Access Statement for Ryton Organic Gardens

This statement does not contain personal opinions as to our suitability for those with access needs, but aims to accurately describe the facilities and services that we offer all our guests/visitors.

Introduction

Ryton Organic Gardens has been the home to Garden Organic, the UK’s leading Organic growing charity for over 25 years. It was founded in 1954 by Lawrence Hills, a journalist and keen organic grower and moved to Ryton in 1985. HRH The Prince of Wales became our patron in 1988.

The Gardens are situated 6.5 miles south east of Coventry, just north of the small village of Ryton on Dunsmore and 1 mile from Wolston village. The ten acres of entirely organically managed gardens highlight best organic horticultural practice for the novice gardener right up to the expert. We have a visitor centre with information on membership and educational resources and a café overlooking the gardens.

As part of the garden tour we have a sensory garden for the visually impaired with plants and flowers carefully selected to appeal to as many senses as possible – particularity smell and taste.

The site is also entirely accessible for wheelchair users with wide, flat pathways, no steps or steep inclines and disabled toilet facilities.

Garden Organic also provides horticultural therapy which is designed for adults with all levels of physical capabilities, mental health difficulties and complex learning needs.

Utilising our purpose built garden as well as the rest of the grounds we are able to tailor activities for our clients to suit their individual needs. Our objectives are to support positive behaviour, reduce stress, improve physical fitness & health, and build self-confidence whilst developing employability skills. The Trustees take their responsibilities for providing universal access provision very seriously and adhere to the Equality Act accordingly. We work hard to provide the highest level of access to the whole site

We look forward to welcoming you. If you have any queries or require any assistance please phone 02476303517 or email [email protected].

Pre-Arrival

 Ryton Organic Gardens is 6.5 miles south east of Coventry, off the A45, 1 mile from Wolston village and is signposted by the Brown Tourist Signs which say ‘Ryton Gardens’. To download a map please visit: http://www.rytongardens.co.uk/visitor-information/how- to-find-us/  The nearest Railway station is Coventry and the nearest bus stop is in Wolston village on School Street and is approximately 0.8miles from Ryton Gardens. The 101 bus leaves from stop DD outside Coventry Transport Museum every 30 minutes and takes 26 minutes into Wolston. There are no buses that directly pass the Gardens.  Taxis are available to book from the main reception and we usually use Allens Taxis who can be contacted on 024 7655 5555. Allens Taxis also provide accessible taxis.  Ryton Gardens has a clearly signposted entrance off the A45. There are no footpaths or cycle paths on the A45. The pathways around the visitor centre are flat, even stone flags and the carpark is level tarmac with clearly visible lines for cars and pedestrians.  To plan your journey by car or public transport you can use http:/transportdirect.info ; simply enter your postcode and ours (CV8 3LG) to get directions.

Car Parking and Arrival

 We have 60 car parking spaces including 6 clearly marked/signposted Blue Badge spaces 2 of which are 5m/5.4yards and 4 of which are 10m/10.9yards from the main entrance. There is space for 2 coaches in the designated coach parking bays.  The carpark surface is flat tarmac with raised stone flag pathways which slope down gently. There are various raised flower/grass beds connected to the pathways and the footpath over the tarmac car park is clearly marked in yellow with a pedestrian sign. The drop off point for taxis is directly outside the main visitor centre reception and there are no kerbs.  There are tall car park lamps which come on automatically making visibility clear at night and in the early mornings.  Entrance into the main reception is through a clear, glass manual door which opens outwards and is quite heavy. This door is usually open in the summer months and the width of the doorway measures 965mm/38ins. The second door can also be opened to provide a larger opening measuring of 1930mm/76ins.

