What is Access-a-Ball?
Access-a-Ball is an annual scheme aimed at reducing the number of disabled students who are excluded from May Week events due to access requirements. This is done by ensuring May Week events integrate accessibility considerations into their planning and protocols, as well as by increasing the transparency around accessibility at these events.
May Week events are given a workbook of accessibility goals, divided into nine categories, to work towards. They are given an award depending on how many goals they achieve, which can be platinum, gold, silver, or bronze.
2024-25 results
For the 2024-25 year, all participants have achieved Platinum, with a score of 65% or more! Congratulations to Corpus May Ball (94%), Pembroke May Ball (90%), Magdalene May Ball (85%), Newnham Garden Party (82%), Murray Edwards Garden Party (82%), St John’s May Ball (80%), and King’s Affair (66%) on this achievement! Additionally, thank you all for your commitment to accessibility and improving the experiences of disabled students.
Below is a breakdown of how the participating events performed in each of the nine access categories. Please note that just because a May Week event did or didn't have something in 2025, it doesn't automatically mean that the same will be true in 2026. For example, many events reflect on which access goals they didn't achieve the year before and will strive to incorporate them into next year's event. For the most up-to-date and accurate accessibility information, always refer to an event's access statement or reach out to the committee.
Physical access
The goals in this section included providing at least 80% step-free access; hiring ramps where necessary; providing as much seating in every area of the event; providing queue jump to guests with mobility needs; keeping heavy doors held open; ensuring no main ball attractions were placed in areas without step-free access; and ensuring an evacuation plan is in place for wheelchair users
Corpus, Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Pembroke, and St John's all scored 100% on physical access. However, King’s Affair did not have at least 80% step-free access, provide seating in every area, or explicitly mention wheelchair users in the evacuation plan; they also had disrupted lift usage due to a decoration placement.
Signage
The goals in this section included clearly signposting routes, toilets, and allergens in food and drink; providing any physical booklets in digital and screen-readable format; and designing signs in accordance with WCAG AA standards (an internationally recognised set of recommendations for improving web and design accessibility).
Corpus, Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Pembroke, and St John's all scored 100% on signage accessibility. However, signs at King’s Affair did not fully abide by WCAG 2.1 AA standards, as they weren’t in a sans serif font, and their digital booklets were not available in a screen-readable format. Similarly, Newnham Garden Party did not achieve the goal of providing any physical booklets also in a digital and screen-readable format.
Communication
The goals in this section included providing a preliminary access statement before tickets go on sale; providing a full access statement before the end of ticket sales; including access statements for individual acts or activities; providing alt-text on social media and websites; providing plain-text versions for all advertising and communication; and providing other additional formats of communication upon request.
Corpus scored 100% on communication accessibility. King’s Affair, Magdalene May Ball, Pembroke May Ball, and St John’s May Ball did not include alt-text in all social media posts. Murray Edwards Garden Party, Newnham Garden Party, and St John’s May Ball only released their access statement after tickets had already sold out. King’s Affair, Murray Edwards Garden Party, Newnham Garden Party, and Pembroke May Ball didn’t include access statements for individual acts.
Web accessibility
The goals in this section involved ensuring websites and social media content meet WCAG AA standards, including by providing text alternatives for non-text content; using a structure that can be understood by assistive technology; making the website navigable by keyboard; using good colour contrast; not auto-playing audio or video; and making information about accessibility easy to find.
Corpus, Murray Edwards, and Pembroke all scored 100% on web accessibility. However, for King’s Affair, Magdalene May Ball, Newnham Garden Party, and St John’s May Ball, their website and/or social media did not fully comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. In particular, King’s Affair did not always provide text alternatives for non-text content; Newnham Garden Party did not consistently achieve good colour contrast; Magdalene May Ball did not consistently achieve good colour contrast or keyboard accessibility; and St John’s May Ball did not always provide text alternatives for non-text content, in addition to feeling that accessibility information could be easier to find on their website.
Toilets
The goals in this section included providing at least one accessible toilet; not locking accessible toilets other than with a radar key, which should be available from a fixed point; providing a sharps box in the accessible toilet; ensuring staff are trained not to question anyone about using the disabled toilet; and providing gender neutral toilets that are separate from the accessible toilets.
Corpus, King's, Magdalene, Newnham, and St John's all scored 100% on toilets. Murray Edwards Garden Party and Pembroke May Ball did not provide a sharps box; Corpus May Ball provided a sharps box, but in the Porters’ Lodge rather than the toilets. At Pembroke May Ball, toilets were not gender neutral, but instead were all ‘Male + Non-Binary’ or ‘Female + Non-Binary’.
Noise and lighting
The goals in this section included warning guests about any firework displays; warning guests about any areas containing strobes or flashing lights, both in booklets and on clear signage before entering the area; and providing a wheelchair accessible quiet room with water and seating available.
Corpus, Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Pembroke, and St John's all scored 100% on noise and lighting. However, King’s Affair did not provide warnings for strobes or flashing lights, either in the programme or with physical signs.
Accommodation
The goals in this section included, in circumstances where students are asked to vacate their rooms for the duration of the event, allowing exceptions for those in accessible rooms, or ensuring alternative accessible accommodation is provided at no extra cost. They also included allowing disabled students to return to their rooms earlier than is generally permitted.
Corpus, King's, Magdalene, Newnham, Pembroke, and St John's all scored 100% on accommodation. For Murray Edwards Garden Party, disabled students were unable to return to their rooms earlier than generally permitted, but were allowed to go to rooms in another accommodation block.
Personnel
The goals in this section included designating one committee member as the key contact for accessibility, who should attend the SU’s Access-a-Ball training, as well as briefing all staff working at the event about how to keep their area accessible; how to cater to potential access requirements; where the disabled toilets, quiet room, first aider, sharps bin, and any Evac chairs are; how to deal with someone who is lost or confused; and how to deal with someone who is carrying medication, needles, or other medical equipment.
Corpus, King's, Magdalene, Pembroke, and St John's all scored 100% on personnel. However, Murray Edwards Garden Party and Newnham Garden Party did not train staff on how to deal with someone who is carrying medication, needles, or other medical equipment.
Other
The goals in this section included providing a free ticket for carers; permitting guide dogs; providing a hearing loop; permitting ticket refunds due to changes in disability or illness meaning the event is no longer accessible to them; providing soft drinks; and ensuring that food caters to a variety of dietary requirements.
No May Week event scored 100%, as none provided a hearing loop; however, Pembroke May Ball was able to provide a BSL interpreter upon request. Murray Edwards Garden Party didn’t achieve the goal of allowing ticket refunds due to changes in disability or illness. At the discretion of the committee, Magdalene May Ball accepted ticket refunds due to changes in disability, but only accepted ticket refunds for changes in illness until a few days before the event.
What’s next for Access-a-Ball?
Preparations have already begun for Access-a-Ball 2025-26, so keep an eye out for more to come! We can’t wait to continue embedding accessibility into students’ May Week experiences, and would encourage any events who didn’t participate this year to take part.