How Travel Hands Helped Make the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2025 More Accessible

Since 2019, the Great Exhibition Road Festival has transformed the streets of South Kensington into a buzzing celebration of science, arts, and culture. This annual event, hosted by institutions like Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum, and the V&A, draws thousands each year with hands-on experiments, creative workshops, live performances, and more.

But while the festival has always welcomed the public, it wasn’t always fully accessible for everyone — especially VIPs (visually impaired people). For many, the thought of navigating such a large, busy event without sight was overwhelming.

That changed in 2025.

This year, Travel Hands partnered with the festival organisers for the first time to ensure that VIPs could experience the festival safely, confidently, and joyfully — just like everyone else.

Why This Partnership Mattered

Accessibility isn’t just about physical ramps or information signs. It’s about people, emotions, and creating spaces where everyone feels they belong.

By collaborating with Travel Hands, the festival took an intentional step toward true inclusion. This partnership wasn’t a checkbox — it was a commitment. A promise that VIPs wouldn’t just be present — they’d be engaged, supported, and celebrated.

Together, we showed that accessibility doesn’t limit creativity — it enriches it.

Travel Hands: More Than Just a Guide

Through the Travel Hands platform, 10 VIPs booked journeys to attend the festival. Each was matched with a trained volunteer — not just someone to help them get around, but someone who would share the day with them.

Here’s what we provided:

• ^{Personalised Guidance: Each VIP selected their preferred pickup location, some were picked up from their doorstep or some were happy to be picked up at stations or at the event entrance. Their volunteer companion was there on time, ready to support them throughout the journey to and from the festival.‍}
• ^{Live Descriptions: As they moved through the festival, volunteers described exhibitions, read signs, explained visual installations, and helped VIPs explore each zone through vivid, real-time narration.‍}
• ^{Shared Experience: These weren’t silent walks. Volunteers and VIPs talked, laughed, created crafts, and explored together. Some tried new foods, others attended interactive science sessions — all built genuine human connections.}
• ^{‍Safety and Comfort: In a crowded, noisy environment, volunteers ensured VIPs stay safe in large crowds, and feel emotionally and physically supported.}
  ‍

“Without Travel Hands, I wouldn’t have made it to this exhibition. My volunteer described everything so beautifully — I felt like I was part of it all.”

“It was a wonderful opportunity to feel and understand so many things — from art to science. My guide made me feel safe and supported.

Inclusion in Action: What We Achieved

Here’s what our impact looked like in numbers — and more importantly, in stories:

• ^{10 VIPs attended the festival confidently and independently}
  
• ^{10 trained volunteers offered one-on-one guidance throughout the day}
• ^{Dozens of heartfelt testimonials from both VIPs and volunteers, showing how meaningful this support truly was}

While the majority of VIPs expressed joy and gratitude, a few did note challenges that can help shape future improvements. Some mentioned that food areas could have been more clearly signposted, and others found the environment noisy and at times overwhelming.

Yet, even amidst those challenges, the presence of a Travel Hands volunteer made all the difference. Instead of facing barriers alone, VIPs had someone by their side — turning potential stress into connection, comfort, and joy.

A Learning Experience for Volunteers Too

Travel Hands volunteers didn’t just guide — they grew. Many had never attended the festival before, and several had never interacted closely with a VIP. The experience opened their eyes — and hearts.

“Maxine, my VIP, guided me through her world using sight loss simulation glasses at the ‘Future Vision’ stand. That moment changed the way I understand accessibility — it was powerful.”

Volunteers shared stories of helping VIPs make slime, build small sculptures, and watch live experiments. One said it felt like "seeing the festival through new eyes — and learning to slow down and appreciate every moment."

They also offered suggestions for future improvements, such as:

• ^{More structured volunteer-VIP meetup points}
  
• ^{Better communication tools in advance}
  
• ^{Clearer signage and layouts for accessible facilities}

These insights will help make future festivals even more inclusive.

Why Inclusive Events Matter

The Great Exhibition Road Festival is a major cultural moment in London — and no one should feel left out of it because of a disability.

Our work this year proved that inclusion doesn’t require radical reinvention. It just takes intention, collaboration, and compassion.

When accessibility becomes part of the planning process, not an afterthought, magic happens.

A Call to Event Organisers and Partners

If you’re hosting an event — big or small — Travel Hands can help you:

• ^{Meet accessibility standards}
  
• ^{Welcome more diverse audiences}
  
• ^{Turn your event into a place of shared experiences}
• ^{Capture human-centred impact stories that matter}

💌 Let’s collaborate: contact@vipworldservices.com
🌐 Learn more: www.travelhands.co.uk

Want to Volunteer in London?

Whether you're a student, a professional, or someone who simply wants to make a difference, Travel Hands gives you the opportunity to change lives — one walk at a time.

By volunteering, you’re not just giving your time. You’re giving someone freedom, dignity, and access to life.

Together, we can Turn Movement into Good

This year’s Great Exhibition Road Festival reminded us of something simple but powerful: Everyone deserves to experience life fully — with confidence, joy, and connection.

With this partnership, we helped make that vision a reality.

Now, let’s keep walking — together.