Inclusive and Accessible fun for all at High Rise Adventure Centre Lisburn

As we approach Disabled Access Day, we want to celebrate the ways in which High Rise offers an inclusive and accessible experience for our disabled guests and extend an invitation to those with disabilities to try something new with a visit to our award-winning social enterprise.

At High Rise, we understand that accessibility is not a privilege but a fundamental right and that for individuals with disabilities, access barriers can severely limit their ability to participate in everyday activities. High Rise is different, High Rise is for everyone.

Accessible design

In designing High Rise, we were passionate that it should be a place where all families can come to enjoy quality time together, no matter what their ability or their needs.

High Rise offers wheelchair access throughout the entire centre, with lift access to our sensory rooms and meeting facilities on the first floor.

We also have a Changing Places accessible toilet facility within the centre. Our Changing Places toilet provides specialised equipment, enough space and a clean and safe environment, enabling families and carers to look after people with disabilities in dignified and hygienic conditions.

Our Changing Places toilet is open to guests of High Rise, as well as to others, and is registered with the Changing Places Consortium and included on the official Changing Places map.

Inclusivity in climbing

At High Rise, we are passionate that all guests have the opportunity to enjoy all of the activities on offer, including our adventurous Clip ‘n Climb challenges.

For those with physical disabilities wishing to participate in Clip ‘n Climb, we ask that you contact us prior to booking, so that we can ensure the appropriate team members are on hand to support you with your visit. Pre-visits are recommended to come and view the facilities and discuss any queries you may have.

We also offer regular autism tailored sessions for Clip ‘n Climb and soft play, allowing guests to participate in these activities in a calmer, quieter environment with less participants.

Dates for our autism tailored sessions can be found here.

Sensory room fun 

High Rise offers two state of the art sensory rooms which are highly valued by our guests, particularly those with additional needs.

Both sensory rooms are located on the first floor and are kitted out with state of the art equipment designed to stimulate or relax guests. Our larger sensory room, Sensory Room 1 is ideal for exclusive family bookings or for larger groups (up to six people). It features a large bubble tube and projector along with a vibrating plate, interactive wall panels and messy floor tiles. The smaller room, Sensory Room 2 has a soothing ceiling sparkle cloud, mood lighting, fibre optic strands and a range of sensory toys. It’s a more intimate sensory space and can accommodate up to three guests in a single group, such as a family, and is particularly suitable for relaxation, quiet and chilling out.

The sensory rooms at High Rise provide a welcoming space for everyone, whatever their needs or ability. They have been specially designed to support our guests with additional needs, but may be beneficial to:

• Anyone with a sensory processing disorder
• Children on the autistic spectrum
• Adults with additional needs or learning disabilities
• Babies and their parents or carers
• Those with brain injuries or recovering from accidents.

Supportive, welcoming environment

The team at High Rise have received specialist training from Guide Dogs NI and Autism NI to support our guests with additional needs. We were delighted to host a family fun day with Guide Dogs NI, where families got to spend quality time together enjoying all of the exciting activities High Rise has to offer. One guest had this to say about their experience : “Well thought through in terms of level of disability, particularly in adaption to V.I. Super venue.”

You can read more about the family fun day here.

High Rise was awarded the Autism NI Impact Award in recognition of the ways in which the centre supports autistic guests and has created an ‘autism accessible environment’.

We are continually seeking to improve accessibility within the centre to ensure all of our guests have a fantastic experience at High Rise and urge guests visiting the centre to provide feedback following their visit.

Here are just a few examples of what guests have had to say about their visit to High Rise :

“We had a brilliant time and our daughter could use the sensory room and join the party. An inclusive experience and fun for everyone. So good to have the Changing Places too. So few places have this facility and it’s so important to our family”.

“Sensory room was amazing. So excited about the Changing Places toilet too – we can change our daughter with dignity! She matters too!”.

“Our visit today was fantastic. The facilities are excellent and the staff are extremely accommodating. It is refreshing to go such an environment with a child with a disability. The service provided is unique and very much needed!”.

As a Social Enterprise, every single visit helps us to continue the work of our charity, supporting parents locally and across the UK to get into and stay in work, and be better off. Every time a family of four visits Clip ‘ Climb and enjoys lunch in our café, it enables our charity to help one family identify financial support they are entitled to through a call to our Family Benefits Advice Service.

For further information on accessibility throughout the centre please visit our accessibility page here.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family to High Rise soon!