Our Achievements

Dudley Volunteer Award - Access in Dudley

In 2014, we won a volunteer award at the Dudley Council for Voluntary Services (DCVS) award ceremony. It was for our commitment to volunteering.

Dudley Park Audits:

The audits were completed by a team of disabled people who looked at all the paths, play equipment, seating, signage and any other facility in each of the parks. We noted our findings and compiled an access audit with recommendations where improvements could be made.

Because of topography, certain parks such as Marsh Park, Brierley Hill cannot be recommended as suitable for people with some disabilities. However, most parks have a disabled-friendly route identified as ‘accessible’ suitable for some wheelchair users and people with limited mobility.

These ‘accessible’ routes are posted on the notice boards near each park’s main entrances.

Click here to follow the link to the Council’s website to find out more about the parks and open spaces in your area. www.dudley.gov.uk/parks-open-spaces

Accessible Play Equipment

AID and ME2 worked together to identify types of accessible play equipment. Because of costs, 4 wheelchair accessible roundabouts with locking sections were installed at parks in each corner of the Borough, one at Tenscore, Sedgley, one at Stevens Park, Wollescote, one in Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge and one at the Cott Lane play area.

For a full list of wheelchair accessible roundabouts and other accessible play equipment, please search the Dudley Council web pages for details.

www.dudley.gov.uk/play-facilities

We only recommend the G L Jones lockable wheelchair accessible roundabout for safety reasons.

Healthy Hubs

In partnership with the Primary Care Trust (PCT), Dudley Borough Council have installed Healthy Hubs in some parks.

This is a building that can be used by groups for exercise classes. These are staffed, part of the time with staff that are proficient in exercise programs to help us all to be fitter.
These parks have also had outdoor exercise equipment installed, the selection of which A.I.D. advised on.

www.lets-get.com/explore/healthy-hubs

“Dudley Healthy Towns is a Department of Health (DoH) national pilot scheme that supports the national Change 4 Life movement. Its aim is to develop innovative ways to prevent obesity through supportive environmental change.

This has been done through increased activity opportunities via the development of five ‘Healthy Hubs’ and a network of ‘Active Corridors’. Each Healthy Hub is a local park that has had a building with toilets, an activity ranger, improved play areas and footpaths and the provision of new outdoor gym equipment. It is particularly in relation to the outdoor gym equipment where Access in Dudley’s (AID) input was invaluable."

Dean Hill

Physical Activity Programme Manager, Public health, NHS Dudley. Food and Nutrition Programme Manager, Public health, NHS Dudley. Head of Healthy Towns, Public health, NHS Dudley. Dudley MBC.

AIDs’ role started right at the beginning in 2008 when they were asked to assess a pilot gym in the borough for accessibility for people with differing degrees of disability. Their experience with their members and their knowledge of the range and scope of certain conditions meant that the equipment became more inclusive than exclusive. This input then informed how the Healthy Towns equipment was implemented, to include lower heights, signage and contrasting colours. Post implementation, a further review was held during a site visit and it was identified that the exercise bikes could be a problem for some users who had to step on to a moving part. It was suggested that a fixed step could be developed to bye- pass this problem, this was subsequently adopted as good practice by the company and is on all the hub sites. The input from AID has I believe enabled greater use of the equipment from all ages and abilities, and their input is always realistic and supportive, they recognise the real world situations that organisations work in and support them to be inclusive, therefore providing a meaningful service for the borough.”

Park Standards

The park standards document, written by AID after 30 park audits, along with Dudley MBC Officers was adopted in 2013.

The document aims to make access to parks easier to those with disabilities. We hope that all new parks and refurbishments of existing parks will follow the guidance.

Dudley Market Place Redevelopment

Access in Dudley, amongst other interested parties and bodies, consulted on the redevelopment of the historic market place. A.I.D. recommended that the town’s new toilets had a changing places facility installed.

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