Jubilee Sailing Trust

Jubilee Sailing Trust

www.jst.org.uk

This is a must for all those people who are looking for something different. I know several individuals of various abilities male and female who have had the time of their lives on the many tripsJST run. I am yet to go but hope to next year now our daughter is old enough to take part in the Youth Leadership @ Sea scheme they run.

In the meantime just look at the quality of the facilities!!

If you love the outdoors and you have a sense of adventure, please take the chance to check out their website.

Thank You

A fellow 'trekkie' and bog spotter! - On holiday Saltaire, West Yorkshire

12th September

Yesterday I received a notification for a blog that I have been following. It's one that I have taken a keen interest in over the past year as it's by a fellow Trekinetic user, and I referred to her blog when I went on a recent holiday and got plenty of useful tips on travelling especially flying with my K2 (no please don't think I am the next Harry Potter and whizz around on my K-2 like a broomstick)!!

The blog I have been following is:

http://mnel.wordpress.com/

BUNDU BASHING AND OTHER WHEELCHAIR ADVENTURES.

Just imagine my delight when I contacted Michele and she said I could share her posts about accessible loos!

Now to learn how to reblog!! But for now I will try the copy and paste route

It was a holiday here in the UK on Monday and we went out for the day with a couple of great friends.  We had a lot of choice but decided on Saltaire in West Yorkshire because I have just finished reading an amazing book on the cotton mills in Lancashire and wanted to see this World Heritage Site first hand.  It turned out to be a wonderful day and seeing the mill buildings was amazing and worth the trip.

As always when I am out and about I like to ‘check out’ the facilities and report back in case you ever land up in the same place and on this occasion I was not disappointed because it turned out to be the BIGGEST disabled toilet I have EVER been into!  You can definitely swing the proverbial cat around in here; in fact, you could host a large party in this toilet – it was clean as well which is always a great plus point for me!  No problems at all turning around in my wheelchair; how often have I got stuck on the basin or a dustbin and had to spend ages manoeuvring around and eventually having to back out of the room at the same time trying to open the door – you know what I’m talking about because no doubt it has happened to you too!

Seriously, this picture cannot do it any justice because I have taken it from the corner of the room as far back as possible and cannot even get half of the room into the picture….

See how small the basin and toilet are in comparison to the window!  This is a typical huge window in a cotton mill and I am pleased that these buildings are protected and cannot have them replaced with those dreadful modern plastic units.

I can definitely recommend spending a penny here! 

College Lake - Tring Hertfordshire

This is not just a great place to visit but has all the amenities as well.

http://www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/college-lake

During the summer we visited college Lake in Hertfordshire not only is the route around the lake wheelcair friendly, but if you pre book you can use their outdoor scooter for a small donation.

The loo is also accessible and just fine:

A great place to visit.

Frankie & Benny's (Nice loo!! - Aylesbury Buckinghamshire)

Clean and smart.

Learn Italian while on the loo!

Thank you!!

Pizza Express - Various

Thanks to my Tesco Clubcard vouchers, when we go out for a long day we often stop off for a meal at Pizza Express and pay for it with our vouchers. This is now made nice and simple as the vouchers can be ordered over the internet and printed out within hours.

To be honest the loos are not consistantly good or bad but here are a couple I have been to:

First two pictures are from the Pizza Express in the main shopping centre in Milton Keynes. Very clean and tidy but not lots of room.

When visiting the Hawk Conservancy Trust we find Newbury a convenient place to stop on the way back, great service in the restaurant, the loo is accessible but not the best but OK! I personally find it quite hard to dry my hands using the dryer.

My own experience with Pizza Express has been good but limited. The facilities would not stop me going there again.

Milton Keynes Theatre - 14th July 2013

On the 14th July we went to Milton Keynes Theatre as part of my birthday treat to see Strictly Confidential - a show full of girlie indulgence - It was great. The theatre is accessible and like so many theatre's the carer goes free.

As soon as we arrived my first stop was the accessible loo in the main entrance. They say first impressions count and they do, this did not disappoint!

Clean, bright, plenty of hand rails. The hand dryer was right next to the sink for me it was perfect and I ffelt confident because of the layout of the loo I could go solo!

The interval came and I thought I'd go for a comfort break. Instead of going to the same loo as before, I decided to use the loo on the 1st floor as that was the same level as our seats. Not the best decision in the world for me, I needed assistance from my husband due to the lack of grab rails. This might of course be me being picky but see for yourself, I just couldn't pull up my trousers what ever I tried!

I would say however that I think there is probably a good amount of room for those that want a side transfer providing the side you can do it from suits. The first loo gets top marks from me the second loo only a 3 out of 5 because I was unable to maintain my independence and needed assistance. A great place to go to the theatre and without doubt I would go again.

Apologies!

Sorry, I really need to write these as I visit. I seem to have an ever increasing number of loos to post about so here goes!!

3rd Unity Hall

Sunday 7th July

Wow one weekend and two very good experiences with loos! This post is relating to the second experience.

On the 13th and 14th July I will be attending a Beer Festival, so it will be very important to have good facilities ensuring maximum fluid intake and disposal! (I do believe there are still tickets available).

So off I went to check out the location and this is what I found.............

