Closomat’s Changing Places has enabled anyone who needs more space, lifting or changing as part of their toileting needs to enjoy Crawley’s town centre, knowing there are suitable facilities.
A mum with an autistic son, Maria Cook, took matters into her own hands and found a new venue, raised the funding, sourced and organised the equipment.
“It means Ryan and I, and all the families like us, who need the extra benefits of a Changing Places, can do ‘normal’ things – go shopping, meet friends for lunch, and relax,” explains Maria.
The challenges Maria and Ryan face are issues that potentially millions of people live with. Tens of thousands of people with impairments require space, lifting and changing.
Maria, with the support of her local Councillor Chris Oxlade and County Mall manager Mark Haynes, agreed the old, disused public convenience building adjacent to the County Mall could be used for the Changing Places facility.
County Mall covered the cost of the labour for the fit out – removing the old toilets, ceilings, floors, electrics, and installing the new ceiling track hoist, height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench, washbasin, and Closomat Palma Vita bidet toilet. West Sussex Big Society Fund donated the money for the equipment and installation.
“It’s a toilet to end all toilets! It’s much more hygienic for whoever’s using the loo: it has build-in washing and drying, so there’s no need for wiping with loo paper,” Maria explained.
The latest Women & Equality Parliamentary Select Committee report has recommended that Changing Places become a required element of any new large building. Nearly 1000 Changing Places have been opened across the UK since the launch.
Under British Standards, a Changing Places is in addition to conventional wheelchair accessible toilets, and provides 12m2, with additional equipment including an adult-sized height adjustable changing bench and ceiling track hoist.
The company can provide an in-house, ‘one- stop-shop’ complete package for ‘away from home’ assisted accessible toilet facilities, from design and commissioning, through to project management, supply and installation, and can also provide subsequent maintenance and repair.
Contact:
Closomat
Building 1, Brooklands Place,
Brooklands Road,
Sale,
Cheshire,
M33 6SD,
United Kingdom
For heating solutions in PICUs, you may be thinking about an LST radiator, but is it the best solution? Contour discusses…
Posted in Articles, Building Industry News, Building Services, Facility Management & Building Services, Health & Safety, Heating Systems, Controls and Management, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC, Interiors, Plumbing, Security and Fire ProtectionBritish ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia announces it has been nominated in two categories in the prestigious Electrical Wholesaler Awards 2021.
Posted in Air Conditioning, Articles, Awards, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Services, Health & Safety, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC, Innovations & New Products, Interiors, newsGranada Glazing design, manufacture and install bespoke aluminium secondary glazing for an original 1960s fenestration at One Redcliff Street.
Posted in Aluminium Products, Articles, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Systems, Case Studies, Glass, Glazing, Insulation, Posts, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency, WindowsWorking with ASSA ABLOY BIM consultants helps Zarhy Architects and STUDIO PEZ maintain the flow of up-to-date information for a complex, always evolving project
Posted in Access Control & Door Entry Systems, Architectural Ironmongery, BIM, Infrastructure & CAD Software, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Systems, Case Studies, Doors, Facility Management & Building Services, Health & Safety, Information Technology, Posts, Retrofit & Renovation, Security and Fire Protection