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Lets get buddy systems going!
We are so lucky in Henfield to have so many groups and activities to join. However, some people face difficulties getting out of the house - whether lack of transport, not wanting to go out on a dark evening or feeling shy.
A buddy system is a very quick fix that any group could put in place and that can be literally life changing. It just means putting members who can help with transport and accompanying in touch with those who'd like a lift or companion.
Some groups are already doing this but Access Henfield urges everyone to get on board so we can all enjoy village life to the full
Sara Williams
Are dropped kerbs doing their job? – We want your views
Access Henfield is reviewing how well the positioning of dropped kerbs is serving the needs of wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and in particular how well they enable users to travel safely between their home and the High Street.
Dropped kerbs are ramps or slopes between pavements and roads, usually found at junctions of roads or footpaths. We are aware that in some areas of Henfield they are very difficult to negotiate for those using a wheelchair or mobility scooter, or in other cases they are lacking altogether. (Please note we are not looking at private driveway dropped kerbs.)
We invite wheelchair and mobility scooter users and their carers to get in touch with us about any areas in Henfield where they currently have difficulties. We will use this information and our surveys to push for change. Please email accesshenfield@gmail.com.
Can you help us able to make Henfield a better place for Visually Impaired people?
Access Henfield wants to hear from people who are visually impaired and those who support them about what makes life difficult in Henfield and what could improve it, for example:
Do you want to get out more but have difficulty with transport or mobility?
Do clubs, societies and venues cater to your needs?
Can you access the information you need?
Do you know where to go for different kinds of help and support?
would you like to join a VI-inclusive book club or other group?
We want to hear from you!
Please send your thoughts, ideas and suggestions to accesshenfield@gmail.com
Justine Johnson
Overhanging Vegetation over Pavements
Now that summer is here, hedges and shrubs are growing fast and some of our pavements are becoming overgrown. This makes life difficult for everyone but particularly for people who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters, and parents pushing buggies or walking with young children. Overhanging tree branches are another hazard for pedestrians, and most of us have probably had the experience of having to duck to avoid them. Can you imagine how scary and dangerous this is for people with visual impairment!
Bird nesting season lasts until September, so we are not suggesting garden owners do anything radical. But if you have a garden that borders a pavement or footpath, please consider whether this could be an issue with any of your vegetation and consider whether there is anything you could do to help make our walkways safer for everyone. Just tying back some stray shoots can sometimes help, or a little cutting back where you can see there are no nests to disturb.
It is a legal requirement not to obstruct pavements so let’s all play our part.
You can anonymously report problem hedges/vegetation to Highways at WSCC at https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/make-an-enquiry-or-report-a-problem-with-a-road-or-pavement/trees-hedges-weeds-and-grass/ or phone 01243 642105
Undercover Parking for Mobility Scooters
Have you ever thought what it’s like to have to get on to a mobility scooter that’s been left out in the rain? Not pleasant! Thanks to the generosity of the owner of the area, Daphne Skilton, this is no longer a problem in Henfield. Four brand new undercover parking bays for mobility scooters have now been created at the end of Caudle Street, outside Cornerweighs. Staff from Southdown Engineers Ltd kindly painted the lines and David Freeman of HMG Coatings (South) Ltd donated the paint. Thank you to both of them on behalf of all mobility scooter riders and their families. This is one small thing that makes life much easier and more pleasant, and we look forward to seeing the facility get good use by shoppers and those attending events at the Henfield Hall. Parking is at the owner’s risk.
Are you a Mobility Scooter or Powered Chair user?
Access Henfield in association with Horsham-based volunteer group, Mobility Scooter Safety (MSS) can now offer Safety Sessions in and around Henfield to help to reduce the chances of an accident.
If you use a mobility scooter or powered chair you should join a FREE 1-to-1 Safety Session. This can be from your home or in a small group from Red Oaks Care Home. A trainer will accompany and advise you on the best and safe way to drive on your local pavements. The 2-hour (max) Safety Session is not a test - there is no pass or fail and you will receive a certificate afterwards.
You will be shown how to anticipate possible accidents and avoid them. You can become a safer driver by having a better understanding of the correct use, and limitations, of your scooter or powered wheelchair.
Are you thinking of buying a scooter? A scooter trainer could come to your home so you can ride a scooter. This can help you buy the right type. Note that MSS only offer FREE advice. They don't sell anything.
You can get more information from their website: mobilityscootersafety.org.uk or phone 07906 211030 or 077729 376345
Have you a mobility scooter or powered chair you no longer need? If so, please tell accesshenfield@gmail.com as we may know someone who needs one.
Ruth Robotham, Access Henfield
Want to know about accessibility? Look for this logo
We have been assessing shops, churches, pubs, cafes, sports clubs and other public buildings around the village for accessibility. Wherever you see the above window sticker it means that you can now find a full access assessment online by scanning the QR code or by going to www.accesshenfield.com. If it is easier, you can go to the Library and ask to see the ‘Access Henfield Folder’ which gives this info, plus lots of other useful information for disabled people.
