Gàradh a’ Bhàgh a’ Tuath – Isle of Barra

Garadh a Bagh a Tuath (GaBaT) aims to advance the care, support, and training needs of adults and residents on the islands of Barra and Vatersay with physical or learning disabilities, mental health or substance misuse problems.

The organisation delivers its activities from the ‘Gàradh’, a therapeutic garden site in Northbay, Isle of Barra, which includes a building with a small office and meeting room. There is a service user led community café set up weekly at the nearby village hall, which hosts activities including craft workshops, dry stone walling, and gardening services.

In order to increase the number of visitors to the ‘Gàradh’, as well as improving facilities open to volunteers, they required a Changing Place that could meet the individual needs of those with disabilities.

We were able to offer our expertise, helping install specialist equipment such as a AirRise 200 hoist system, to help Garadh a Bagh a Tuath become the first venue in the Western Isles to have a Changing Place toilet.

 

The Challenge

Due to the continued success and increasing number of users of the facilities at the Gàradh, the current arrangements became increasingly unsuitable.

They required a new purpose-built centre with a Changing Place, enabling them to provide accessible toilet facilities to meet the needs of visitors and volunteers with disabilities.

The Isles of Barra and Vatersay are the most Southerly inhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides and the most Westerly in the U.K. As a result, logistics were the main challenge in making Garadh a Bagh a Tuath a more accessible site.

Working with architects and contractors, our project delivery team mapped out a timeline to ensure every stage of the project was completed on time.

From arranging deliveries of equipment to training staff on-site on how to use equipment safely, we made sure that Garadh a Bagh a Tuath had a fully-compliant Changing Place facility for their visitors and volunteers to use.

 

Innova’s Solution

To help make their new purpose-built centre more accessible, we designed and installed the first Changing Place toilet in the Western Isles. Our team managed every aspect of the project, ensuring it was a fully registered and compliant Changing Place facility.

• AirRise200 hoist unit and H-frame overhead hoist system to help improve user accessibility and save caregivers’ time during transfers.
• Height-adjustable nursing bench that is wall-mounted, providing carers an accessible, elevated area to use without needing to bend and strain.
• Height-adjustable wash basin to allow users to sit comfortably underneath the basin whilst also being able bear the weight of a standing user.
• Geberit Mera Care Assisted Wash and Dry Toilet equipped with dropdown grab rails to facilitate wheelchair transfers or assistance from carers.
• Privacy screen to enhance user comfort and dignity.
• 20” Wide paper roll dispenser.
• Hand towel dispenser.
• Soap dispenser.
• Colostomy shelf.
• Full height mirror.
• Coat hooks.
• Large sanitary waste bin.
• General waste bin.

Client Quote

“By including a Changing Place, we can look forward to welcoming visitors to the garden and building. It means a lot that people will be able to enjoy what our project is able to offer regardless of their physical needs. The garden is such a great space and it’s important to us that all can enjoy it.”

Peigi Maclean – Member of Garadh a Bagh a Tuath