The Lodge Parkside Hospital

The Lodge that is part of Parkside Hospital that is a private hospital, The Lodge has a physio gym and a massage room (that I did not see) I went to the Lodge to use their Hydrotherapy Pool after I had an assessment before hand by a Neuro Physio who will go in the Hydrotherapy Pool with you.

There is a accessible toilet before you go enter the Hydro Pool, but there is no toilet at the poolside. The changing room is accessible to wheelchairs but as you enter the pool area there is a small ridge that you need to mind.

The Hydrotherapy Pool is 35c, also it has a shallow end and deep end that are clearly marked by a step, as you will be with a physio in the water you will be quite safe.

I had a short Watsu session by the physio. The floor round the pool has non slip tiles, you enter the pool by either being lowered into the pool by a chair hoist, they don't have a overhead hoist or by the stairs that have an handle both sides, as well as round the pool.

Photo of myself and the physio in the Hydro Pool

the parkside hospital logo.

At The Lodge there is not a cafe but if you go to the 1st floor that can be rteached by either stairs or lift. You can help yourself to either tea or wonderful coffee ( filter coffee from the machine that also has a hot water tap). Sugar milk and spoons are ready to use at the side.

How to find the hospital:

To find out more visit the website at

http://www.parkside-hospital.co.uk/index0.asp

Photo of myself having Watsu by the physio

Acccessablity Score:

Bar Estilo,Restaurant and Bar

Estilo Restaurant Log

This Restaurant is fully wheelchair accessible, the table and chairs are not fixed so can be moved out of the way if needs be.

Some of the dishes on the menu are:

Honey Glazed Chicken, Chargrilled brest of chicken with Spanish Rice and Black bean chilli and honey glazed

Penne Pasta with chicken, and Cajun spiced and mustard cream sauce.

Inside and outside the cafecafe

The Staff are very friendly and the coffee is good, if you don't want the music on in your area they will swich of the speakers in that area.

Please note that there is a area that is up 3 steps, and has a handrail, but if your in a wheelchair you won't need to go anywhere near them.

Opened in August 1998
Refurbished in June 2006
Seating for 100 diners plus a comfortable bar
Located in the heart of Broad Street an ideal venue to stop off for a glass of wine or a sangria and some tapas whilst shopping
Easily accessed by public transport. Only a five minute walk from Teddington mainline station while neighbouring Twickenham, Hampton Hill and Kingston are only a short bus ride away
Non-smoking tables available

If you want to find out more visit their website at:

www.barestilo.co.uk/

Accessablity Score:

Stepping On Out

Stepping on Out Logo

Stepping On out is a group of learning disabled people who have come together to create Christmas Cards and other sorts of cards by hand.

They have a shop thast is also there office,so it is accessible there is one tiny step but it is nothing to worry about. When I went for a visit to get some Christmas Cards for the forum at Hampton Court because one othe the learning disabled artists designs was a card with of Hampton Court Palace on it that is ideal for what I want.

In January 2008 we moved from Teddington Baptist Church to larger premises in Hampton Road, Twickenham so we could provide gainful employment for even more people with learning disabilities who will help us with production as well as simple administration tasks. These new premises were officially opened by the Mayor of Richmond on 30 January 2008.

This is the group of Staff at Stepping On Out.

When I went to visit I was welcomed warmly and they offered me a seat.

the Stepping On Out shop.

I was very impressed by the fact they have used Yellow and Black for the sign obove the shop, they said they wanted it to stand out.

Some of the great cards made by Stepping On Out's Staff

Stepping on Out 35 Hampton Road Twickenham Middlesex TW2 5QE UK tel: +44 (0) 20 8744 8440

The Address of Stepping On Out

Stepping on Out is a Non Profit project for more information visit the Stepping on Out Website at:

http://www.steppingonout.org.uk/ the site is also yellow and black.

Our offices are open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 4.30pm

Please visit the shop and Website because the work is great.

Accessiblity Score:

Teddington Hydrotherapy Pool

Teddington Hydrotherapy Pool, in Teddington next door to Teddington main pool, it has a blue and orange sign with an arrow pointing to the pool.

Photo of Teddington Hydrotherapy Pool.

This pool is great for anyone who suffers from aches and pains or those who are in wheelchairs and when in the water they feel free.

The water temp. is 35-36c - it can be warmer or a bit cooler depending whether the boiler is playing up or not.

There are accessible changing rooms and a shower room that is also an accessible toilet, there is a shower that you can use that is just by the Hydrotherapy Pool.

To enter the pool there are steps but there is also a hoist chair that the lifeguards can help use.

The price to use Teddington Hydrotherapy Pool is £12 from 10am - 11am or you can choose from the times that you can use the Hydrotherapy Pool from the website at:

http://richmond.gov.uk/ro/home/leisure_and_culture/sports/sports_facilities/teddington_pools_fitness_centre/teddington_hydrotherapy_pool.htm?ts=larger

to find out the times etc.