Main Entrance, Reception and Ticketing Area

 The main entrance to the Visitor Centre/reception area for Garden Organic (Monday to Friday) is situated on the ground floor in the main, green building clearly visible upon entry into the car park. There are no steps or inclines to reach it and it is a very short walk over even stone flags from all parking bays.  The floor in the reception area is lino and is level and even throughout.  There is a small seating area to the right of the main door.  The area is evenly and well lit with overhead lighting from hanging lamps.  The main ticketing area is the desk directly in front of you when you walk into the visitor centre and there is a low counter suitable for wheelchair users. Admission to the gardens can be purchased here as well as a small selection of things for sale such as seeds and books. We do not currently have a hearing loop system.  Entrance to the gardens is free for any carers and entry prices are clearly visible on the front desk.  Manual wheelchairs are also available on request for use around the site and can be borrowed free of charge for the duration of your visit.  Once tickets have been bought, you will be directed into ‘The Organic Way’ which is our educational exhibit for guests where you can learn all about organic gardening processes, the Heritage Seed Library as well as the work Garden Organic undertakes around the UK. To access this room you pass through a set of double doors measuring 1600.2mm/63ins. When the doors are closed the single width of one door way measures 800mm/31.5ins.

Attraction (displays, exhibits, rides etc.)

 In The Organic Way exhibit there are Interpretation boards along the walls no higher than 3 metres. All are in large text and have some pictorial representation where applicable. Braille is not currently available.  Throughout the exhibition there are laminated information booklets fixed onto viewing stands which are all suitable for wheelchair users.  All areas of the exhibit are accessible by wheelchair and the floor is lino and level throughout.  There is a circular seating area in the middle of the room containing wooden benches.  As part of The Organic Way, visitors can see into our Heritage Seed Library through glass windows which are low enough to be suitable for wheelchair users.  Lighting in The Organic Way is bright and evenly lit throughout with hanging lamps.

Public Toilets

 The public toilets are situated at the exit of the gardens but you do not have to enter the gardens to gain access to the toilets. Upon entry the site the toilets are to the left, up a small ramp and behind the main visitor centre/offices. There are also public toilets in our onsite café.  There is a fully accessible unisex WC available directly next to the male and female public toilets. This toilet is never locked and a key is not required for entry. The door to this toilet has a width of 900mm/35.5ins. The accessible WC in the café is in the porch through a door measuring 900mm/35.5ins.  There is transfer space for a wheelchair to the left side of the toilet when facing the toilet. This space measures 762mm/30ins. The transfer space in the café WC measures 711mm/28ins.  The height of the WC from the floor to the seat is 406mm/16ins and is the same in the Café WC.  Both accessible WC’s are bright and evenly lit with 1 bright spot light in the centre of the room.  Both toilets are fitted with grab rails. One is situated to the left of the toilet and is a drop down variety and there is a fixed horizontal rail on the wall to the right of both toilets.  There are no steps to access the toilets and both floors are flat and tiled.  If guests need any assistance there is an emergency call system activated by a red cord to the right side of the toilet in both WC’s.  The sinks in both toilets are low enough to be accessible by wheelchairs and are fitted with lever taps.

Catering

 Access to the onsite cafe is to the left of the visitor centre, up a small inclined ramp and across a flat stone flag pathway. It is on the ground floor with step free level access. The café is clearly signposted from the main reception.  The main door to the café is a manual glass window door which opens outwards and is 838mm/33ins wide. From this door you enter a porch way and there is a second door with a window which opens inwards into the café and is 838mm/33ins wide.  Tables in the restaurant are well spaced apart with enough room to accommodate a wheelchair or a pushchair. There are a mixture of coffee tables with comfortable sofas around them and wooden tables which have benches and upright wooden chairs. The tallest tables are 762mm/30inches off the floor.  Lighting in the café is mostly natural daylight with overhead and wall lighting also used evenly throughout.  The flooring in the café is laminate wooden flooring and is level throughout.  There is access to an outdoor seating area through a doorway measuring 838mm/33ins. Some of this area is grass covered area and may be slightly uneven underfoot but is entirely accessible for wheelchair users.  Where possible all the food served at the cafe is locally sourced – sometimes sourced from the organic gardens themselves. We do our best to cater for any dietary requirements; please contact us in advance to check any specific requests you may have.  The café is table service and your make your order upon arrival at the till point. The till point is a low counter suitable for wheelchair users.  The menu is clearly printed in white writing on a large black board. All staff can assist by running though menu options with you.  Crockery is colour contrasted with the table where possible.  The nearest public toilet with an accessible WC is located in the porch to the left upon entry.

