Slimbridge Wetland Centre has opened a new Changing Places toilet, making the popular wildlife attraction more accessible to visitors with disabilities.
The new facility provides guests with a larger space, changing bench, hoist and accessible wash basin, in an effort to improve the visitor experience for people with learning and physical disabilities.
Construction of the new toilet began in autumn 2022, after Slimbridge was awarded a grant from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in association with Muscular Dystrophy UK, with additional funding provided by Stroud District Council.
General manager of Slimbridge, Gary Haseley-Nejrup, said: 'We are delighted to have received funding for this essential Changing Places toilet for our centre.
'We want everyone to feel welcome here and to make their visit as enjoyable as possible. We have committed to making our centre an accessible day out and we’re so pleased we can offer this facility to our visitors.'
Welcoming around 250,000 visitors each year, one of Slimbridge's main aims is to help people connect with wetlands and wildlife, so it hopes the new toilet facilities will extend this to more visitors with additional needs.
As part of its accessibility improvements, the popular Welly Boot Land play area has been refurbished with new levelled surfacing, making it more inclusive for little visitors, too.
Chair of community services and licensing committee at Stroud District Council, Chancellor Chris Brine, added: 'Improving and championing equality, diversity and inclusion is a key objective of our Council Plan, so I was really pleased we were able to support WWT Slimbridge to install the new Changing Places toilet. It will enable many more visitors to enjoy a day out in the district.'
For more information, see Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