There is a small car park with four bays at an angle and also half a disabled bay by the ramp that takes the other half.

There is either a steep slope to the Hydrotherapy Pool or a gentle ramp down, there are walking frames that you can use to reach the poolside.

Just inside the entrance are two metal tables and chairs that you can use if you are waiting for your slot in the Hydrotherapy Pool, there is not a drinks machine that you can get coke from but they have put a water dispenser that you can use.

If you want to comment on anything to do with the Hydro Pool visit this page of the website:

http://forms.richmond.gov.uk/AF3/an/default.aspx/RenderForm/?F.Name=RkPcdskVcpk&Referring_Page=teddington_hydrotherapy_pool

The pool is 10 metres long and it has a metal bar all the way round the pool for you to hold onto if you wish.

I go on Saturday morning and I have a set of exercises that I do in the water I also swim some lengths if the pool is not too busy.

How to get there
By bus: 281, 285, R68 (alight in High St), 33 (alight in Waldegrave Rd) By train: Teddington Station By car: Pay and display parking on site (fee is fully refunded when using pool).

more detailed map made by Google go to:

http://richmond.gov.uk/ro/home/community_and_living/local_maps/sports_map.htm?category=sport&point=3&ts=larger

Accessiblity Score:

Olympia London

The logo for the Back Show at Olympia, London.



Tickets are £12.50p or £7.50 if you book in advace



The Back show was held at Olympia London on Saturday the 4th of October from 10am-6pm and Sunday 5th October 2008 10am-4pm, The hall in the building was accessible to wheelchairs and people with moblity problems due to the fact that they have a platform lift.


The stalls at the back show included:

1. Chiropractic Clinic




2. Art of Swimming




3. BUY A BEAN BAGLtd




4. Swopper Beds




5. Sit Kneel Chairs




6. BMI Healthcare




7. The Back Store




8. Heat and Click




9. Back Care




10. Bowen Therapist's

and many more...

As well as the stalls where you can buy everything to help your back from shoes to pillows, you can also have a break and enjoy a Massage from the:

Relaxation & Treatment Zone, where you can have:

• Price - £15 for 15 mins
  Traditional Japanese Medicine

• Price - £25 for 20 minute taster treatment
  Anma Massage




• Head, Neck & Shoulders – £15 for 15 mins




• Oxygen Therapy £10 for 10 mins

and more

There is a cafe stall where you can get a cup of tea, coffee etc and cakes and that kind of thing.

They have a accessible toilet at the back of the hall just by the massage.

image from this years back show 2008

photo of building

Accessablity Score:

The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

The Kew Gardens Logo

Kew Gardens is a wonderful place to visit when the weather is fine, there are three gates into Kew Gardens that are

The Victoria Gate, The Brentford Gate, The Lion Gate

The Lion Gate (see lion on top of gate0

Kew Gardens is fully accessable you can hire wheelchairs and scooters free of charge to help you get around the gardens.

Ticket Prices:

Day entry 1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009
Adults
£13
Concessions
£12
Children under 17 (accompanied by an adult)
FREE


Late entry (45 minutes before Glasshouses close)
£12
Disabled visitors
£12
Registered blind/partially-sighted visitors
FREE
Essential carers of wheelchair users and blind/partially-sighted visitors
FREE

The Pagoda at Kew Gardens

You must be getting hungry now, that is no problem Kew Gardens has three cafes to choose from

The Victoria Gate Cafe

The White Peaks

The Orangery

The White Peaks caters to those who like Hambargers and Hogdogs and pastys etc they sell all the normal drinks from Tea to Hot Chocolate

The Victoria Gate Cafe sells Sandwiches and cakes and a limited line on hot pies

The Orangery is nore of a sit down place where you can get a hot meal and soup you can also get wine beer cakes sandwiches and the normal drinks lattie tea coffee etc.

The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art is Now Open

This new art gallery is accessable via ramp (just off the photo) and is great for those who like Botanical Art.

Kew has just opened a new Tree Top Walkway but it is not accessible at this moment due to a problem with the lift.

The Map of Kew Gardens. If you want it bigger go to http://www.kew.org/visitor/kew-map.htm where you can get the interactive map.

The Kew Explorer is a train tour that takes you round and there is a wheelchir space at the back of the train, tickets cost £4.00 adult and £1.00 children

Temperate House

'The Discovery' Bus this bus is ideal for disabled people you can hire the bus for a group of friends and you can go round the gardens like VIP's door to door and the great thing is it is FREE.

Unfortunately guided tours on the Discovery Bus are temporarily suspended whilst we recruit a Discovery Bus Driver/Co-ordinator. We anticipate the service resuming on 1 September 2008 and apologise for any disappointment caused

To find out more please visit the website at:http://www.kew.org/

Accessablity Score: