Following the announcement of the partnership between Astor Bannerman and Military Veteran Training Charity Building Heroes in September, ex Royal Marines Commando Dylan Demetrious-Wilde was involved in a collaborative project last month, his company installing a Changing Places Toilet at Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth.
The hotel in the heart of the south coast seaside town is making a number of changes to improve accessibility, including the installation of the brand-new Changing Places Toilet, a sensory room, a new lift to improve access at the front of the building, as well as hoists in some of the bedrooms. The improvements have been made possible by a match-funded bounce-back grant from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
The equipment in the Changing Places toilet included:
– ABW6 Height Adjustable Wash Basin
– Peninsular Toilet
– Privacy Screen
– Accessories including support rails
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ASTOR BANNERMAN & BUILDING HEROES
Following on from the Government’s announcement of £30m of funding for the implementation of Changing Places Toilet projects across England, Astor Bannerman and Building Heroes were incredibly proud to launch a collaboration in September, enabling Military Veterans to install Changing Places Toilets throughout the UK.
Building Heroes is a charity that has provided skills training to Military Veterans and support into employment in the building trades since 2014. Its aim is to tackle unemployment nationwide amongst those who have kept us safe by offering them a seamless transition to a new career in construction.
Brendan Williams (Chief Executive) of Building Heroes states:
“When we were approached by Astor Bannerman to see if we could build a programme to utilise the skills of the 120,000 unemployed Military Veterans in the UK we saw this opportunity as the perfect fit. Many of our veterans have first-hand experience of disabilities and the challenges these present, so to train our Veteran graduates to install Changing Places Toilets was an obvious and exciting opportunity. The £30m of Government funding is being distributed through Local Authorities, and with many of them having some connection with the forces, it sends a positive message. Installing Changing Places Toilet equipment is a careful and safety-critical process that requires specific knowledge and high standards. I can think of no-one better qualified than our Building Heroes graduates, with their military upbringing and experience of our Building Heroes training courses”
Mark Colebrook (Managing Director) of Astor Bannerman adds:
“As a UK manufacturer of Changing Places equipment this is a perfect partnership, ensuring Changing Places investment benefits UK manufacturing with the subsequent employment this brings, as well as giving opportunities to Building Heroes’ highly trained labour force. We have been manufacturing Changing Places equipment since 2001 and are already the UK’s leading provider of Changing Places equipment, having installed Changing Places in a wide range of locations from the Tower of London to Manchester United Football Club. We have the upmost confidence in the Building Heroes graduates to install our safety critical equipment”.
Changing Places campaigners Need2Change said:
“As parents of children and young adults with complex disabilities who need Changing Places toilets, we are delighted to see the building of more Changing Places in our communities. They make such a difference to disabled people, their friends, families, carers and companions. It means disabled people and families, such as ours, can spend quality time out of our homes and participate in everyday life, just like everyone else.”
CONTACT US
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. They 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.