On the Road: VetsFest 2026 – Rugby, Inclusion and Something Rather Special 💜🏉
There are some days that remind you exactly why you do what you do. Saturday at Wooden Spoon VetsFest 2026, hosted at Tynedale Rugby Club, was most definitely one of them.
Not quite knowing what to expect
After the excitement of Neuroplaces, Simple Acoustics was back On the Road, this time heading north with one of our Simple Safe Spaces and perhaps not quite knowing what to expect.
What we experienced was an utterly magnificent day.
VetsFest brings together the rugby family to raise funds and awareness for children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage. It is rugby, camaraderie and community spirit with a much bigger purpose behind it. And what a community it is.
We took one of our Safe Space pods right into the marquee for the day, where it certainly attracted plenty of attention. It gave us the opportunity not simply to show people what we make, but to have some fascinating conversations about why spaces like this can matter.
Because, as is so often the case, the most important part of our day wasn't the pod. It was the people.
People, not products
Greg and Helen had the enormous privilege of meeting so many passionate, committed people who are determined to make a difference to the lives of children and young people.
We were also incredibly proud to sponsor the Wooden Spoon Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire & Derbyshire team for VetsFest, and what a team! You did us truly proud. 💜🏉
A very special thank you must go to Ryan Bowskill for making this possible and welcoming us into the Wooden Spoon family. To Richard Beevers, thank you for such a wonderful conversation, one that continued long after the introductions were over and left us with even more to think about. And to James Armitage, we very much hope this was the beginning of many more conversations to come.
Where our worlds meet
Perhaps what inspired us most was discovering just how closely the heart of Wooden Spoon's work aligns with our own thinking.
Wooden Spoon talks about giving children and young people the opportunity to Play, Learn, Thrive and Be Safe, creating inclusive and safe environments and funding projects ranging from sensory spaces and specialist equipment to sports, wellbeing and education programmes. That resonates enormously with us.
At Simple Acoustics, we are increasingly exploring our work through the Social Model of Inclusion. Rather than always asking:
“What does this child need to do differently to cope?”
we want to keep asking:
“What barriers are we creating around them, and what can we change?”
Sometimes that barrier might be noise. Sometimes it might be reverberation, sensory overload or the absence of somewhere safe and quieter to regulate. Sometimes it might have nothing to do with acoustics at all. But the principle remains the same: when we make environments more accessible, we give more people the opportunity to participate. And surely sport is one of the most wonderful places in which to see that principle come alive.
Wooden Spoon describes its vision as a future where, through the power of the rugby community, every child and young person has access to the best life opportunities, regardless of their background. Since 1983, it has awarded more than £34 million in grants and positively impacted more than two million children and young people.
On Saturday, we saw the passion and determination behind those words. People giving their time. People raising money. People playing rugby. People building connections. And all of it ultimately focused on creating better opportunities for children and young people.
The day, as it happened
A few snapshots from the road, the arrival and the pitch:
More from the day
A few more photos from Tynedale Rugby Club:
Beyond inspired
We came away from Tynedale beyond inspired. Inspired by the people we met. Inspired by the rugby community. Inspired by what is already being achieved. And hopeful about what might become possible when organisations with shared values, different expertise and a genuine desire to remove barriers start talking to one another.
To everyone at Wooden Spoon, to the Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire & Derbyshire team, to Ryan, Richard and James, and to everyone who stopped at our pod for a conversation: thank you. Truly. 💜
It was a privilege to be part of VetsFest 2026. We very much hope this isn't the end of the story. In fact, we have a feeling it might only be the beginning...
Greg, Helen & the Simple Acoustics Team
So, what's next?
Simple Acoustics is back On the Road again. Next stop:
- Tes SEND Show, London — 9–10 October 2026, Business Design Centre, Stand B25.
Catch up on where it started: On the Road: Neuroplaces 2026 – What an Experience.
Let's continue the conversation
If sound, sensory environments or inclusive design are on your mind too, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch or book a free acoustic survey for your school or workplace.
