or unrelated personal information. Agree who needs to know about an arrangement to deliver it and avoid placing individual requests in a public planning sheet. Where the committee needs support, involve the union's activities or accessibility team. Give an honest update if an answer is still pending. The purpose of the contact route is to produce a practical conversation, not to shift all planning responsibility onto someone considering attendance.

Keep information consistent across invitations

Place the same confirmed access note on the official event listing and any message that contains the essential event details. If a poster has limited space, direct readers to the full listing in a way they can use. When the venue, layout or timetable changes, review the access information at the same time. A copied invitation can otherwise preserve a promise that is no longer accurate. Keep a dated working copy for the organisers and remove superseded public details where possible. Plain text and existing stationery are often sufficient; polished design cannot make an unverified statement more useful.

Brief the people delivering the arrangements

Before opening, explain the access information to reception helpers, greeters and activity leaders. Check that the entrance route, reserved seating or other agreed provision is actually ready. Tell helpers whom to contact when a question is beyond their knowledge. If something changes unexpectedly, inform affected attendees promptly through the agreed channel and explain the available options. Afterward, ask whether the published information matched the experience and correct any recurring error in the venue notes. The finished access statement should describe a real event that people can navigate, supported by organisers who understand what has been promised.

Your next steps

Verify the route, room features and activity format.
Use concrete descriptions and identify unresolved details.
Provide a named private contact for participation requests.
Recheck the information whenever the venue or layout changes.

Sources and further help

Sources were consulted on 5 September 2026. Provider terms and services can change; check your exact booking, product or university service.

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