In recent years, we have carried out a lot of work at Springhead to make our buildings more accessible for our visitors. With the help of two grants, we have now turned our attention to the outside areas, and pathways have been upgraded to make them more suitable for wheelchair users and others with limited mobility.
A grant from the Big Lottery’s Awards for All fund enabled us to resurface the central courtyard (pictured), with self-binding gravel, and funding from the CLA Charitable Trust has paid for improving footpaths from the courtyard to our carpark and productive gardens. These were previously surfaced with loose gravel, paving slabs and grass, which made them very difficult for wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs and others.
All visitors to Springhead will benefit from the improved paths, including groups of children and young people who attend our day and residential events. Amongst these are pupils with special needs and life-limiting conditions, and their teachers and carers. With better outside access, it will now be much easier for these children to take part in outdoor activities at Springhead, such as gardening and learning about wildlife in our productive gardens.