With one of the largest annual music festivals for Scotland in 2024 launching this week, NHS Highland and Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (HADP) want the thousands of people attending the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival to have a memorable event for all the right reasons.
To do this, a number of health messages have been issued by NHS Highland and HADP which are designed to ensure people feel well throughout the event and have the best time possible.
Barry Collard, NHS Highland’s Health Improvement Specialist, said: "Now in its twentieth year, Belladrum has grown from a small, one day festival in 2004 to now running over three days with an attendance level of over 20,000 people. With these kinds of numbers, we want to ensure as many people as possible stay safe and well, and also still enjoy themselves.
"When consuming alcoholic drinks, pace yourself by drinking slowly, have non-alcoholic 'spacers', have lower strength alcoholic drinks and avoiding mixing different kinds of drinks.
"As Belladrum is a festival for people of all ages, there will be many families present and as such we would encourage people to 'think how you drink'. Children and young people learn by example, so please do try to drink in a way that is mindful of others."
Barry continued: "Hopefully, Belladrum will see some sunshine over the three days so please remember to enjoy the sun safely; use sunscreen that is at least a factor 15 and remember to re-apply regularly. Sunny days with overcast spells and showers can easily lull people into a false sense of safety. Take extra care with children as their skin is delicate and keep yourself and them hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Most people bring water to a festival with them.
"Thinking about sexual health, remember to take a supply of condoms with you, even if you think you’re unlikely to need them – things can change a lot over the course of a weekend. Condoms can protect against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. If you are getting intimate, make sure it's safe and consensual. Look after yourself physically, mentally and emotionally.
"If you find yourself in a situation where you feel threatened, intimidated or experience harassing behaviour, seek support from stewards or the welfare team. There will also be police officers in attendance at the event who are there to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all those attending and festival staff.
"If any festival-goers are unable to avoid taking drugs or drinking excessively, harm can be reduced by trying to make sure you know what you're taking and the affects it may have. If things do become a concern, it's recommended to contact a steward or people in the site's welfare tent. If a person becomes ill due to drugs or alcohol, be honest about what has been taken to help ensure the correct treatment is provided."
Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Co-Ordinator Eve MacLeod said: "The safest option is to avoid taking illegal drugs. Substances like ecstasy and cocaine can cause dehydration and overheating, especially when mixed with alcohol and dancing in warm weather.
"Ecstasy tablets/MDMA can contain a larger than expected dose of the drug. Very potent benzodiazepines can significantly increase the risk of overdose. Drug content cannot be guaranteed by appearance, and substances can be mis-sold as something they are not.
“While some people will only be attending the festival during the day, there will of course be large numbers of people camping, glamping, and staying on site in camper vans. Once the festival concludes there will be many people waking up on Sunday morning who will have been consuming alcohol the night before. Further advice and guidance on harm reduction is available on the Highland Overdose Prevention and Engagement (HOPE) app.”
Barry concluded by adding: "We finally want to remind people that when the festival ends, there will be attendees waking up who may wake up still feeling the effects of alcohol, meaning that they can still be over the drink drive limit.
“It takes a healthy adult liver at least one hour to process one unit of alcohol and with there being around two units in a pint of beer and a medium glass of wine, it's easy to see how these units can add up and the subsequent amount of time it takes for it to wear off.
"Attending the event with a designated driver, being collected by a sober family member or friend, or making use of the regular shuttle bus services provided by Belladrum, you can ensure your own safety and that of others on the road."
The HOPE app is free to download, and is available from Android and Apple.