Assessments cover everything from the nature of the building, services offered and opening hours, to parking, disabled bays, entrances, steps and ramps, width of doorways, toilet facilities, moving around inside, seating, handrails, etc. There are photographs to accompany this information to make it easier to visualise. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for people with any type of disability to plan their visits and make full use of everything the village has to offer. We have assessed approx 40 premises so far, with another 40 to go, and all have solutions to help visitors.
Thank you Access Henfield
We are grateful to Access Henfield who are concerned with improving life for people with disabilities in Henfield and consequently arranged for our disabled parking bay outside Church House to be repainted.
David Freeman of HMG Coatings (South) Ltd donated the paint, and Steve Robotham and John O'Reilly from the BP Guild repainted the Bay.
Access Henfield is 1 year old. What have we been doing?
Top of the list and where everything starts for us, is we have been listening to disabled people in Henfield to find out the problems they encounter trying to access buildings and services.
Our aim is to break down barriers so that everyone can fully enjoy life in the village regardless of any disability. So finding out firsthand what problems people have is really essential. Once we know the difficulties we then work to improve access in the village, promote awareness and consideration, and provide advice, information, support and referral to specialist services.
One example of the kind of help we have been able to provide was when a resident contacted us wanting to know where to go to get a mobility scooter. We were able to give them information about ‘Mobility Scooter Safety’ a group of local independent volunteers who can bring scooters to your home and take you out on them to help you choose which one to buy.
In another case people informed us about insufficient disabled parking for events in Henfield Hall and near the library, as a result of which we got three extra spaces allocated. Then we heard that there was no covered parking for mobility scooters near the Henfield Hall, making life very difficult for users to attend events in wet weather. Once again we found a solution and there are now 4 undercover parking spaces for scooters at the end of Caudle Street.
Some residents told us that disabilities prevented them from accessing shops and other public buildings. So we are in the process of carrying out Access Assessments of businesses, shops, clubs, pubs, churches and other public places to discover how accessible they are and where possible find ways to remedy problems. Over 40 assessments have so far been completed and we have found that most premises are accessible although you may need to use an alternative entrance. For example, Hair & Co and My Dentist have accessible rear entrances and several shops including Relish, Henfield Eyecare and Stevens have ramps. Others such as Hawthorn Vets and Hamfelds have accessible side entrances.
Most shops are also happy to help disabled people with their shopping. Sainsburys, One Stop and Swains all offer help with picking items from their shelves, getting through the checkout and taking shopping to your car. Please do support our shops, many of which are struggling and really need our business to stay open.
Residents also told us about missing dropped kerbs making it difficult to negotiate certain routes by wheelchair or mobility scooter. So we went round with scooter and wheelchair users to find the problem spots and then met with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Highways and presented our report. We are keeping in contact with them and our Parish Council to find ways of funding dropped kerbs where they are needed.
Then there were problems with overgrowing hedges and trees making it difficult to get along pavements and paths. We ask anyone who experiences this to go online and report anonymously at https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/make-an-enquiry-or-report-a-problem-with-a-road-or-pavement/. The WSCC Highways local representative will make an assessment and if found to be illegal will ask the landowner to cut back problem vegetation. If they don’t comply WSCC will cut the hedge and charge the landowner. This can only happen if we report problems though, so please help by doing this.
Parents with buggies and young children tell us that they sometimes have to walk in the road because of wheelie bins not taken in promptly after emptying. Here again we all have a part to play by moving our own and our neighbours’ bins as soon as possible.
Another issue is parking on pavements and across dropped kerbs. Please try to avoid this as it makes life very difficult for users of wheelchairs, mobility scooters and buggies.
People also told us about difficulty hearing in shows and other events in Henfield Hall. The Hall have made some changes and are looking into further improvements but we also need all groups to ensure speakers use the microphone systems provided.
Some disabled people have told us that they don’t go out to events or meetings in the evening as they don’t like coming home in the dark. We have asked local groups to put Buddy Systems in place so that members can get lifts to and from events. The History Group has successfully implemented this for the last nine months.
Neurodiverse and SEND children and adults say they want more things that they can join in with. So we are contacting businesses and groups to see where this is possible. Some already do this. For example, Hair & Co have quiet sessions where they can adapt to people’s needs. We also support the work of ABILITea who help people with physical disabilities of all ages. We are sure there will be others, and we are compiling information to support needs.
To find out more about these and other issues, please visit our website www.accesshenfield.com or consult the Access Henfield Folder in the Library – just ask a staff member. You can also contact us by email on accesshenfield@gmail.com or by phone 07510 409436 (this number is not constantly monitored but we will get back to you). We are looking for someone who can help us with occasional social media posts – if this is you, please do get in touch.
Eric Williams – Project Lead
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