10 More UK Tourist Attractions with a Changing Places Toilet

So we’ve compiled a list of another 10 UK Tourist Attractions that have a Changing Places toilet.

At least that’s one less thing for you to worry about when you are planning your days out this summer.

1. Kew Gardens

There is lots to see at Kew Gardens and even their tree top walkway is wheelchair accessible.

You can find their changing places toilet by the Brentford gate car park entrance.

2. Alton Towers is one of the UKs best loved theme parks and now not only do they have a full sized Changing Places toilet, they also have a slightly smaller Space to Change facility!

The changing places toilet is located at Xsector and the ‘Space to Change’ is in Fountain Square, both are situated by the main toilet block and are identified on the park map with the changing places logo.

You will need a radar key but you can borrow one from the box office if you forget yours.

3. Tillgate park has so much to offer from miles of woodland and bridleways for long leisurely walks to the Tillgate Nature Centre and Go Ape.

Tillgate has a Space to Change toilet which you can find within the Nature Centre and are able to use even if you are not visiting the centre itself.

4. At Longdown activity farm near Southampton you can bottle-feed the kid goats and the calves, feed the ducks, meet the pigs, donkeys, and alpacas.

You can have a cuddle with a baby rabbit, hold a chick – you may even get the opportunity to stroke a piglet!

Their changing places toilet was installed after a successful campaign by one of our blog contributors, Sarah Brisdion.

5. If you are visiting London, the chances are you will end up on the South Bank, in close proximity to many of London’s major attractions including the London Eye and the SeaLife Centre.

The closest Changing Places toilet is on level 0 at the Tate Modern and is available to anyone who needs it until 10am-6pm Sunday – Thursday and 10am-8pm Friday & Saturday

6. Blair Drummond Safari Park has everything from lemurs and zebras to lions and elephants and you can find the changing places toilet located on Ground Level at the main attraction area.

The Toilet is unlocked by a code, which is available on arrival at the admission office.

7. Sandcastle waterpark is the UK’s largest indoor waterpark and not only has a changing places toilet but also offers Silent start Saturdays with no music for the first hour of operation every Saturday and accessibility evenings throughout the year.

The waterpark has won accessibility awards for the last 4 years and even has its own Facebook page dedicated to accessibility!

8. Colchester Zoo is one of Europe’s finest zoos with over 260 rare species. A registered Changing Places toilet is available in the toilet facilities near the meerkat enclosure.

You will need a radar key although staff at the meerkat hangout can assist you if you don’t have one.

9. Music festivals. – We may have to wait until 2019 for Glastonbury’s return but most of the big UK music festivals now have mobile changing places toilets including V Festival and BST Hyde Park and some of the smaller ones do too.

If you are planning to visit a festival which doesn’t provide a changing places facility you could always suggest they hire a Mobiloo.

10. At Merseyside maritime museum you can uncover objects from the Titanic, find out about life at sea and learn about the port of Liverpool.

The Changing Places toilet is available on the second floor of the museum, adjacent to the ‘Titanic and Liverpool: the untold story’ gallery.

How to Start a Running Routine When You Have Kids With Special Needs

From jogging and body-weight exercises to pilates, there are plenty of ways to get your daily dose of exercise.

Running is particularly beneficial. It not only provides a full body workout but also boosts your energy and wards off stress.

Unlike other workouts, it requires no special gear.

You can go for a run anytime, anywhere.

Ready to give it a try?

Here are some simple running tips for newbies:

Set Realistic Goals

People start running for all kinds of reasons.

Some do it to lose weight or keep the pounds off.

Others see it as a way to relieve stress.

No matter your reasons, running should be on your to-do list.

This form of exercise keeps your brain sharp, promotes cardiovascular health, and boosts your mood.

Think of it as a natural antidepressant.

Determine why you want to start running.

Set realistic goals and then come up with a plan.

For instance, if you’re trying to lose the baby weight, begin with small steps.

Running is not recommended sooner than six to 12 months after giving birth.

Focus on building up your endurance and refrain from pushing yourself to extremes.

