Allsorts Stroud | 7th October 2019 

Accessibility Rating 

Physical 

Five out of five 

Sensory 

Five out of five 

Location: Allsorts
Level 3
Brunel Mall
Stroud
GL5 2BP

Introduction

Allsorts is a pan-disability charity that was founded in 2009 to help disabled children to be able to live as independently a life as possible. Allsorts gives children confidence in social situations that they may not have previously had. It also enables them to have the confidence to enter the wider community.
Family membership costs as little as £5 per member and £30 per organisation. Allsorts have 6 youth clubs and 10 sports clubs that include activities such as trampolining and boccia. They also arrange family trips and all activities are decided by the members to ensure that they are what everybody wants to do.

Parking and entrance

Allsorts is located on the top floor of Brunel Mall which has a car park attached with 5 accessible bays. The lift is located through 2 double doors and on the left. Upon exit of the lift there is a large Allsorts sign on the wall and the entrance is to the left.
To enter you must ring a buzzer and somebody will come and let you in. This access system is used to keep the children safe that are attending Allsorts.

There are plans in place to add visual scenes and timetables at the entrance to show children with sensory needs the environment inside to help them get over the threshold. There are also plans for the addition of objects of reference so that a child can feel something outside of room to know what to expect when they enter, for example some soap outside the toilet.

Reception

There is a large reception desk at the entrance which was specifically designed for 3 power chair users and to also allow room for assistants to make it accessible should a wheelchair user wish to work at Allsorts. The whole desk is at a lowered height and is perfectly designed for its purpose. The premises are all on one level which makes accessing any section very easy for wheelchair users or people with limited mobility.
Behind the reception are toy cupboards which are all at a lowered height so that children can easily reach them. It is also ensured that there aren’t too many toys on the shelves so there isn’t a risk of them falling off when being taken.

Main area

Allsorts is in a very open plan layout with sofas, tables and toys. Everything in the space is moveable so that it can be completely empty if necessary. This means it is a very adaptable space to suit differing needs.
The flooring in the main area is shock absorbent and sound absorbent. This means its makes falling softer and also doesn’t project sound when the room is busy, both perfect for children attending Allsorts. There is also a mobile hoist available.

Sensory room

The sensory room is also a flexible space where everything inside can be moved round or removed completely to suit children’s certain needs. There are numerous objects in the sensory room including the extremely popular dark den that gives children a pitch-black space to relax. We were informed on our visit that the staff at Allsorts are very aware that many children have multiple diagnosis and therefore need multiple choices – something which our experience has shown us they have achieved.

Music room

Next door to the sensory room is a music room with various instruments including the very impressive sound beam. This is a piece of specialist equipment that emits a laser beam and allows an individual to make music with movement – this can be as little movement as blinking. It also has the ability for children to enjoy this with friends.
There is also the very popular silent drum kit which makes very little sound when it is hit and can only be heard through headphones by the person playing it.

Toy cupboard

There is a large toy cupboard that has a vast array of toys to suit all different types of needs. This includes weighted snakes that can help children relax and improve proprioception.

Changing places facility

There is a large fully equipped changing places facility with a ceiling hoist and variable height changing bench. The grab-rails are a contrasting colour to the walls to aid the visually impaired and the emergency pull cord is on the left of the toilet. The second ring pull is touching the floor and may be difficult to pull on.

The changing places facility can be used by the general public and is open until 3pm