We were thrilled to be invited to the official opening of a newly installed Changing Places Toilet at The Royal Armouries in Leeds on Monday.
Installed by Astor Bannerman, the project was made possible due to funds received from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport as part of the Culture Recovery Fund.
The installation of a Changing Places facility opens up the possibility of a day out to people who would previously have been excluded from enjoying a visit to the national collection of arms and armour. The new facility at the Royal Armouries adds to the national network of 1,625 toilets.
An existing toilet and lobby area was re-configured to create the ideal space for the new Changing Places Toilet.
Astor Bannerman were responsible for all elements of the project; providing a turnkey service which included all planning, design, construction and equipment installation.
The team worked to ensure minimum disruption to the venue and its visitors, making sure that all demolition work was conducted when the venue was closed.
Mark Colebrook, Astor Bannerman’s Managing Director said;
“We are particularly proud to have completed another turnkey installation, converting an existing WC and lobby to a complete Changing Places room and installing Astor Bannerman equipment to the latest standards”
The equipment in the Changing Places toilet includes:
– ABW-CP Height Adjustable Wash Basin
– Peninsular Toilet
– Personalised Privacy Screen
– Accessories including support rails
Changing Places toilets are designed to meet the access requirements of a quarter of a million people with disabilities across the UK. They must meet a set specification which requires them to be larger, and include more specialist equipment such as a hoist, changing bench and privacy screen, which are not found in standard accessible toilets.
The official opening of the facility was celebrated with children from West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre in Leeds, a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 with a wide range of additional needs. The pupils enjoyed an object handling session with the Royal Armouries education team and explored the galleries as part of their visit.
Christine Hampshere, a parent of a child visiting said
“Our daughter has Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy, and requires a wheelchair to get about. Having suitable changing places toilet facilities at the Royal Armouries means that the museum and Leeds Dock area are now somewhere that we can visit as a family. Thank you very much to all involved in making this happen”
Phil Sugden, Head of Facilities for the Royal Armouries said
“It is wonderful to be able to welcome the children from West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre to the museum as we officially open our Changing Places facility. It is by investing in our site to make it more accessible that enables even more visitors to be able to experience the museum and experience how we bring history to life.”
Sarah Riley principal of West Leeds SILC West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre – Home (westsilc.co.uk)
“We certainly can’t plan day trips out without knowing there are Changing Place toilet facilities available so it great to see a range of Leeds venues providing them.”
Not only does this improve the accessibility of the Royal Armouries but also increases provision within Leeds City Centre as the facility will be open for all members of the public to use, not only museum visitors.
Bairbre McKendrick, Access Officer Leeds City Council said
“We are delighted to see another popular visitor attraction in Leeds now offer a changing places toilet to their customers. Royal Armouries is often used by schools for educational visits and now all our schools can come and see what the museum has to offer.”
Nick Kent (Co-Founder of Aveso, who sponsored the Changing Places campaign) added
“Fantastic to help another popular destination adopting a Changing Places, this wasn’t a straightforward installation, and the museum were determined to ensure Changing Places are at the forefront of their accessibility offering”.
ABOUT ASTOR BANNERMAN
Astor Bannerman offer the full range of products specified by Changing Places regulations, including fixed and mobile changing tables, hoists, height adjustable washbasins, toilets and accessories. We are always developing new products, and are proud to have developed the Astor Invincible, the first changing table designed specifically for Changing Places toilets.
ABOUT AVESO
The team at Aveso are passionate about Changing Places toilets. They have supported the official Changing Places campaign since 2013, and can provide free, expert advice on all aspects of the Changing Places planning and design process.