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The ongoing redevelopment of the Ron Short Centre has now seen the opening of a fully-accessible shop and function hall with the grand opening held on Purple Tuesday - the day of the disabled consumer.
The facility, in the grounds of Beau Sejour, has been completely redesigned and re-built and is staffed by disabled individuals.
This has been made possible with two grants from the Guernsey Community Foundation totalling close to £70k along with public donations and legacies, which together paid for the work to the function hall and retail shop.
Pictured: The fully accessible retail space is within the Ron Short Centre.
The Ron Short Centre and UnLtd worked together to develop the new spaces.
“It's really important that our shop is thoroughly modern in its approach and systems. This means that training in our shop will be transferable to the modern retail environment,” said Les Banks, UnLtd’s Social Enterprise Manager.
The function hall is fully accessible and available for hire whilst the shop features wide automatic doors with continuous flooring as well as a host of other carefully designed features with the disabled consumer in mind.
Many of the goods are hung at a height accessible to wheelchair users, including clothes, gifts, and books, and the facility has a colour scheme designed to assist those with visual impairments.
“All we’ve done is take normal retail practices and have adapted them. It’s not a difficult problem, it doesn’t have to be expensive, it just needs a bit of thought," added Mr Banks.
Both the function hall and the shop have been seen as a much wanted facility as most local shops do not have these features, making their use difficult for those with disabilities.
“It's as if some shops don’t want our money, the obstacles they put in our way. It makes me mad!” said Sam Patch.
Pictured: The new retail facility sells clothes and other goods.
The Retail Shop's staff have not only received training on modern retail systems and technical support provided by M&S Guernsey and Creasey’s Department Store but the shop itself was designed with the help of the two retailers.
“We are so pleased and proud to have been a part of this important initiative which is breaking new ground in accessible retailing,” said Charlotte Arnold, Visual Merchandising Manager at M&S Guernsey.
The shop sells second hand goods in a fresh and appealing state as well as goods and services created and being offered by UnLtd’s workforce.
Services currently consist of crafting products, many taking place within the function hall, some of which will be available for purchase in other locations outside of the centre.
“It’s absolutely wonderful and I hope everyone comes and shops here,” said Caroline Lewis, a Ron Short Centre user who was asked to officially open the shop.
Pictured: Caroline Lewis (left) and other service users make items to sell to raise money for the Ron Short Centre.
UnLtd is a charity organisation looking to assist entrepreneurs in a manner that they believe will change society for the better.
UnLtd’s investment in the shop and function hall at the Ron Short Centre is based around the centre’s ability to both provide employment opportunities and be a business catering to those with disabilities.
“Developing the systems for training with people with disabilities is just about thinking creatively, it's about recognizing people's particular talents and then seeing how they can best be used. Stop seeing the impairment, start seeing the people,” said Rob Harnish, Ron Short Centre Manager.
The Ron Short Centre is looking to unveil a technology department in the store in the near future followed by plans of further extending the centre down the line.
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