Access-Ability

Access-Ability folded towards to end of 2009. This page is no longer being updated, and exists only for reference.

The aim of the Group is to facilitate people with a variety of impairments to access to mainstream activities.

The Group was formally started in May 2001 to help reduce isolation of disabled people in South Gloucestershire (Frome Vale Area).

Click here to download our information leaflet [PDF, 120kB].

Get in touch

We have two telephone help lines: 01454 329930 for Ann, and 01454 317461 for Kay.

You can also email the centre: or write to us at: 37 Batten Court, Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire BS37 6BL

We have over 100 individuals and organisations on our mailing list. Click here [PDF, 45kB] to download a Friends of Access-Ability membership form.

Newsletters

March 2009 newsletter [PDF, 1514kB]
December 2008 newsletter [PDF, 1049kB]
October 2008 newsletter [PDF, 4440kB]
September 2008 newsletter [PDF, 4306kB]
July 2008 newsletter [PDF, 176kB]
April 2008 newsletter [PDF, 174kB]
February 2008 newsletter [PDF, 427kB]
October 2007 newsletter [PDF, 490kB]

Current Projects:

• Shopmobility South Gloucestershire: Yate's Shopmobility now has over 400 members. Lottery funding for five years for a mobile unit which opened in Staple Hill and Thornbury in December 2007. Unfortunately Staple Hill has closed and Thornbury is under threat. New venues are being sought.
• Wheel On The Wildside: Our project to turn the old workhouse kitchen garden (Ridgewood), into a multi-impairment accessible conservation area. There has been an open meeting of interested parties and there will be a conservation area and community orchard on the site. See below for more information.
• Racewood Simulator: Fund raising for another passive exercise machine. We have ordered the RDA Model, minus the canter movement and now need to raise enough to install the canter which will cost in the region of £15,000. £2,830.99 raised for 2nd Exercise Machine now in Yate Leisure Centre and £8,850 (thanks to Britannia B.S.) of £15,750 raised for 3rd Exercise Machine.
• Hearing Loops: Available for free loan to groups and individuals. These are under-utilised, so we are looking to increase publicity.
• Research for a campaign for accessible transport and the infrastructure to support it.
• Filming: Our latest Access film is under production and will highlight the difficulty of level access for mobility scooters, wheelchairs and powered wheelchairs from Yate to Chipping Sodbury.
• Access Brochure: Issue 2 under development

Current Networking Activities:

• Direct Payment Review [Bill and Ann]
• Disability Equality Network Advisors (Bill & Ann)
• Orchard View Review
• Yate Health Centre Steering Group
• Yate Town Plan Steering Group (Ann: Sodbury; Bill & Ann: Yate): We are to undertake disabled access audits of Yate, the Frome Valley Walkway and local conservation areas as part of the Plan
• Disabled Christian Fellowship
• Community Hospital Involvement Group (Bill: Yate, Ann: Thornbury)
• Area Transport Forum
• The Care Forum
• Physical & Sensory Impairment Board Meetings (Bill)
• S. Glos. Social Service advisory committees (Kay)
• Shopmobility meetings (Kay and Ann)
• S.G. Disability Action Group Meetings (Bill and Ann)

2008 Activities

• St George's Day Celebrations at Yate Heritage Centre
• Trip to Welsh National Museum
• Visit to the Eden Project
• MS Society Wheel and Walk in Windsor Great Park
• Visits to Tortworth Estate Farm, Grimsby Road Community Farm and Grays Organic Farm
• Visits to Cotswold Spring Brewery and Winterbourne Festival of Apples

Achievements to date:

• Development Worker funded
• Implementation of Constitution and Equality Statement
• Implementation of Aims and Objectives
• A well-run Bank Account
• Regular meetings – informal, friendly and well organised
• Effective Networking
• ACCESS-ABILITY STILL EXISTS!!!!

Wheel On The Wildside

The accessible conservation area will have an eco-friendly wheelchair-accessible trail to allow sensory and physically impaired people to experience an adventure in the natural world. A viewing platform would be placed over the River Frome, and a viewing scope on it to watch the wonders of aquatic life.

We envisage encouraging birds, bats and butterflies by providing nesting boxes, with an accessible hide to enable bird spotting suitably placed. Trees will have braille name plates for the visually impaired. There will be an area with nettles, thistles and aromatic plants which can be both smelled and touched. A suitably sited weather station would allow temperature, rainfall and wind speed to be studied.

There will be a quiet, safe area for children with learning difficulties. This will use light and water to create the type of fascination enjoyed by many children. Nowhere in Yate or Chipping Sodbury is there a safe place for families to recuperate in, or meditate.

An appreciation of other creatures can be encouraged by providing a habitat for both children and adults to interact with members of natural kingdom: a hearing loop installed with microphones to allow bird song and the river sounds to be heard. A sense of responsibility could be developed by offering the opportunity to assist trained volunteers with the maintenance of the conservation area.

We envisage that the running cost will be met by local authority grants, donations and members' (friends') subscription. Interested parties need to be co-opted onto a steering group to move this project forward. Groups contacted and a press release with a meeting venue, time and date. If you are interested please contact: Ann Hulme on 01454 329930.

Our Meetings:

• Monthly Management Committee Meetings
• Monthly Shopmobility Meetings
• Social Events - With guest speakers monthly
• Outsiders West Country Events monthly
• Christmas Dinner

Fundraising and Information Activities:

• Various Grants applied for
• Poster updated and displayed
• Quarterly Newsletter

Funding:

Access-Ability was initially supported by S. Glos. Community Development Unit and received input from the now defunct PROGRESS to identify its function within the community.

The Committee employed an Information /Development Worker in October 2002 for 7 hours a week, with grants from several local councils. This has enabled our initial aim to provide and signpost information, advocacy and advice to empower disabled people.

In October 2006, we increased this role to 15 hours and relieved the pressure on our volunteers, most of whom are themselves disabled. In 2009 we aim to make this a full time post.

We are now being funded by South Gloucestershire Council to support the work of the South Gloucestershire Disability Equality Network (the DEN). This is a Forum of disabled people and organisations of or for disabled people.