Warm Up and Cool Down

Take the time to warm up before going for a run.

Stretch your muscles and joints, do a few push-ups, or climb the stairs.

This helps prevent injuries and prepares your body for exercise.

When you’re done running, do a few more stretches to regulate your heart rate and cool down.

Start Small

Have realistic expectations for your first few weeks of exercise.

If you’re a complete beginner, start walking for 10-15 minutes a day.

Once you can walk for half an hour easily, include short running intervals into your routine.

For instance, you can walk for 15 minutes, run for two minutes, and then walk for another 10 minutes.

Maintain a speed that feels comfortable and doesn’t leave you out of breath.

As your endurance increases, run for a longer time.

Get Your Family Involved

Running is more exciting when you’re in a good company.

Encourage your spouse and kids to join you.

It’s a great activity for kids with or without special needs.

An opportunity to spend one to one time with your non-disabled children or a chance to get inclusive if your child has a physical difficulty that makes walking/jogging/running challenging.

This could mean investing in a special needs jogging buggy like Special Tomato or the X Rover, going to running tracks for a flat surface perfect for kids who struggle with uneven surfaces or use gait trainers or walking frames.

Plan running competitions with real prizes.

Later, you can even join a race or a marathon together.

This activity gives you a chance to spend more time with your family and have fun, so get everyone on board!

Do you run or do you run with your family?

We’d love to hear your story!

Firefly Loves Seenin

For this writer, I love shopping for other people; I think it’s so special, being able to find fun stuff that I know they will love.

One special needs mum did something amazing so that she could get her daughter exciting and stylish products to suit her needs.

That mum was Lucy Carr-Seaman, the founder of Seenin.

Seenin is a company that aims to provide outstanding products that provide comfort and style to their customers, those among us with additional needs.

Lucy Carr-Seaman’s daughter Hester is her inspiration.

Hester was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome at a very early age and Lucy quickly realised how difficult it was to find products for her daughter that were practical, which is obviously very important, but also stylish.

This mum’s passion for finding solutions for her daughter led to the founding of Seenin over 15 years ago!

Seenin is fantastic, I’m sure you’ll agree, here at Firefly we love it!

I’m going to share some of our tip top picks from Seenin with you now, maybe you’ll find something you or your little ones can’t do without!

Seenin’s kerchief range – This range has so many options!

Seenin supplies the classic kerchief range, side fastening kerchiefs, flip kerchiefs and neckerchews for those tiny teeth.

All of these styles are available in different colours or really cool patterns (my favourite is definitely the dino pattern, with the anchors in a close second place).

Firefly’s personal favourite is the new Bamboo Towelling range.

These kerchiefs are super soft and more absorbent than standard cotton kerchiefs, they’re also quick drying which is a big plus in our book!

Changing mats for children and adults – these mats are a dream!

They’re available in two sizes, so are suitable for a large age range.

You can get these mats in a bright cerise bink, a soothing teal, or a pretty raspberry colour; there’s the option of adding an extra layer if you think you should need it as well.

The best part? They roll up and can be slung over a shoulder or around a wheelchair handle, brilliant right?

Front Opening Sleepsuits – we think these are great!

Available in cotton jersey or fleece materials, depending on the season, these are a must have.

You can even get slipper socks in either material that can attach to a sleepsuit for full coverage and cosiness.

These sleepsuits unzip from the neck to ankle in 3 easy steps, this allows easy access for dressing and feeding, night or day and we love them!

We hope Lucy and her team keep rolling out these awesome products for all of the people they are keeping stylish and confident!

Do you use any of Seenin’s products?

Tell us about your experience, we love to hear your stories!

10 Ways to Make Water More Exciting!

It’s recommended we drink approximately 2 litres of water a day, which for some (myself included) isn’t an easy task.

To try and encourage myself to drink more, I’ve been looking at ways to make my water more exciting.

So far, it’s definitely helping and they are so easy to make.

It’s as simple as popping your ingredients into a jug or bottle of water and leaving to infuse for 2-4 hours.

To help you get started, here are some of my favourite flavours:

Cucumber and Mint

It’s so fresh and perfect for a hot day.

