Seven tourism establishments have been voted as the most accessible in England for people with disabilities and will go forward for the Excellence in England Tourism Awards 2004, in association with Enjoy England*. The winner of the Tourism For All category will be announced at the national awards ceremony at Kensington Palace in London on 22 April 2004, on the eve of St George’s Day.
Tourism for All (Accessible Tourism Product) is a new category for this year’s Excellence in England Tourism Awards. The award has been created to recognise both the European Year of the Disabled in 2003 and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)* coming fully into force in October this year.
The finalists have all come through rigorous awards run by England’s nine regional tourist boards, where they battled it out against hundreds of other entries for a chance to win the Excellence in England Tourism Award accolade.
The winner will have shown commitment to providing excellent service and customer care. There is an emphasis on the quality of the facilities and disability training for staff, along with consideration for people with disabilities on any marketing materials. The winner will have made provision for disabled guests in line with the DDA.
The Tourism For All national finalists are:
Norfolk Cottages – East of England Tourist Board www.norfolkcottages.net
Norfolk Cottages are newly converted farm buildings set in the rural heart of East Anglia. The four cottages are clustered around a secluded, paved courtyard planted with colourful, scented flowers in raised beds. The courtyard and neighbouring orchard are both safe and inviting for all. Leisure facilities include an extra-warm swimming pool and Spa, both accessible by hoist. Subtle adaptations to the cottages allow every member of the party to enjoy their stay. An extensive range of disability living aids is available free to guests. Norfolk Cottages prides itself on making country holidays that little bit special.
Poole's Cavern and Buxton Country Park - Visit Heart of England www.poolescavern.co.uk
This two million-year old cavern has been opened up to a wide audience despite physical and geographical restrictions. They have in place an audio system throughout the cavern for the hearing impaired. Visually impaired visitors have access to audio presentations as well as use of the 'bat detector' and high resolution, controllable underground CCTV cameras to give people the opportunity to stay in touch with family and friends as they explore the caves. The Poole's Cavern for All project team has developed a new fully accessible website and an extension to the underground wheelchair path which will be launched in February 04.
National Portrait Gallery – Visit London www.npg.org.uk
The National Portrait Gallery has shown enthusiasm and commitment in embracing the needs of all disabled visitors to the gallery and archive. There is a dedicated Access Officer and emphasis is placed on providing regular events designed for disabled audiences, for example British Sign Language tours and occasional subtitled films. Printed material for many of the galleries are available in large print and Braille. There are portable induction loops and sound-guide with portable neck loops available for hard of hearing visitors.
Manchester Art Gallery – North West Tourist Board www.manchestergalleries.org
Manchester Art Gallery is committed to improving access to its collections and offering all visitors enjoyable, inspirational and educational experiences. A recent £35 million transformation project has made all parts of the building physically accessible. The Gallery has been particularly innovative in access for visually-impaired visitors with the development of a new audio tour including touchable artworks, a handling trail, a programme of audio-described events, a free sighted guide service and information in alternative formats for all galleries and exhibitions. For deaf and hearing-impaired visitors induction loops are fitted at reception points and in the lecture room and there is a varied programme of British Sign Language interpreted events, from talks and tours to family workshops.
Blagdon Farm Country Holidays – South West Tourism www.blagdon-farm.co.uk
Blagdon Farm Country Holidays provides an exceptional holiday experience for the disabled visitor their family and friends. There are eight 4 and 5 Star cottages, some with four-poster beds, set in a tranquil, attractive location overlooking the lake. Extensive grounds include a fishing lake, play area, pet’s corner and walks. Facilities include a bar/bistro, an indoor pool heated to 94O with a hydrotherapy jet and track hoist. There are also facilities to assist the hearing and visually impaired. Guests with learning difficulties & respiratory problems are also well catered for and an extensive range of equipment including hoists, electric wheelchairs and scooters etc is available.
Farming World – Tourism South East www.farming-world.com
Farming World is a family-run farm with a proven track record for caring for visitors with special needs. There are ‘hands on’ sessions, allowing visitors to touch, feel and smell some of the quieter animals. The highly scented and textured plants in the sensory garden have been seen to have a calming effect on autistic children. Two members of staff are trained in signing for deaf visitors and special guided tours are available for visitors with learning difficulties. Staff attend ‘Welcome All’ courses and there is integrated play for all children with mixed abilities.
National Coal Mining Museum for England – Yorkshire Tourist Board www.ncm.org.uk
The National Coal Mining Museum for England has made substantial investment in facilities for the disabled, having acknowledged what a potentially huge market it is. The museum has overcome huge barriers to make sure that the disabled visitor is able to access all areas including travelling 140 metres underground in an old coal mining cage and exploring the hidden world of the coal face.
