The Eastbourne Access Group is a voluntary society that was formally created in 1981, the Year of Disabled People. The group was formed to oversee the making of the Eastbourne section of a county-wide Access Guide.
Eastbourne, in 1981 was a Victorian town which at that time had stepped entrances to all its important buildings. Under the vigorous leadership of Wing Commander Bunny Shaw, the town was gradually transformed into a much more mobility-friendly place. Today, despite continuing progress, certain barriers to access in the town are difficult to resolve but reasonable adjustments can be made. Access might be physically impossible in some cases and in others financial constraint means that progress is slow - installation of new dropped kerbs for example.
The Access Group consists of a small number of members, each with a different disability or knowledge of it. Together with the Access Officers for Eastbourne and Wealden Councils we can represent the people who are living with the daily problems caused by a wide range of disabilities and focus the Councils' efforts on making things easier.
We meet on alternate months at the Palm Court Hotel. Some meetings also take place at Shinewater Court, which is a Residential Care Home in Eastbourne run by the Disabilities Trust.
Eastbourne Borough Council uses the Access Group as an official source of advice about Access matters. On occasion our members are asked to sit on relevant Council working groups and to address meetings.
The Group is a member of RADAR, the Disability Network. It is affiliated to 3VA, formerly the Eastbourne Association of Voluntary Services (the local CVS.)
The Group is always keen to enrol new members and there really is no hard work involved. If you are sufficiently concerned about the difficulties that disabled people face in specific or in general terms then the Access Group will be pleased to welcome you as a member. Your opinion is valuable.
Each year the Group produces the Eastbourne Access Guide which contains guidance on places, spaces and information around Eastbourne. It also contains wheelchair route maps and information on access features in Eastbourne's hotels.
Details of Eastbourne Access Group can be obtained from the Access Officer on 01323 415218 or from the Access Group Chairman: Ian Westgate on 01323 763226.
