Accessible to all: New look Redi Centre leads the way in facilities - The Redditch Standard

Accessible to all: New look Redi Centre leads the way in facilities

Redditch Editorial 10th Aug, 2020   0

A FORMER Redditch school built in the 1800s has burst into the 21st Century with state-of-the-art ‘Changing Places’ facilities.

The Redi Centre in South Street is nearing the completion of a major £349,000 renovation courtesy of the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.

As well as making it fully accessible throughout, the building work at the Redditch Youth and Community Enterprise building will feature new Changing Places toilet facilities – soon to be made compulsory for new buildings in England from next year.

These are large, accessible toilets for severally disabled people – and they’ll be open to all members of the public, not just Redi Centre users.




The facilities include a hoist, shower, changing benches, space for carers and even a fully adjustable washbasin.

“It will be available for anyone who comes up to the Redi Centre,” said Ray Groves, its chairman.


It is believes that across the UK there are more than 250,000 severally handicapped people in need of facilities like the ones soon to be opened at the Redi Centre.

With building work expected to finish the complex is planning a staged re-opening in August as the lockdown eases.

“We’ll initially be offering study facilities for young people,” said Ray.

“We have 12 PCs in our computer suite which are free to use and laptops and we can also offer quiet places for study.

“We’re going to be taking it nice and slow though with perhaps the youth clubs starting up from mid-August through to September, but definitely the study groups to start with.”

The Redi Centre is in South Street, Mount Pleasant, just outside the Kingfisher Shopping Centre.

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