Holidays and Leisure
We know that respite is really important for our mental wellbeing as well as being great for a physical rest. Unfortunately organising holidays and leisure activities can prove difficult for someone who has a disability. We have compiled some great contacts/organisations who you may find useful to look into when you book your next break away.
Swim independently and safely in the sea with the Seatrac system
SEATRAC is a free service that offers unassisted sea access to people with disabilities and mobility issues. You choose a beach that you wish to visit, get access to a remote control to operate the Seatrac system, then go to the beach.
The system is currently available at over 100 beaches in Greece plus some beaches in Cyprus and Italy. The number of locations is growing.
To find out more about how it works and on which beaches you can find it, visit the Seatrac website and watch their video.
Enable My Trip
Enable My Trip is a charity run by a small team of dedicated volunteers who research accessible travel services and accommodation in the UK and abroad, then list them on their website. They provide real information about what 'accessible' means, which you cannot find on other travel comparison websites. Please note: this is a knowledge and information website, you cannot make a booking through them.
Brook Miller Mobility
Brook Miller Mobility are a company who sell accessible motorhomes (as well as a range of other accessible vehicles). The Liberation CB and CV were the recent winners of the Able Magazines "Best in show" award at the 2018 Naidex event.
The motorhomes will be custom designed to meet their customers individual needs so you can make specific adjustments to suit you. There are 3 different models in the Liberation range:
- Liberation VC - A van conversion motorhome
- Liberation CV - A disabled caravan
- Liberation CB - A coach build motorhome
JollyDays
JollyDays provide supported holidays for adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities. They have a team of dedicated workers who run the holidays and packages can be arranged with a broad range of activities including cooking, painting, abseiling, theme park trips and many more!
AccessAble (previously Disabled Go)
When it comes to organising day trips, booking a hotel or even going to the cinema, AccessAble provides independence when making your choice. Simply enter what you would like to do, where you'd like to go and the radius around that area and the search engine will find the best, most accessible options for you in that area.
Details are provided about the accessibility, the WC and the parking amongst other important factors when booking a trip or meal. There's also a handy index of all the shopping centres in the country and their levels of accessibility.
Visit the AccessAble website and read their guide on how to use the website to get the most out of it.
Brickhouse Farm Cottages
Purpose built in 2013, Brickhouse Farm Cottages are designed to be accessible luxury self-catering holiday homes in Blackpool. There are a host of activities near by, private hot tubs, fishing lakes and 5 of the cottages are dog friendly. There are hoists available in both the bedrooms and the hydrotherapy pool, the family who run the homes just ask that you specify your needs before you book. There are 12 cottages in total.
Revitalise
Revitalise are a national charity who provide respite holidays for disabled people and their carers. There are a choice of locations and they also hold events, activities and fundraisers. Their holidays include 24 hour on-call nursing care, fully accessible facilities and plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. From themed music nights to casino parties, there is something to cater for every interest. You can help fundraise to keep the charity going and they also recruit volunteers to help out at their centres and shops with no experience necessary. There are three locations where Revitalise are based; Southport, Chigwell and Southampton.
