Tag Archive for: Accessible Days Out

Photo of new minibus

MAIN are proud to share our new MINIBUS

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MAIN are proud to share our new MINIBUS

 

We’re excited to announce that MAIN has a brand new minibus, and we couldn’t be more thrilled!  Thanks to the incredible support of Awards for All, the National Lottery Fund, and our fantastic community, this new vehicle will make a world of difference to the people we support.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to Trust Ford, whose kindness and generosity made this possible. Their contribution means we can continue providing vital transport services to those who rely on us. A special thank you also goes to Mick from The Procurement Partnership (TPPL) for helping to connect all the dots and making this a reality.

The feedback from our children has been awesome! They’re absolutely loving the new minibus, and we’re hearing how much they enjoy the comfortable rides and the exciting features, such as above head storage racks and WIFI connectivity.

This minibus isn’t just a new vehicle—it’s a symbol of the power of community, collaboration, and the impact of generous donations. Whether it’s helping our young people attend events, access services, or simply enjoy a day out, this new addition is going to make a huge difference.

Thank you to everyone who made this happen. We’re looking forwards, to the many journeys ahead!

#TogetherRaisingSmiles

#autismmatters

#neurodiversitymatters

 

To find out more about MAIN and our services please contact us here 

Thumbnail saying oriental museum

Local Services: The Oriental Museum

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We visited The Oriental Museum in County Durham

Katherine and Pippa visited The Oriental Museum last month and reported back. 

MAIN were invited to come visit Durham University’s Oriental Museum where they were shown around by Charlotte Spink and Ailsa Douglas. This museum has free entry and is very accessible, there is a lift, small gift shop and coffee shop. The reception are super friendly and the whole place is set up for interaction. The museum is also very child friendly with some very tactile exhibits including the ribbon tree that you can sit under for some sensory time or add a ribbon to it for yourself. There are lots of seating available on all four levels and each level has space dedicated to encouraging children to learn more about these cultures with lots of activities in each area.

The museum exhibits items from Ancient Egypt to modern China and has dedicated it’s space to the archaeology and the art from Northern Africa and Asia.

If you are planning a visit there are accessibility guides here 

  • Sensory Map
  • Gallery Layout
  • Accessibility guide

For more information please visit their website 

 

Says The Story

Local Services: The Story

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We visited The Story in County Durham

Katherine and Pippa visited The Story last week and reported back. 

The Story is a very welcoming place and is focused on making their space accessible for all. We were shown around by Steph West and she explained that this museum brings together the collections of The Archives which is six miles of information spanning 900 years of history, Archaeological objects and historical records, 300 years of the Durham Light Infantry, Local Studies and Historic Registration back to 1837 are recorded for the area.

Entry is free of charge and the site has good parking and is very accessible, there is a lift on site. There is no reception as such on the ground floor but there are people there to meet and greet as you go through the front doors. The Story is family friendly and have a lot of activities throughout the school holidays and weekends. There are a lot of interactive exhibits, lots of tactile exhibits and it has also been broken down into manageable pieces of information. There is a lovely big coffee shop and with free use of computers upstairs there is no need to book in advance.

Thank you for the show around and we look forward to forging further links soon.

For more information please visit their website