Riverwalk School Pupils Unveil New Disabled Facilities
New poolside facilities for people with disabilities will be officially opened at Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre by pupils from Riverwalk School on Wednesday 23 June.
The new £10,000 purpose-built poolside changing and assistance area means that access to the pools would be possible for the first time for children and potentially vulnerable adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities. The facilities can be used by both individual members of the public with disabilities and for those whose disabilities are more severe and require additional support from helpers and equipment.
New equipment has been brought in including a pool hoist stretcher trolley, specialist changing bed and an overhead hoist. The new area and equipment will now enable movement within the room to all areas, such as the toilet, shower, basin, and transition from wheelchair to either the pool hoist chair or pool hoist stretcher trolley.
Simon Ginders-Coxshall, General Manager of Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, said: “The Leisure Centre has always provided facilities for the disabled but this project has allowed us to expand that provision and enable those with severe disabilities to come and use our fantastic pool. We are delighted Riverwalk School has agreed to open the new facilities as the pupils use our facilities regularly and will directly benefit from this project.”
The project cost £10,000 with Abbeycroft Leisure, who runs Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, contributing £6,609, St Edmundsbury Borough Council £1,655 and Havebury Housing Partnership contributing a further £1,634 from its Community Investment Fund.
Gerry Taylor, Tenant Forum representative for Havebury, said: “A lot of thought went into the new changing facilities. They are extremely user friendly and a brilliant facility for the community.”
Cllr Robert Everitt from St Edmundsbury Borough Council said: “It is a wonderful facility and really includes everyone in the community. It gives disabled users more dignity by being able to change more easily.”
John Feveyear, Havebury’s Neighbourhood Manager, said: “This project has been a really good example of working together with other organisations to make the best use of funding available for community use through our Community Investment Focus Group.”
For Riverwalk School, which caters for pupils aged 3 -19 who have severe, profound and complex learning needs, it means that up to 25 children at any one time can take part in swimming lessons instead of the limited number that were able to do so before. Outside of school, parents of these children also now have the space and more equipment to enable them to help their children in and out of the changing rooms and pool.
Headteacher Audrey Finch said: “As a school that uses the pool every week we are very pleased with the new facilities. We were involved in the planning of the new changing and assistance area which is now easier to access for our pupils and staff and respects their dignity. It is very important that our pupils can access facilities in the community like swimming. Some of our pupils have muscular problems so swimming helps them to relax.”
Paralympian and Abbeycroft Leisure Sports Ambassador Brian Alldis said: “It is brilliant to have better access to the changing rooms closer to the pool. It will make things so much easier for disabled users.”