How cool is this

This accessible loo even has a shower absolutely brilliant. Great job Barton Scout and Guide Headquaters (Barton Le Clay, Beds)

Another 5 star experience.

http://www.bartonnewhq.co.uk/index.php

Hawk Conservancy Trust

6th July 2013

This is one of my favourite places to visit.

A beautiful trip down into the Hampshire countryside, full of beauty. The team that work at the Trust have a very obvious passion and commitment to their work as do all the volunteers. To me it is a perfect place full of peace and security we have been visiting for 22 years 2 or 3 times a year  and have never got bored, because as with all things to do with nature nothing stands still.

I am going to post the link to their website just so you can investigate further should you wish, they can also be found on Facebook.

http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/index.asp

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hawk-Conservancy-Trust/349205011775937?fref=ts.

At the weekend we went down to see an outside production of Romeo and Juliet being performed at the Hawk Conservancy Centre by Andover Community Theatre it was wonderful and such a beautiful evening as well.

Anyway I digress as this is supposed to be about good, clean accessible loos! A little over a year ago (I think) a new restaurant called 'Feathers' was built in the grounds of the Trust and this added additional accessible facilities.

Not only is this a superb place to visit, I believe they have a very accessible loo contained within the restaurant which is just perfect.

I am going to give the Hawk Conservancy a 5 star rating!

Waves Hair and Beauty!

This is a somewhat unexpected post!

I went to have my hair cut and coloured last night at Waves Hair and Beauty in Princes Risborough a unisex salon.

https://www.facebook.com/waveshairandbeauty.

Fully accessible - no step into the building, even a sink without a chair so a wheelchair can be driven in if required. All the usual coffee, tea magazines etc while having your hair done by the wonderful hair stylists they employ personally Leah Horner cut my hair - very good and totally understanding that sometimes (well quite often actually) I have a few challenges.

It seems like I've given them a bit of a free advert but honestly its a really good experience and no worries about the loo, for me it's ideal. I was even able to tell Leah about my blog and asked if she would me kind enough to take a photo of it and look she did!

Great facilities 4 out of 5

Telford International Centre

Ummm I have been delaying publishing this post because of my personal disappointment.

The disappointment came with the loos, I thought that the venue would have great loos due to the event that was being held there, but alas for me and a standing transfer there was a distinct lack of hand rails resulting in me having to ask my husband to assist me. I am starting to wonder whether it is me that requires something out of the ordinary. There were a mixture of permanent toilets and portable ones which I assume were fetched in especially for the show. I also have to wonder why pedal bins are put in accessible loos, as a wheelchair user I haven't quite worked out how to open one - any suggestions?

only a 2 out of 5 for these:(

I know however that next week my experience will be a really positive one, I will be at the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover there are wonderful facilities there, so watch out for my pictures!!

Hopwood Service Station

Saturday 29^th June 2013

Today we chose to go and visit the Mobility Roadshow at Telford International Centre. It meant an early start for me and the journey would be to long not to have a comfort break!

We stopped off at Hopwood Services – I have to say not the best in the world. 

Motorway: M42

Where: at J2

County: Worcestershire

Postcode: B48 7AU

Type: Single site, used by traffic in both directions

The accessible loo is downstairs the other loos are all upstairs. So if you arrive at the same time as a coach party, and people can’t manage the stairs you might find yourself in a queue.

Then once in there after having to wait a while you are so desperate that you don’t care what the loo is like! 

Rather cramped though and some furniture removal required (bin) if you do a sliding transfer, however a standing transfer from the front is manageable.

   RATING: 2 out of 5

Holy Trinity Church Aylesbury

Last weekend (22nd June) I attended a concert by the Aylesbury Music Centre Clarinet Choir at the Holy Trinity Church in Aylesbury. It was a great evening with so many talented young people and quite clearly a Music teacher to lead them who has so much passion.

This will be my first entry for an accessible toilet since creating my blog. For me (a wheelchair user) it was a good experience, nice and spacious, hand rails and dryers and above all clean!

Armed with my camera I took some pictures so you can see for yourself - as I have said previously one type/size does NOT fit all!

I would rate this as 4 stars (out of 5)

The church also runs a coffee shop - well worth a visit.

http://htaylesbury.org/

The Radar Key

An essential item - when I worked my employers arranged for me to have a Radar Key which they purchased through Oxfordshire County Council.

Below is a recent article by the BBC regarding accessible loos.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-ouch-22602836

Why the bog blog!

I am not suggesting my whole life revolves around the loo, but as a wheelchair user before I go and visit any where I need to know that there is an accessible loo and of course what is accessible to me may not be accessible to others and vice versa.

Maybe I am a bit obsessive but I need to know that the ‘accessible toilet' is not used as a store cupboard! Is it a right hand or left hand transfer? What sort of handrails are there? Are there paper towels or hand dryers? All of these have an impact on the experience!!

So my idea of an ‘accessible bog blog’ was born whilst in the car travelling to my parent’s house with my husband and daughter!

It’s going to be slow to start off with, but I really want to build up a list of accessible loos and even with pictures, maybe in time I can start a Facebook page and others can recommend facilities and post pictures.

I am new to this blogging business but I really hope this scatty ides works!