Salford pioneered an app that made it easier for disabled people to visit sports centers.
The city was the first to introduce ‘WelcoMe’.
It is being tested by Sport England at a number of UK leisure providers, with Salford being the first to go live from 7,200 gyms and leisure centers across the country.
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It helps people with disabilities plan ahead and control their visits by contacting the venues prior to their arrival and alerting sports and recreational teams to any special requirements or assistance they need.
Salford Community Leisure (SCL) users, which manage eight gyms, six pools and a water sports center among many other facilities, can create their own profile with details of their specific needs and skills before visiting.
Developed by Neatebox, users must alert the venues at least two hours prior to their visit so that staff can ensure they know exactly how to help the user by briefing team members, making preparations, and getting the equipment ready for a positive Ensure experience.
After the user confirms the booking and planning, an alert is sent to the leisure center or sports facility with information about the visitor’s disabilities, conditions and requirements.
Ferdy Habib, 47 years old, of Eccles, whose son Sami, 20, has autism and palsy, said, “It’s a brilliant idea; Knowing that the staff knows the condition of a disabled person in advance will reduce a lot of anxiety and make things much easier not only for the disabled person but also for the staff of the leisure centers.
“It’s respectful and relieves the stress people can experience, especially when there is a queue in front of the leisure center or sports facility.
“Sami just wants to go to the gym and continue training instead of having to wait. Being welcome beforehand would also be a great benefit as it would calm Sami and it would be good for him to know that someone knows in advance who he is. It is important to realize that not everyone has visual disabilities. We look forward to this being implemented in SCL’s facilities. “
Irlam and Cadishead Leisure Center
Ben Andrews, Project Manager for Empower You by Unlimited Potential, an organization that helps people with disabilities gain access to common recreational opportunities across Salford, says: “Disabled people have significant barriers to accessing common recreational facilities and venues. This app will help alleviate many people’s fear of personally explaining their access and other needs. It will also help support a more conscious recreational staff. It’s great to see the app launched in Salford and it’s a fantastic win for SCL and the locals. “
Coun David Lancaster, chief environmental and community safety officer for Salford City Council, said the app would greatly improve people’s confidence in using sports facilities.
He added, “It’s a quick and easy way to let employees know what support people need to get the most out of their visit – and builds on much of the work that SCL has already done in training its employees to support people Disabilities or additional needs. ”
Salford Community Leisure Sports Director Garry Bateman said: “We are proud to be at the forefront of the Sport England pilot to launch this innovative app in the leisure sector.
“The new app is the perfect addition to our facilities and aims to close the gap in the customer journey of people with disabilities by addressing both real and perceived barriers before the actual visit the best experience it can be. “
The app is live at Irlam and Cadishead Leisure Centers and will soon go live at four other sports and leisure facilities in Salford including Eccles Leisure Center, Salford Watersports Center, Swinton & Pendlebury Leisure Center and Worsley Leisure Center.
In the meantime, any user of the SCL fitness studios with a disability, an illness or an additional health need can download the app here for free.
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