Police Offer Advice To Y Not Festivalgoers

As thousands of festivalgoers make their way to Pikehall for Y Not Festival 2018  the Derbyshire Constabulary has offered a list of tips to keep them safe.

For the past few months, they have been working with the festival organisers to ensure it’s safe and enjoyable for the up to 30,000 people expected to attend.

Officers will be at the festival at all times, working alongside an increased number of Y Not security staff.

As part of the joint effort to keep the festival safe, security staff and specialist sniffer dogs will be searching people on their way in, and anyone found carrying drugs risks being barred from the event and arrested by police.

A drugs testing facility will also open its doors at Y Not Festival for the first time as part of efforts to prevent substance-related illness, harm and potentially death.

The Loop is a free, independent and confidential service where people can take drugs to be forensically examined, and to obtain professional counselling advice on the impacts it may have on them. More details can be found here.

Councillor Carol Hart, the county council cabinet member for health and communities, said: “We support Derbyshire Constabulary in their decision to allow drug testing at this year’s festival.

“We do not condone illegal drug taking but we’re not naïve, we know it goes on and just want festivalgoers to be as safe as possible.”

More information on The Loop, including disclaimers and its advice on drug consumption, can be found at https://wearetheloop.org/mast/

Derbyshire Constabulary will also have a base at the Village Green for people to come and speak to them if they have any issues – or just want to say hello.

If anyone needs to report a crime, they can do so in person to the dedicated team at the Village Green.

It’s their aim to make sure people leave the festival with good friends, great memories… and all of their belongings.

With this in mind they have put together a quick list of security and safety tips for those who are heading to Derbyshire for Y Not.

Tips include:

• Keep valuable items with you in a secure bag or inside pocket at all times. Campers are encouraged to put valuables in their sleeping bag with them when they go to bed.
• Stick with your friends – if you’re with people you know and trust, the chances are you’ll look out for each other. Festivals give you the opportunity to meet new friends but going off with people who you’ve just met may lead you into situations you don’t want to be in.
• Moderate your alcohol consumption as if you overdo it you’ll be less aware and less likely to spot dangers.
• Keep an eye on your drink and never leave it unattended.
• Plan your transport home – keep enough money for your journey home, book a taxi or lift before you go out. If your pre-ordered taxi turns up, check it is an office car from the company you booked with.
• If you’re the designated driver for your journey home, remember that you could still be over the limit if you have too much to drink the night before you leave. So if you plan to hit the roads the next day, take it easy on the alcohol – and don’t take drugs. No festival is worth losing your licence or your life over, and if you’re over the limit the next day, the risk of a collision is huge.

For more information on the festival, visit www.ynotfestival.com.