Grounds and Gardens

 The Gardens: Access to the Gardens is through the Organic Way through a door that pushes outwards. The doorway is 965mm/38ins wide. Upon entering the garden there is a flagged stone pathway around wooden raised flower beds. The pathway is 1524mm/60ins at its widest point and 1066mm/42ins at its narrowest.  This garden leads to the composting garden through a gateway measuring 1905mm/75ins. These gates are normally left open. This space has flat gravel pathways, with small stones which are easy to walk on and manoeuvre a wheelchair or pushchair over. All pathways in this section are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair.  Information boards and signs in the garden are no higher than 1524mm/60ins off the ground with large, clear writing.  The Pest, Disease and Soil Demonstration area is mostly fully accessible although there are some narrower gravel pathways the smallest of which is 1016mm/40incs wide.  In the exotic garden there is a greenhouse which is accessible through easy to open doors. The doorways are 889mm/35ins wide. There is no step or door frame and the pathways inside are wide with even stone flags throughout.  The paradise garden is entered through a gate with a latch which you push down to open. The gateway is 939mm/37ins wide. There are some narrow pathways in this garden, the smallest of which is 584mm/23ins wide. The pathways are stone flags which can be slightly uneven under foot. The garden continues through another gateway with a metal gate which is normally left open and is 889mm/35ins wide. This section of the garden has uneven gravel pathways and is quite bumpy due to imbedded stones which lead to the insect hotel. There are some plant obstructions on the smaller pathways. A wooden bridge leads over the pond – there are no steps and it is a flat, even surface that is 1270mm/50ins wide. The exit to this garden is through another gate which is 952mm/37.5inches wide and this leads onto a grassy area which is rough and uneven. This garden contains 2 benches.  The paradise garden leads onto the woodland walk through a gate which is 1524mm/60ins wide. The pathway through the woodland is a mud path and is slightly uneven under foot. In the winter months it can be quite clogged with leaves and boggy.  Access to the Allotment garden and the Heritage Vegetable garden is through gates which open outwards and are 965mm/38ins in width. Both the Allotment garden and Heritage Vegetable garden have benches at regular intervals and there are 5 in total. There are some narrow pathways, the smallest of which is 647mm/25.5ins.  The Growth Therapy garden and memorial/sensory garden are specifically designed to be accessible to wheelchair users as well as the visually impaired. Pathways are wide and vary between 1524 -1828mm/60 - 72ins in width. The sensory garden is designed to appeal to all the senses including smell, taste, touch and hearing.  The urban garden has some narrow pathways which are 24 inches wide.  There are several areas of the garden which are covered with grass including the orchard and the field in the centre. The orchard is only accessible over the grass which can be uneven and bumpy. However in the orchard itself there are pathways which have been mowed into the grass to make getting around easier.  All other pathways including the pathway around the field in the centre are wide, flat and even.  There are benches at regular intervals around all the gardens in easily accessible locations.  The exit to the gardens is through a gate that swings outwards and is 1524mm/60incs wide.

Additional Information

 Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of Ryton Organic Gardens and water bowls are available in the café.  We have a set of evacuation procedures should you require it.  Our information leaflets and evacuation procedures can be made available in large print upon request.  Clear signage is used throughout the site with large green font on a white background.

Future Plans

 The gardens are currently undergoing redevelopment to make them more accessible for wheelchairs including widening some of the pathways and clearing low hanging or obstructive foliage.  When the gardens are finished the new map will include an accessible route around the gardens for wheelchair users.

Contact Information

Address (Inc postcode): Ryton Gardens, Wolston Lane, Ryton on Dunsmore, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV8 3LG

Telephone: 02476303517

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.gardenorganic.org.uk

Grid Reference: SP 40053 74510

Hours Of Operation: Currently: Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm. April Onwards: Monday - Sunday 9am – 4pm. Local Equipment Hire: Mobility Pathways, Barracks Car Park Upper Precinct, Coventry, West Midlands CV11DD?. Tel: 024 7683 2020

Local Accessible Taxi: Allens Taxis 024 7655 5555