King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut staff get sensory awareness training to improve experience of people with sight and hearing loss
Forth Valley Sensory Centre logo.
Staff at the iconic music venue King Tut’s have taken part in sensory awareness training designed to improve the experience of people with sight or hearing loss at gigs.
The training, delivered by the charity Forth Valley Sensory Centre (FVSC), outlined how blindness and deafness impacts on people’s daily lives, and the adjustments that can be made to meet their needs.
Staff practicing sighted guiding down the stairs.
During an all-day session at the Glasgow venue, members of staff were taken through practical activities to simulate blindness or deafness with the aim of achieving greater understanding. They were joined by FVSC staff and volunteers who were able to share real-life experience. Venue staff were given information and advice on communicating with those with sensory loss and were later tested on what they had learned during a live simulation of how they might help people in a club atmosphere.
King Tut’s venue with logo on the stage. A guide dog owner with a guide dog is in the centre of the floor and staff are standing around them.
King Tut’s has been at the forefront of Scotland’s live music scene for over three decades, famed for its intimate setting and showcasing new and emerging bands. The venue, owned and managed by music and events promoter DF Concerts, has supported some of the industry’s biggest names at the start of their careers including Oasis – who were signed there in 1993 – The Killers, Amy Macdonald, Fred again.., Biffy Clyro and Florence + The Machine.
FVSC’s sensory awareness training aims to help organisations understand the different causes, conditions and impacts of sight and hearing loss, and ways they can increase accessibility. Sessions can be delivered both at the centre in Falkirk, or by visiting businesses. For more information, please visit the Forth Valley Sensory Centre website.
Hannah Wilson giving a sensory awareness training session.
The charity supports thousands of people across Forth Valley in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire, offering a range of services to those who are blind, partially sighted, deaf and hard of hearing.
Hannah Wilson, FVSC’s volunteer coordinator“We were delighted to deliver our sensory awareness training to members of staff at King Tut’s on behalf of DF Concerts. It is fantastic that the organisation wants to help improve the experience of those with sight and hearing loss when they are attending gigs, concerts, festivals and venues. Deafness and blindness can be incredibly isolating, but there is lots of small things that businesses and organisations can do to increase inclusion and accessibility and ensure everyone can take part in the activities many people take for granted – like enjoying live music. Our training sessions are designed to increase awareness of the needs of those with sight or hearing loss, and the steps individuals and businesses can take to improve their experiences.”
Louise Hutchison, Accessibility Manager at DF Concerts“It has been a pleasure to work with the team at FVSC and we can’t thank them enough for the valuable knowledge that they have shared with the team on how we can improve the experience of people coming to the venue with sight and hearing loss. Through continued work and training, we strive to ensure that we are providing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for all abilities in our venue.”
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