Friday, 13 July 2007

A week in Somerset


I've just come back from a week in Somerset and did the usual bus driver's holiday of checking the local access facilities and comparing them to those visitors to Cambridge would encounter.


I stayed in a farm cottage, which though not perfectly accessible has won some government access awards. See http://www.doublegatefarm.com/



We stayed in near Wells and in sight of Glastonbury Tor. Last year they were filming Hot Fuzz in the City and so we dutifully watch the said DVD while in the locale. Wells Cathedral and Bishop's Palace do their best to give access to their medieval constructions. Though the Wells and Mendip Museum has very little access to their collections.

http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/



I visited a couple of regional attractions. The SS Great Britain, which is one of the first steam ships, rather than a British wing of Hitler's regime and was designed by Brunel. Brunel was an incredible engineer turning his mind to trains, ships, railways and bridges, one man doing what 4 seperate companies would do now. I wondered what access inventions he could have been nominated for for the Way To Be Awards if he were our contemporary. The ship is in dry dock, though a lift can take all to an underwater experience to see the hull of the ship. Both the museum and ship have good disabled access and the SS Britain is well worth a visit.

http://www.ssgreatbritain.org



The New Orleans Bedroom at the American Museum


Another visit was to the American Museum near Bath. I didn't know what the museum would hold and it is housed in a stately home. The collection was of American antiquites, including those of the first peoples and of all periods since the arrival of the Europeans. Within the house are actually rooms from Wild West taverns, settlers farmsteads and southern plantation houses.

http://www.americanmuseum.org/


Mark J Taylor

Thursday, 12 July 2007

Swimming for All


Swimming for All at Chesterton Sports Centre

Another 2006 nomination was for the management team at Chesterton Sports Centre, who went to great trouble to make it possible for local blind and partially sighted residents to enjoy the benefits of going swimming.
The photo shows the swimmers who go along on Tuesday afternoons at 2.opm. As well as the usual lifeguard, regular volunteers are on hand to provide any help required by partially-sighted swimmers. Don't worry, someone will look after your guide dog!

Monday, 2 July 2007

Welcome to The Way To Be Awards blog

Mark Taylor, Access OfficerI am Mark Taylor and I am the Access Officer at Cambridge City Council. I work in the Planning Department, because an important part of my time is spent in looking at planning applications for new developments, and advising people on how best to make changes to old buildings.

Although helpfulness and consideration are as old as mankind, some changes needed legislation, and that's what the Disability Discrimination Act (the DDA) did in 2004. Now all services, businesses and public buildings have to consider how everyone, including people with disabilities, get in, join in and find their way around.

Mark at workBusinesses nominated for The Way To Be awards in 2006 included a lot of shops and taxi drivers, which is not surprising when you consider how important it is to be able to get where you want to go, and to buy the things you need. Everyday things that many people take for granted, but the people who nominated our 2006 heroes didn't take them for granted and we will be featuring them on this blog over the coming weeks.