Accessibility Award Sponsored by Umbrella Training
THE SHORTLIST Aloft London Excel
Hilton London Metropole
Windmill Barns Holiday Lets
THE JUDGES
Ross Calladine VisitEngland
David Croft
Haven for Others Fiona Jarvis
Blue Badge Style Rosie Radwell
Marsham Court Hotel
Charles Van Berckel Ablestay
Windmill Barns Holiday Lets near Strat- ford-upon-Avon is a business with heart and passion instilled throughout, thanks to the hard work – and life savings – Tara and David Parker have ploughed into this project. After travelling the globe with their 24-year-
WINNER Windmill Barns Holiday Lets “Windmill Barns has restored
2024
my faith in humanity” David Croft
old daughter Abigail, who has profound disabilities, the Parker family were often com- pletely disheartened at the lack of accessibil- ity and support they received. They decided to build a rural holiday let business in south Warwickshire that is now the only fully acces- sible holiday accommodation with 24-hour on-site assistance in the region. The self-catering site comprises of three converted barns complete as well as accessibil- ity aids and on-call assistance, with wood-fired hot tubs fitted with track hoists. There is also a small farm so guests can engage with the animals. The Parkers have converted another barn into a Care Quality Commission-regis- tered care facility for their daughter, who lives on the site. The layout of each barn can be customised
to suit individual needs, and profiling beds, track hoists, wet rooms and a wide range of equipment can all be provided. Guests can book all three barns if they have a large family gathering, and staff are on-call 24/7 for help or advice on everything from local pubs to healthcare solutions. What is exemplary is that the Parkers went
above and beyond to refurbish the barns styl- ishly, while making the necessary adapta- tions subtle. The central England location also makes the site accessible to people travel- ling from around the UK. Windmill Barns is
a family business, with the Parkers manag- ing the venue themselves alongside a team of 10 dedicated care staff and managers, who also look after Abigail. With 100% five-star reviews in year one and
93% occupancy, it’s no wonder that Windmill Barns has been rewarded for going above and beyond the requirements of the Equality Act in accommodating and catering for people with disabilities and special needs.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID “A great example of visitor accommodation that has the needs of mobility-impaired guests at its very heart.” Ross Calladine
“Windmill Barns has restored my faith in humanity, with the owners using their life savings to build an accessible holiday complex that could have encountered numerous problems during the build stage. The accommodation has been built with style and quality.” David Croft
“It’s an inspiring story from learned experience. With a small team dedicated to care, they really have looked at what they can offer.” Rosie Radwell
HOLIDAY LE TS
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