Venue info: Pillar Room, Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom More venue info
Price info: £9
Duration: 60 minutes
Access info: Live Captions
More access info

About Unplugged: Burnout, Balance and Life Offline

In an age of endless notifications and rolling news, many of us feel permanently switched on. Mental health campaigner Sophia Kaur Badhan, neuroscientist Faye Begeti and author and activist Charli Clement explore whether, with rising rates of burnout, reclaiming 'analogue' moments could help us switch off, reset and reconnect.

Why does constant connectivity leave us drained? What does relentless scrolling do to our brains and attention spans? While social media is often associated with young people, over-65s are now among the heaviest users of digital devices, underlining how widespread digital overwhelm has become. Why is it that, despite unprecedented levels of online connection, many of us feel lonelier than ever?

As a growing number of people experiment with 'going analogue' – embracing offline hobbies, face-to-face community and slower living – our panel explores whether stepping back from screens can genuinely restore balance or if the solution is more complex.

There will be a book signing after this event.

Get ahead of your Festival reading and visit the Waterstones Cheltenham Science Festival bookshop and support Cheltenham Festivals with every purchase.

The Phone Fix
by Faye Begeti
How to Transform Your Smartphone Habits (Paperback)
Get the book
All Tangled Up in Autism and Chronic Illness
by Charli Clement
A guide to navigating multiple conditions (Paperback)
Get the book
The Depression Journal: Creative Activities to Keep Yourself Well
by Cara Lisette (author), Sophia Kaur Badhan (author), Victoria Barron (illustrator), Jonathan Stea (foreword)
Cara Lisette's Creative Journals for Mental Health (Paperback)
Get the book

Getting Here

Parking

The Town Hall is located in Cheltenham Town centre. The venue’s full address is Imperial Square, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1QA. The venue’s car park is private, but parking can be found throughout the town centre. The nearest car parks are Rodney Road (GL50 1HX), St Georges Road (GL50 3DT), Royal Well (GL50 3DS) and Regent Arcade (GL50 1HN). There is a regular bus service from Cheltenham Racecourse Park and Ride car park to the centre of Cheltenham.

Rail

The Town Hall is a 25-minute walk from Cheltenham Spa Railway Station. There is also taxi rank outside the station.

Bus

Stagecoach bus services stop nearby on the Promenade with the Town Hall a 5-minute walk away. For further information on Cheltenham bus services, please visit the Stagecoach website.

There are bike racks located near Imperial Gardens, behind the Town Hall, should you wish to visit the festival on your bike. Please note that anyone wishing to secure their bike at one of the bike racks does so at their own risk.

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Access

Cheltenham Town Hall has both step access and an accessible ramp at the main entrance. The entrance to the Pillar Room inside the Town Hall building is also step free. Guide dogs are welcome in this venue.

If you are uncertain about your booking we advise contacting our box office via email ([email protected]), by phoning us on 01242 850 270, or using our Access Booking Form so that we can ensure your seating is suitable for the event you wish to attend.

Accessible toilets are located on the ground floor of the venue. This venue does not have a hearing loop.

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