Pamis organise a week of events

Thursday 19th November is World Toilet Day and Changing Places consortium members Pamis are celebrating with a week long series of events across Scotland. The week started at The Usual Place in Dumfries and on Thursday members of Pamis will be attending the official opening of the Galashiels Interchange Changing Places toilet.
Monday 16th November marked a special day for The Usual Place, Dumfries.

Invited guests celebrated the official opening of this fabulous café, meeting and events space complete with their own Changing Places toilet.
Heather Hall from The Usual Place said, ‘The café is already in full swing, providing new and innovative training and work opportunities for local young people with additional support needs’.

Linda Whitelaw also from The Usual Place said, “The accessibility of our café area and meeting rooms has attracted customers from all areas, we have a growing band of lovely, local regulars and have also hosted many visitors from far afield who have enjoyed our delicious scones and soups and have been inspired by what is happening here in Dumfries at The Usual Place.”

Amy Wright, Chairperson of Inspired Community Enterprise Trust the organisation behind the café development said “In opening The Usual Place we are opening the doors to a wealth of possibilities to show that young people with additional support needs can achieve career goals. It's about seeing the ability within the disability." ‘We are also delighted to have recently received funding to add an Automatic Toilet to our Changing Places Toilet. This toilet was very donated by Geberit.’

The Usual Place has been very well supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Councillor Colin Smyth, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Economy Environment and Infrastructure Committee, said, “The Usual Place is a fantastic example of the way the Council’s policy of transferring an asset to the community can transform an old property surplus to the Council’s requirements to one that looks stunning and is so accessible and welcoming. However, the real transformation is the work taken place inside. Not only have Heather and Linda attracted significant investment in the building itself but new jobs have been created to provide training for young people with additional support needs, change the life’s of the young people involved. This a project Dumfries can be really proud of and is what we mean by town centre regeneration”

The Café has many unique features which make it fully accessible.

Fiona Wright, Service Manager for Occupational Therapy, Social Work Services, Dumfries & Galloway Council said "We are delighted to be able to support the Usual Place as a Community Café and Resource. The inclusion of the Geberit in the Changing Places toilet brings modern technology to support people's independence and dignity. It will also act as a resource for demonstrating the benefits of this type of toilet."

Funders joined the celebrations. Karen Ward Boyd from The Holywood Trust said, "The Holywood Trust was delighted to support this project when approached by Heather and Linda more than three years ago. We identified that these two remarkable individuals were going to be the key to any successful project and we were happy to invest in them to develop the project to the present stage. Our continued support will enable the team to deliver a fantastic and much needed service for young people and adults with additional support needs in the region, whilst offering the wider community a wonderful café to enjoy. The Trust would like to congratulation Heather, Linda and the team in realising this ambitious project whilst maintaining the high values and standards of ICET and the Usual Place."

Gavin Hastings, Honorary President of Wooden Spoon Scottish National Committee said,
"Since its initial fundraising event back in 1983, Wooden Spoon has existed to add support and value to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people throughout the UK and Ireland. Over the years hundreds of schools, hospitals, respite homes and other organisations have been able to improve their services and facilities thanks to funds made available by Wooden Spoon.

I think that this wonderful new facility in the heart of Dumfries epitomises all that Wooden Spoon seeks to do. The smiles of the young people whose lives have been enriched by Spoon's involvement is reward enough for all those who, through their volunteer roles, have assisted in raising funds year in year out"

Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said, “I know that this cafe is already having a real impact on young people in Dumfries, giving them the chance to get valuable work experience and gain qualifications which help them move on to employment, education or training. On behalf of everyone at the Big Lottery Fund I would like to wish everyone connected the very best for the future.”

For more information regarding Pamis and a week full of Changing Places events please visit the facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pamisscotland/?fref=ts

and Pamis website http://www.pamis.org.uk/