At We Are Indigo, we’re proud to work alongside cultural partners and brands to make a positive difference.
In November, we announced that the UK’s first dedicated drug-checking charity, The Loop, has started a new year-round programme to deliver its pioneering onsite drug testing at The Warehouse Project, alongside London’s Drumsheds – testing began at the start of the autumn 2024 clubbing season.
For the first time, The Loop has received Home Office licences to test at venues, building on its work at festivals over this summer. Since 2013, much of The Loop’s service delivery has been working within and alongside the festival industry and developing the service model and approach for drug testing services in different environments.
The Loop’s drug testing services (‘back of house—BOH’) are non-public-facing and operate by testing substances confiscated or through amnesty onsite and working alongside key stakeholders. In spring 2024, the Loop received the first-ever Home Office licences issued for drug testing for UK festivals and venues.
The Loop is now conducting onsite drug testing at two of the largest club venues in the UK, including our client The Warehouse Project, Depot Mayfield in Manchester, and Drumsheds in London, to inform the understanding of the UK’s changing drug market and the implications of that for both customers and emergency services operating in those venues.
The Loop will have the UK’s first HO-licensed mobile laboratories on-site within both venues during operating hours. These laboratories will rapidly and accurately test substances of concern and disseminate test results with the primary aim of reducing drug-related harm.
Changes in the drug market have made the rapid-real-time testing offered by the Loop more important than ever, with drug-related deaths at the highest on record and set to increase further. The UK also faces growing challenges with the emergence and proliferation of synthetic cathinones, cannabinoids and opioids.
Earlier this year, We Are Indigo partnered with Manchester’s iconic Techno promoters, Teletech, to bring a groundbreaking Drug Safety Conference to life.
In anticipation of their annual festival at BEC Warehouse on August 3rd and 4th, we joined forces with The Loop and DJs Rebekah and Azyr to raise awareness about the high-risk drugs currently circulating and to promote resources that help ensure people stay safe.
Our social media-driven campaign shared eye-opening statistics, including the rise in the average pill strength — from over 180mg of MDMA to 1 in 10 pills now exceeding 250mg in the past year. The campaign also advised connecting with welfare professionals at events and looking out for your friends.
Designed to be both accessible and digestible for our audience, we were thrilled by the community’s positive response, which included shares from industry leaders, including Mixmag and DJ Mag.