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Special Needs

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Information Sources and Other Help
Useful Operators and Organisations
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Practicalities Other Special Needs Useful Operators and Organisations 

If all you require is a good support network while you look after your child, all you may need is a specialist operator who really knows the area it is selling [database]. This means that you will be able to find out about the exact details of the accommodation and about surrounding facilities and potential hazards.

If you need more than that, you might like to talk to one of the following:

@Venture (Europe) http://www.atventure.org.uk
tel: +33 (0)5 62 06 72 39

Offering foreign activity holidays for the impaired. Established and run by former special needs specialist teacher, Mike Ratcliffe and his wife Gill (and parents of three children), covers adaptive skiing in the French Alps or Pyr?n?es, canoeing and rafting on the rivers of Europe, and diving or water sports in the Mediterranean with English speaking instruction, tuition and support and accommodation in hotels and apartments designed to meet the needs of the disabled, whether in a group or with a family. Music, art and sailing holidays employing local bilingual specialists are also planned.
Costs start at £400.

Access Travel http://www.access-travel.co.uk
6 The Hillock, Astley, Lancashire M29 7GW
tel: 01942 888844

Arranges holidays to Florida, Canaries, Mallorca, Torremolinos, The Algarve, French gites, Malta, Cyprus, Rhodes, Dublin, Amsterdam and Paris. Knows all properties so can give recommendations on suitability for different disabilities.
Can arrange for special aids - hoists, shower chairs etc - to be hired in Amsterdam, Algarve, Florida and Tenerife. Can also organise nursing and care services in the Algarve, Tenerife and Florida and can organise vehicles to accommodation wheelchairs or different models of cars such as automatics at a variety of resorts.
Can also organise travel insurance and flights only on scheduled and charter flights to destinations in addition to those above.

Accessible Travel and Leisure http://www.accessibletravel.co.uk
tel: 08702 416127

Renamed from TravelAbility, a member of SATH, PSARA and TTA, includes what was once the Accessible Cottage Company. Makes a point of catering to the parents of young children who, along with the elderly, find accessibility a particular issue.
Will book holidays to destinations as far apart as Bali, Bangkok and Bournemouth and as varied as to see the Taj Mahal, swim with dolphins in Cuba or relax in the Greek islands. Every venue and destination recommended on the site is reported visited and verified as fully accessible.

Assistance Travel Service (ATS) http://www.assistedholidays.com
1 Tank Lane, Purfleet, Essex RM19 1TA
tel: 01708 863198

Run by someone who has worked as a foster parent for autistic children and set this up in 1987. This describes itself as the personal travel service for the less able, their families and friends.
The company can offer hotels and self-catering in the UK, and outdoor pursuit centres with programmes for disabled children. It can also make long-haul travel arrangements, for example to Australasia (they recommend Air New Zealand). Other options include Finland, Lake Garda in Italy, Holland, Ireland, Austria, adapted coach tours, Santa in Finland.
Recommendations for a holiday in the sun include Tenerife, Portugal, log bungalows 10 minutes from Disney in Florida or, (a favourite) an option between Malaga and Grenada in southern Spain with self-catering accommodation with a central pool including a hoist.

Erna Low http://www.ernalow.co.uk
9 Reece Mews, London SW7 3HE
tel: 020 7584 7820

Offers an Adaptive Ski Brochure for skiers with physical disabilities, who want to ski independently or with family or friends. The operator specialises in La Plagne, Flaine, and Les Arcs but also recommends the States because so much more developed in terms of facilities for the disabled than anywhere in Europe. Offers options for a variety of physical and sensory disabilities and will refer parents to recommended advisors, who will help develop realistic expectations of what can be achieved and make suggestions for physical preparations. The manager emphasises that the programme is designed to allow the disabled family member to participate and does not offer care while other family members ski. If the disabled member of the party has not skied before the company can refer you to sports organisations and charities which can help them learn to do so.

EHS http://www.ehstravel.co.uk
Madeira House, 37 Corn Street, Witney, Oxfordshire OX8 7BW
tel: 0870 7440007

Specialists in four and five-star self-catering properties in Spain and Portugal, with a selection of hotels chosen for their standard of service, location or architecture. Also smaller programmes to south of France, Tuscany and Amalfi coast, plus India.
The director is the mother of a special needs child so is very happy to help others in a similar position discuss what might be suitable. She offers for example one resort which has a wheelchair on the site.

First Choice http://www.first-choice.com
First Choice House, Peel Cross Road, Salford, Manchester M4 2AN
tel: 0870 750001

Special Needs Helpline 0161 745 4606
The Special Needs line is designed for customers to discuss special arrangements or provide extra information about accommodation. ‘Given sufficient notice we will be able to provide you with the best possible service'.

