Our fully accessible glamping pod will show others what’s possible

Families who have never been able to go on holiday before are benefiting, says Patricia Kent

Nearly one-fifth of Scotland’s population define themselves as disabled, which means we have around one million people – plus their carers and families – who might need additional support to experience the beauty of Scotland and enjoy a break.

Sadly, while there are plenty of wheelchair-friendly accommodation options, and facilities for those hard of sightorhearing,thestaycationoptions for those with additional accessibility needs are still limited. Looking at the map of Changing Places facilities, for instance, there is a distinct lack of provision as you head up the west coast and on to the Western Isles.

Callanderyouthprojecthasprovided holidayaccommodationintheheartof Scotland since we purchased the old Bridgend Hotel in Callander in 2012.

Overtheyears,wehaveusedthe18-bed venue and function room as an opportunity to provide hospitality training and valuable work experience for localyoungpeople,openingthedoorto future employment in the sector.

Building on the existing accommodation, we also opened four luxury glamping pods last summer which, perhaps most importantly, includes a fully accessible unit offering uninterrupted views of Ben Ledi. It comes complete with a ‘Y’ shaped hoist, and changing places-style bathroom, including a wet and dry toilet, heightadjustablesink,safesleepingspaceand other amenities. Our aim was to try to deliver a ‘home away from home’ to give families the opportunity to relax and unwind, without worrying about whethertheaccommodationfacilities will meet their needs.

The pod has also provided a new learning opportunity and has taught our young people about some of the extra things they might need to consider for guests with accessibility needs.

Thee co-friendly pod has fast become our pride and joy. there is nothing better than receiving positive feedback from families who haven’t been able togo on holiday before. one family told us that it was the first time their child had been able to wash his own hands and spent the entire weekend playing in the height-adjustable sink, doing something so simple that we all take for granted.

It has also been a steep learning curve, however, and we were grateful to have an existing relationship with the local Boccia team – a ball game similar to boules popular with wheelchair users – who were using our function room for training and could help us map out the layout and offer guidance on what to include. It was a first for both the building company and bathroom and kitchen fitter, which hopefully means they will be able to undertake similar projects in the future.

Naturally, the development of the pod involved significant time and investment. With support from Social Investment Scotland, who provided a £144,000 loan to help with the project, we have been able to keep the rental costs as low as possible. So far, we have been inundated with bookings, and it makes us wonder why there aren’t more accessible places to stay and experience Scotland’s great outdoors. It might be that people don’t know where to begin,ortheydon’thavethenecessary funding, but we hope that our glamping pod will show others in the industry what’s possible. Patricia Kent, manager of Callander Youth Project