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Summer Days Out with AccessAble

As kids up and down the country is literally counting down the days until the 6 weeks holidays, I’m sure I echo many a parent when I say I am somewhat dreading them! Of course it’ll be nice not fretting over getting the littles to school by the bell, missing school jumpers, and forgetting to bring in that bottle of juice/chocolate bar for the tombola in exchange for a non-uniform day (guilty as charged – the shame), but I want to make the most of the time of not having to run around like a headless chicken and enjoy my girls. Sometimes though finding days out to prevent the boredom beast that are in fact accessible as well as entertaining for the littles is a military operation all on its own. Before I heard of AccessAble, I was a disabled Mum who’d spend hours scouring Google for fun places to go for the kids and hitting road blocks time after time when venues, event listings and such do not include or share very little access info, something our family needs the reassurance of. The pressure was immense to make sure I had the up to date access info, if I couldn’t find that online, it meant ranking up my phone bill just to get that peace of mind and most importantly – prevent a wasted trip to which my girls would bear the brunt of.

This Summer, this Mum is ahead of the game thanks to the AccessAble App! Being able to pop on my phone, filter down to location, type of venue i.e. attractions and click the accessibility symbols that are relevant to our family (wheelchair accessible, good lighting, level access/lifts – brownie points if it was within close proximity of a Changing Places loo) made it feel like we were any other family looking for activities to keep the kids busy over the summer. I blew it up on the tablet so my partner and my eldest (who are both partially sighted) can see better and told them, “these are all the kid friendly, us friendly places we could go to in the summer holidays, take your pick!” I cannot begin to tell you how great that felt.

With so much choice in the North West, we were spoilt for choice and eventually settled on the following;

Our bigger days out will be –

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre – Planet Pavilion and Potting Shed Café, Space and Star Pavilion, Macclesfield

This place appealed to us as my eldest daughter is really into space now and there’s no chance of them getting bored as there’s SO much to see, do and explore. It’s a place we can spend the whole day, it’s educational and the girls will get to be hands on (which is important sensory wise for my eldest from a visual perspective but equally great for my tearaway toddler). There’s even a picnic area and telescopes open to the public! Its most appealing accessibility features are the fact it’s level access for me as a wheelchair user, the lighting is good and there’s accessible toilets which feature contrasting colours which again is most helpful for those with vision loss.

Walton Hall Children’s Zoo

This gem of a find is what I see as a real British zoo what with it’s farm like animals from sheep to ducks, to cockatiels to Shetland ponies. Yes, I am going purely for the ponies! We haven’t had much luck with zoo’s in the past other than Chester, so this is an exciting venture. Based in Warrington again it’s all level access, footpaths wide enough for a wheelchair and has several accessible toilets – even in the children’s play area which you don’t really see!

Toy Story 4 as a family of 4 with access needs

We’re planning are to go see Toy Story 4 at the ODEON Preston where the AccessAble guide confirms that all 10 screens have wheelchair seating and audio description (a big win for my eldest and partner), subtitles and autism-friendly screenings available. The icing on the cake to go outside of Bolton to go see a film as a family is the fact this cinema DOES NOT only seat wheelchair users at the front. Being separated to see a film due to only 1 seat next to a wheelchair space or not having the vision/ability to tolerate sitting right in front of the screen (like in many new builds) has stopped us from going to see many films together. I cannot wait to be huddled together sharing popcorn with my tribe from the comfort of several rows back!

Plane spotting at Manchester Airport

With several Changing Places facilities right inside the airport itself, guided tours of legendary aircrafts like Nimrod and DC-10 are available to book for both schools and anybody interested. Although the plane tours and some educational areas are up several steps (so unsuitable for somebody like myself who cannot stand/walk at all), all staff have disability training, mobility aids are available and as long as you can mobilise stairs at your own pace – the staff would support you the best they could. I plan to chill out at level access Concord Restaurant or Coffee House that’s onsite while my partner takes our girls to the areas unsuitable for wheelchair users. You can get information on the tours in Braille and large print on request which we’re so impressed about too.

Whatever it is your little ones are into or you enjoy doing as a family, take the stress out of the planning by giving the AccessAble App a try, honestly, you’ll never look back – trust me!

Have a lovely summer everyone, whatever you get up to, make the most of it.

AccessAble Champion - North West