Headwater http://www.headwater.com
146 London Road, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5HH
tel: 01606 813334

Escorted or independent cycling and walking tours in France and Italy with local briefings, luggage moving, and even collection of wine purchases. Car hire also offered. Can take blind and partially sighted people with a sighted companion.

Keycamp http://www.keycamp.com
92-96 Lind Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4PL
tel: 0870 7000123

Range of mobile homes includes the Supernova 35 home designed to meet Mobility Access Level 2 guidelines allowing wheelchair access to lounge, kitchen, bathroom and master bedroom.

Opus 23 http://www.filoxenia.co.uk
Sourdock Hill, Barkisland, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX4 0AG
tel: 01422 375999

An offshoot of Greek specialist Filoxenia, started because one of the directors is himself slightly disabled and he felt there was demand for a travel agency which could offer specialist advice. Now helps everyone from the wheelchair-bound to sight and hearing-impaired to ME patients.
Once they have discussed your requirements staff will research everything from suitable accommodation to the best airline, budgeting each trip individually. when a choice has been made. They will then book everything in the same way as a standard travel agency, but make no charge for the research service.
Main areas of specialisation are Greece, and Cyprus plus other European countries like Italy on request.

Grooms Holidays for Disabled People http://www.johngrooms.org.uk/holidays
PO Box 36, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7GB
tel: 01446 771311

A registered charity specialising in offering ‘affordable, accessible and memorable' holidays for disabled people with three hotels (Llandudno, the Vale of Glamorgan and Minehead in Somerset) and 19 self-catering properties (houses, bungalows, apartments and chalets plus a self-catering skippered barge on the Norfolk Broads) from Ayr in Scotland to the English south coast.

Eliza Travel http://www.elizatravel.com and http://www.motorhomesworldwide.com
PO Box 385, Mount Eliza, Melbourne, Victoria Australia 3930
tel: +61 (3) 9787 7633

Motorhomes and Cars in the UK specially adapted and suited to the needs of the disabled, plus canal boats in Europe.
These products open up the freedom of self contained holidays in the UK and Europe to many people who would not otherwise be able to enjoy the flexibility, freedom and value for money of this type of travel.

Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) http://www.riding-for-disabled.org.uk
Lavinia Norfolk House, Avenue R, National Agricultural Centre, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2LY
tel: 0247 6696510

Members of a local RDA group can apply for a holiday run by the RDA groups. There ae around 11 a year, some specifically for adults, some for children one for any age, the youngest rider taken is 10 years. Some rides are one or two hours' riding a day, some considerably less. Regional groups also run holidays for those who don't want to go too far from home.

Scouts Holiday Homes Trust http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/hq-info/holhomes
Gilwell Park, Bury Road, Chingford, London E4 7QW
tel: 020 7584 7030

Offers well priced self-catering holidays for families with a member who is disabled or has special needs. Accommodation is in chalets and caravans on commercial sites, mainly on the coast.

Special Families Trust
Home Swap Register, Erm House, Station, Road, Plimpton, Plymouth PL7 2AU
tel: 01752 346861
e-mail specialfamiliestrust@care4free.net

A home exchange service specifically for those with a physical disability complete an application form about your house and its adaptations and equipment and something about the local area and this will be added to the register and members can then contact each other to discuss details. You can also indicate on the form if there is a particular time of year or length of time you want to swap for. There is no charge but contributions are always welcome.

Alpine Sun http://www.esprit-holidays.co.uk
Oaklands, Reading Road North, Fleet, Hampshire GU13 8AA
tel: 01252 618300

The summer holiday arm of Ski Esprit caters particularly to families with both childcare and suitable activities organised. It may be able to organise one to one care for special needs children on some dates. Ring for more details.

Virgin Holidays http://www.virginholidays.com
Special Services, The Galleria, Station Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1WW
tel: 01293 744263

Winners of the 2000 EASE awards (Ease of Access, Service and Employment Awards) in the Best Tour Operator/Travel Agent category. While the airline won Best Airline for the third year running, the holidays arm of the company offers a dedicated team and hotels with specific facilities, hire cars with adapted steering ramped mini vans in some areas and even disabled ski holidays. Assistance is available at the airport and on the flight and there is an on board wheelchair to help disabled passengers to and from the lavatory. The aircraft is also supplied with child and adult nebulisers for asthma sufferers and oxygen can be provided on request. For autistic children and their families priority check-in can be arranged at UK airports, plus pre-boarding. Severely disabled children can also be supplied with a special body support on request. Proficient cabin crew signers and TV watchmans can be requested with close caption text films and deaf loops for hard of hearing, to help with in-flight entertainment.
The special services information is a sub-section of the main site.

In addition to the companies mentioned you might like to consider cruise operators which are generally good at catering for disabled.


(updated 15 April, 2006)
         

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