Walford Mill Craft Centre aims to make all visitors welcome. We promote inclusive arts.

Please ask a member of staff if you require any assistance

Walford Mill Crafts - New and Refreshed!

Walford Mill Crafts is looking forward to welcoming its visitors in their newly refurbished craft shop area with its new look!

Walford Mill was given the opportunity to bring arts and communities even closer together with the help of the award of £100,000 by the Arts Council. The award was used towards the installation of a lift and a ramp to achieve the aim to enhance the Centre and to improve its facilities to make all the visits to the Mill equally accessible for everyone.

The shop renovation work is now completed and the whole craftshop is fully accessible by everyone regardless of age and abilitiy. Creative business and a healthy cultural life are key to sustainable communities and these improvements at the Mill will allow visits especially by people with disabilities and families with pushchairs to be more independent and more enjoyable.

Before the renovation work started, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, who are regular visitors to the Mill said, "There is a very limited access at the moment for wheelchair users. We visit the Mill regularly but we can only see the gallery comfortably. It is very difficult to get around in the other parts of the Mill and this gets very frustrating. The new construction is going to allow us the opportunity to visit all areas of the shop using our wheelchair."

Since the lift and the ramp have been installed, the visitors with disabilities have enjoyed the freedom of being able to get around the craft shop without any difficulties. Walford Mill is proud to be able to offer its visitors the access to the all areas of the shop.

Walford Mill Crafts would like to say a big thank you to the Arts Council for supporting this project which will be benefiting a wider community. Also a big thank you to Dorset County Council, East Dorset District Council and Adapt Trust for their support towards our project.

CAR PARKING
The car park is about 50m from the entrance and the nearest 2 places are reserved for parking cars displaying a disabled badge. Drivers may drive into the centre courtyard to set down disabled passengers but should then use the adjacent car park. Disabled drivers may park in the courtyard.

TOILETS
There are wheelchair accessible toilet facilities .

GALLERY
There is a ramp into the exhibition gallery. Exhibition catalogue and other information is available in large print on request. Seating is available in the gallery .

SHOP
The whole craft shop is now fully accessible. There is a seperate entrance for visitors with disabilities and an accessible bell to ring to have this door opened. There is a ramp into the lower part of the shop and a lift to the higher parts of the shop and to the weaver's mezzanine workshop. There is also a low counter availabe for wheelchair users. Assistance is available for large or heavy purchases.

RESTAURANT
There is a ramp into the restaurant. Outside tables in the courtyard are designed for use by wheelchair users.

CRAFTSCHOOL
This is at present located on the top floor of the building up 3 flights of stairs. There are plans for the future for this to be accessible by a lift.

ON-SITE MAKERS
There is a seperate entrance for visitors with disabilities and an accessible bell to ring to have this door opened. There is a ramp into the lower part of the shop which is level and the visitors with disabilities will be able to view the on-site jewellers' work in this area. There is a lift to the weaver's mezzanine workshop. There is another on-site maker's workshop in the gatehouse in the courtyard. Due to the nature of the historic building, there is a little step into this workshop. However as it is a small workshop, staff at the Mill will be available to help visitors with disabilities if they require any help.
Links     Local Interest
Home The Mill Facilities at the Mill.
© Copyright Walford Mill Craft Centre 2004