A top tip would be to tear up the mint before putting it in so you get all the flavour.

And, if you have the time, put in some frozen slices of cucumber.

Orange and Blueberry

Full of freshness, Vitamin C and antioxidants!

Pineapple and Jalapeno

This one is bursting with flavour and perfect for seeing off any of those spring colds.

Watermelon and Basil

You feel like you’re relaxing on the beach with this one and even better, basil is full of antibacterial properties.

Apple and Cinnamon

Not only is cinnamon great for helping with digestion, this combo tastes like Christmas in a cup and who doesn’t love that?!

Lavender and Blackberry

This one helps with feeling relaxed and is packed full of antioxidants.

Aloe Vera and Lime

This mix will naturally increase energy and fight fatigue.

Kiwi and Blackberry

I love the mix of these flavours together and another recipe that is full of antioxidants.

Chia Seeds

This is a bit of a strange one but is full of health benefits. Chia seeds are rich in Omega 3 – fatty acids.

Mix with some lime for a bit of flavour.

The texture does take a bit of getting used to but it you stick with it it’s worthwhile.

Raspberry and Rose

If you close your eyes whilst drinking this one, you almost feel like you’re sitting in a beautiful English country garden.

Rose has great anti-inflammatory properties and is also said to reduce anxiety.

Let us know what you think or if you have any of your favourites that you would like to share!

Tilgate Park Officially Opens Space to Change

The venue, acknowledged as being the area’s “jewel in the crown’ with its nature reserve, fishing, lakes, gardens and forest adventure experience, already welcomes over one million visitors a year.

By opening the first, “Space to Change”, wheelchair-accessible toilet with changing bench and hoist, Tilgate Park will now be accessible to even more visitors.

The Space to Change enhances a conventional wheelchair-accessible toilet by also incorporating an adult-sized changing bench and hoist, supplied and installed by the UK’s leading away from home accessible toilet solutions company, Clos-o-Mat.

The improved toilet facilities form part of a five-year development plan for Tilgate Park, which includes improvements to parking, the access road, and paths.

Explained Vikki Fold, Crawley Borough Council’s community development officer,

“At a youth event, a teenage wheelchair-user said there needed to be more hoist-assisted toilets in Crawley.

Tilgate is having development work done, and the existing wheelchair-accessible WC was big enough to accommodate the extra equipment, so we thought it would be a good idea to tie it in.

We are committed to doing what is right for local residents and visitors, without damaging the Park.”

Added Samantha Buck, local campaigner for hoist-assisted toilet facilities,

“If you care for someone who is in a wheelchair, if they are bigger than a baby, you will probably need a hoist to lift them.

Without it, you can’t use the toilet facilities and have to either cut your visit short, or not go at all. A hoist takes up no space, but makes such a difference to families like mine.

It means we can go out and about, spend time- and money- at a venue, and relax knowing we can all access suitable toilet facilities.”

A Space to Change toilet takes a standard ‘Document M’ wheelchair accessible toilet, adds more space to it (if required) to achieve a minimum 7.5m2, and an adult-sized changing bench and hoist.

Under British Standards, Changing Places are in addition to that standard wheelchair-accessible toilet, at least 12m2 (3m x 4m), and include a ceiling track hoist and height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench.

Campaigners experienced that many venues could not allocate the additional space, funds required, so devised Space to Change as a compromise, which still delivers the equipment they need.

Changing Places Closure

The public toilets including a Changing Places toilet currently managed by North East Lincolnshire Council have been closed at the Boating Lake for a long period of time.

Despite requests from local residents, signage still directs people to the toilets and with gates to the area open there is an expectation that the toilets are available.

The next nearest Changing Places toilets are –

Immingham Town Council – Pelham Road, Immingham DN40 1QF

Meridian Leisure Centre – Wood Lane, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 8RS

Cleethorpes Leisure Centre – Kingsway, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, DN35 0BY

If you know of any Changing Places closures – please let us know.

