A newly-formed charity is hoping to deliver a long-asked for project to bring a specialist disabled toilet to Tyndrum.
The ‘Tyndrum Infrastructure Group’ has been set up to deliver improvements for the popular tourist village - with the installation of a Changing Places toilet becoming their first focus of action.
The specialist toilets help support those with learning disabilities as well as those with disabilities that severely limit mobility by providing equipment such as changing benches and hoists, avoiding the likelihood for the person to have to be changed on the floor.
The issue of disabled access has been a long-term focus for campaigners in Tyndrum due to its strategic location for visitors to the Stirlingshire countryside, with the nearest Changing Places facility located at Blair Drummond Safari Park.
The new charity - which consists of five trustees including former Labour minister Dame Anne McGuire and Professor Dawn Skelton from Glasgow Caledonian University - is investigating all aspects of the project.
Real Food Cafe owner Sarah Heward is the chair of the new group and admits the drive to secure a Changing Places toilet for Tyndrum is a goal with a particularly personal link.
She said: “It all really started about five or six years ago when my dad was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological condition and caring for him taught me a lot because I had no idea of the struggles for those with disabilities in all kinds of ways.
“There are few and far Changing Places facilities but at the last election, the SNP made a promise to improve the Changing Places network because it lags behind England and set aside a pot of money.
“I’ve been trying to make it happen ever since because Tyndrum is an important strategic location and really needs something like that.
“The town has no public facilities at all despite millions of people travelling through it and the public loos are quite dilapidated with no spaces.”
A recent public consultation revealed strong support in Tyndrum for the plans, with 96 per cent of more than 200 respondents reacted positively to the group’s efforts to install a Changing Places toilet.
However, a £10,000 feasibility study completed in March has revealed the challenge facing the new group, with eight different options in the village ruled out and no obvious site in the centre of Tyndrum available.
“It’s been a bit of an arduous process and it should not have been so difficult but the primary reason it has been is because we are dealing with unwilling landowners,” Sarah added.
“At that point, it was just myself and a couple of others informally supporting me and I was going to give up but a customer named Kim Kemp - who also has a degenerative neurological condition and is in a wheelchair - urged me to keep persevering for her and for dad.
“Kim - who is now secretary of the charity - lives in North Glasgow and when she comes up here, there is nowhere for her to go to the toilet and most people just won’t do that.
“We’re now looking outside of Tyndrum and have identified some land owned by the Scottish Government and so we’re working with (Stirling MSP) Evelyn Tweed to discuss if it’s possible to acquire this little piece of land to make this happen and change people’s lives.”
Ms Tweed said: “Ensuring accessible facilities are available for all is key, particularly in tourist areas, such as Tyndrum.
“As Co-Convener of the Tourism Cross Party Group, I realise how important ensuring the right facilities are available to support the development of destinations and local economies to be inclusive of all visitors. I am supportive of the work that Sarah is doing to bring a Changing Places facility to Tyndrum and will continue to work with her and the community to secure funding and the land to make this development a reality.
“I also welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to establish Changing Places across Scotland with the provision of £10 million to support such developments outlined in the 2021/22 Programme for Government.”
