Here’s another in our series of guest posts from people running club nights for people with learning disabilities around the UK. This time it’s get2gether who are based in Edinburgh.

(In case you missed it here’s an article from Fusion in Lancashire about their nights).

Stay up Late with get2gether

What does a club night – or should we say early evening disco? – for adults with disabilities look like?

Picture an unattractive community hall, an uninspiring entertainer and a wee bar with soft drinks. Get the picture?

When get2gether was founded, it was important to us that we treat our members (adults with disabilities) like adults.

We organise ordinary events in ordinary places – we regularly visit mainstream shows, meet at hip bars and trendy restaurants, go to posh hotels for party nights, organise red carpet balls … and one of get2gether’s most popular events are our bi-monthly club nights.

It all started with get2gether’s manager meeting the manager of the ATIK (formerly CAV) who offered us the use of his venue.

So, imagine … a proper night club, a mainstream super-club, an Edinburgh institution.

Almost everybody in Edinburgh knows the CAV and many people have a CAV story to tell. Many of our members had heard of the CAV, but never been in it – as one member remembers: ‘my brother went to the CAV, but people like me can’t go there.’

Well, with get2gether they can!

And they do. An average club night welcomes roughly 300 people and yes, they know how to party.

Whereas in the beginning our members needed some encouragement to dance and to socialise – they now ‘own’ the venue and get2gether staff doesn’t need to encourage or interact anymore.

We employ DJs with a lived experience of disability, we pay members who perform dance routines and our Short Life Working Group decides on the nights’ themes and creates the decoration.

One of our recent night’s theme was Stay Up Late and we had an info table, handed out Stay Up Late’s Green Cards and encouraged members to tell their staff about their wish to stay as long as they want. We also invited Crew 2000, who offered advice on drinks, drugs, alcohol, sex and relationships.

These nights are our main fundraiser, thanks to the venue given to us free of charge, we have very little overheads, and anybody in a supporting role gets in free.

Our tips for running a club night

So, what are our tips for running a good night?

Make them as realistic as possible and ask yourself if you’d like to party in this particular setting. Only if it’s good enough for you, it’s good enough for your members.

Also consider getting a good photographer as reliving the event is the highlight of any good night out. (and speaking of which see below for some great photos from their nights)

Happy clubbing!!!

Want to tell us about your club nights?

Please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you. Here’s some help on writing something for us.

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PaulR

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