Sheffield: Venues with a “Changing Places” Toilet

To tell us about venues in her city of Sheffield and the surrounding areas of South Yorkshire that are worth a visit for special needs families because of the exceptional toilet provision.

Rother Valley Country Park

The Watersports & Activity Centre is also equipped with a range of adapted cycles that are specifically designed for people with limited balance and mobility including hand bikes, wheelchair carriers and single and duo Trikes.

These Cycles are available to individuals and groups and enable everyone to participate in a trip on 2, 3, 4 or even 6 wheels around the park.

Please call the Activity Centre on 0114 2471452 for more details.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

The toilet provision here is described as small but functional providing a bench and hoist.

Rivelin Valley

The toilet at this venue is located near to the cafe.

Crucible Theatre Sheffield

Sheffield Teatres also put on many special performances. It’s also worth noting that the Lyceum Theatre is adjacent so it is easy to use Crucible facilities.

Pond’s Forge International Sports Centre

As well as a toilet with a bench and hoist this venue also provides a pool side hoist.

Concord Sports Centre

As well as a toilet with a bench and hoist this venue also provides a pool side hoist.

Graves Sports Centre

As well as a toilet with a bench and hoist this venue also provides a pool side lift.

Ice Sheffield

Ice Sheffield regularly have mobility sessions so it’s worth checking out their website for more information.

Events often take place in the Peace Gardens in Sheffield . These are usually free and there is a Changing Places at the Town Hall and also in the Moor Market.

Meadowhall Shopping Centre also provided a toilet with changing bench and hoist which is situated near the Oasis food court.

Finally, make sure to include a visit to the coastal town of Bridlington in your plans which now have FIVE Changing Places located throughout the resort.

10 More of the Most Positive and Supportive Things Said to Special Needs Parents

We posted about all of the lovely things you shared, which you can see here.

Here are even more of the most positive and supportive things that have been said to special needs parents.

– Remember…her first diagnosis is Sarah.

– Focus on the little things he has achieved not what he can’t do.

– She is exactly the same person she was before the diagnosis, but now you know what you need to do to help her.

– Expect him to do everything, just give him a little extra time.

– Google is not always your friend.

– You are doing a good job.

– Forget milestones, remember happy memories.

– You can do this.

– He will write his own story.

– I am here for you.

If you have any positive messages that have stayed with you over the years, let us know!

Changing Places: My Proudest Achievements

You can read about them here.

During the course of our research we asked Tony Clough MBE what his proudest moment was a campaigner.

He couldn’t narrow it down to just one so we thought we’d tell you about his top 7 picks.

In no particular order:

1. Morrisons

‘I’m choosing Morrisons because it was my first Changing Places toilet in a supermarket. Others have since followed but we still have a long way to go before retailers realise the importance of including bench and hoist equipment as part of their toilet provision.’

2. Montreal Airport

‘This was my first non-EU airport success. Unfortunately I didn’t get over for the official opening. But I know that it is making a massive difference to people with disabilities travelling to and from Montreal.’

3. Road Chef

‘Because it was a bloody long time coming. They got there in the end.’

4. IKEA

‘The first non-supermarket retailer to include a toilet with bench and hoist provision. This is my most recent success and I’m confident it’s the start of something big.’

5. Arsenal Football Club

‘The very first Premiership Football ground to install a Changing Places toilet. It was a while ago now but it felt like a major coup at the time.’

6. Lichfield

‘This one has to be on the list because it’s my home town.’

7. England & Wales Cricket Board

‘I am currently working with the ECB and we recently confirmed that Mobiloo – the mobile Changing Places toilet will be available at 9 Champions Trophy Cricket Matches at the Swalec stadium Cardiff and Edgbaston.

Mobiloo will also be at no less than 7 England International fixtures at Lords this Summer Including two 5 day Test matches. As well as the Women’s World Cup Final at Lord’s.’

Tony was awarded an MBE because of his work campaigning for Changing Places and Space to Change toilets.

Tony’s motivation for campaigning is his sister Julie.

These toilets provide changing bench and hoist equipment to meet the toileting needs of people with a wide range of disabilities and medical conditions when away from home.