Asda Newport is the first retailer on the Island to benefit from a Changing Places room, a national initiative that promotes the needs of people with physical and mental disabilities.
The idea of a Changing Places room is that it provides a safe and private, accessible space that meets the needs of disabled people, whatever they may be.
Asda’s planning and construction team worked alongside Changing Places to ensure the room is as functional as possible for a wide variety of disabilities. Among the facilities in the room are a changing bench, adjustable hoist and a specialist toilet, all within a secure and clean environment.
To ensure the room is used correctly, it remains locked until opened with a universal Radar Key. However, should a customer not have a universal Radar Key of their own, colleagues on the customer service desk will also be able to assist with the opening of the room.
Changing Places Consortium, which is behind the initiative, launched its campaign to improve public disabled facilities in 2006. The consortium found that over a quarter of million people cannot currently access a standard public toilet, meaning that spaces such as the Changing Places room are a vital facility.
Kenny Farrell, general store manager at Asda Newport Isle of Wight, said:
“We’re proud that our store is among the first Island retailer to offer a Changing Places room to our customers.
“These rooms are a fantastic facility for those with physical and mental disabilities and the whole team here is glad that we’re able to provide this space, which will I’m sure, make a massive difference to disabled customers and where applicable, their parents and carers.”
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Other locations for Changing Places rooms on the Isle of Wight are at County Hall, The Riverside Centre and the Downside Community and Learning Centre, Pan.
