£10k grant gives Changing Places go ahead

Welshpool is set to have a vital new facility that will be the second of its kind in north and mid Powys.

Last night it was confirmed that the Town Council had secured a £10,000 grant from Awards for Wales towards creating a Changing Places facility for severely disabled residents and visitors.

Over 250,000 people in the UK require a Changing Places toilet and the addition of this much needed facility in Welshpool will be welcomed by travellers, with the next one located in Corris, near Machynlleth.

The project has been driven by the town’s Civic Pride Group, an offshoot of the Town Council tasked with securing grants to improve facilities.

The money will help to transform the public toilets in Berriew Street Car Park by converting a storeroom at the back.

Welshpool man Dylan Thomas, who has first-hand experience of using Changing Places with his daughter, said this was a “wonderful piece of news” but advised the town council to learn from the mistakes of a similar facility in Shrewsbury that had to close due to it being used by drug dealers who had purchased the ‘radar’ keys.

Work is expected to begin on the project soon.

PICTURE: A Changing Places disabled toilet in Hartlepool