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Riverside House : Accessibility Statement

Riverside House : Accessibility Statement

Mothers Day at the Malthouse Project, Bury St Edmunds

  

The Malthouse Project is a unique attraction in central Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.  The building itself is a restored old maltings which dates back to the 17th Century.  The project itself is publicly funded and run by Genesis Housing Association who strive to house homeless or unsuitably housed people and giving those who have been excluded from mainstream education and training a second chance to train and experience voluntarily in our community cafe, The Kiln Cafe, which is run by Simon Johnson.  You can take a self led tour of the building following numbered posters.  

To give you an example of what you can expect please read through this blog which gives you details of what the malthouse has to offer and some pictures so you can get a real feeling for this lovely building.  To the left is one of the numbered posters and picture of the kiln shutter.  This shutter was used to cover the gap through which the grain was shovelled onto, and off the kiln floor.  It would then be shut to ensure that the heat from the kiln did not come back into the rest of the building and affect the starch process.  To the right is how it looks today with the original shutter still in place, and through the window you can see where the kiln was, which today houses the Kiln Cafe. Just one of the points of interest to view!

When visiting the building (see picture above) you will find ample parking in the large car-park and some disabled parking right outside the building.  There is also accessible public transport available within minutes walk.  You will enter through the door in the centre of the building.  This leads you through a wide hallway to the reception area where someone is always on hand to see to your requirements.  If you are taking a self led tour of the building then this is where you will start.

The building is totally wheelchair accessible and has lovely wide hallways for good manoeuvring.  You will take a left from reception and follow the hallway down.  At the bottom of this hallway are the disabled toilets and baby changing area, to the right are the ladies & gent and to the left you will find the Kiln Cafe entrance from inside the building.  You can then turn around and follow the posters which eventually lead upstairs.  Right next to the stairs you will find a wheelchair accessible self driven lift.  This will take you to the next floor and meets you at the top of the stairs.  Halfway up these stairs you can view the beautiful original shutter door to the window, this can also be seen when you use the lift as this is glass.  You then follow this hallway round reading  more posters and viewing more original interesting items from the original building.

On this level is the Heritage room and in here you can view original items on display in our Bespoke cabinet.  The items were found whilst the building was being renovated.  Each item is labeled so if your not sure what it is you will be!  Also within this room is the original grain door.  The two upper growing floors are linked by this small door in the dividing wall. It has a hole in the lower panel, which was used by the malthouse cat, whose job was to patrol the building and rid it of the rats.  Rat holes can be seen at various places throughout the building in the old timber wall planking  These items make very interesting viewing and you can take a rest in this room and maybe have a cup of tea and some cheese and biscuits.  This room is also available for venue hire.

At the end of the corridor there are 6 steps leading up to the beamed room.  Beside these steps is another lift to allow wheelchair access to this room.  Again it is easily hand operated although if you require any assistance then there are staff around the building who would be more than willing to assist you.  Opposite these steps are the disabled toilets which also include a large wet room.  There are also ladies & gents toilets situated at the other end of the corridor.  When you enter the beamed room you may well need to bob your head through the original entrance doorway as it is very low.

This lovely open, bare beamed room is used in many different ways.  It is used to hold in-house functions such as Mothers Day and quiz nights and can be hired for conference meetings or even children's parties.  Please speak to Simon on the email or telephone number below to find out more about hiring this fantastic room.  There are lots of windows within this room giving it a lovely natural light. There is high tech audio visual equipment available in this room and the heritage room alike.  All your catering can be organised in house through the Kiln Cafe staff and volunteers so you can be certain to enjoy freshly prepared food at a very reasonable cost whilst helping the charity.

Once you have finished your self led tour you can go back down the stairs (or via the lift) to the ground floor and into the Kiln Cafe.  This can also be entered from the front of the building to the left through the glass door.  Here you will be greeted by a friendly face and seated within the original kiln where there are still some original stones from the kiln on the floor to this day.  You will be served by a volunteer and your food will be freshly prepared while you wait.  The menu offers a varied choice from home made scones to a variety of panini's all very fairly priced.  Please see the link below for the full menu available.

Mothers Day 2012

On Sunday 18th March, Mothers Day 2012 myself, my son Hadleigh, my mum Shirley and my dad Paul went to the malthouse to have our Mothers Day lunch.  When we arrived we parked right outside the building and went through the open door.  There was a large board outside which showed us through and up to the beamed room.  The tables were laid out beautifully with delicate yellow table cloths complemented with little vases of daffodil's.  We were greeted by one of the volunteers, Sam and shown to our table.  Once we were settled our orders were taken from the wonderful menu.  We all chose to have pate & toast for starter and I chose to have both pork & lamb and my mum, dad and Hadleigh chose the roast chicken, which was wrapped in bacon and stuffed with stuffing for our main courses.  The food was served excellently and timed perfectly.  The meat was served on the plate and the beautiful roast potatoes were served separately so you could help yourself.  For vegetables there was cauliflower, broccoli, corn on the cob, and carrots all beautifully presented in a large white oval dish and it looked absolutely perfect. There was more than enough for all of us and it was absolutely delicious.  Once the plates were cleared and we had a few minutes for our food to go down we were bought the beautiful sweet trolley, wow! Chocolate  fudge cake, lemon cheese cake, Bundt cake, fruit salad........ the list goes on, it was a very hard choice, especially for Hadleigh but in the end my dad and myself chose the chocolate fudge cake, my mum had the lemon cheesecake and Hadleigh chose the fruit salad.  They were all absolutely delicious and we all felt rather full after all that!  We were then served teas and coffees with a mint.  There was no rush at all to leave and the atmosphere was lovely.  There was low music playing which  I believe was war music with Glen Miller and alike, lovely for the mums to relax too!  Nothing was too much trouble, you need a drink? Just ask!  At the end of the meal my mum and myself were presented with a Mother's day present which was a little glass vase with some beautifully coloured Hyacinth's wrapped in clear cellofane in a lovely gift bag.  The aroma from them was wonderful and what a lovely little extra suprise for us Mums to end the perfect afternoon.  I would recommend this or any other organised event at the malthouse, the food really is incredible, just like Mum would make ;)  For more information on up and coming events at the malthouse please click on the link below.

The wonderful staff having their well deserved dinner at the end.

Downstairs entrance to wheelchair accessible lift

Upstairs entrance to wheelchair accessible lift

Original window shutter halfway up the stairs

To view this beautiful accessible building, visit the Kiln cafe, make a booking, hire one of the function rooms or for more information please contact Simon by one of the means below and he will be more than happy to assist you with your enquiry.

Address:         The Malthouse Project

                       8 Elsey's Yard

                       Bury St Edmunds

                       Suffolk

                       IP33 3AA

Telephone:      01284 732550

Email:              malthouse@genesisha.org.uk

Web:               www.genesisha.org.uk

An informative ad about The Kiln Cafe

Kiln Cafe Menu

Map of where the Malthouse is situated

Malthouse project venue hire information

A beautiful accessible holiday home in Bury st Edmunds

Suffolk Tourist Guide - Whats on in Bury St Edmunds

The original Malthouse in the 17th centuary

Blackpool Accessible Holiday Poem

Today I booked my holiday
And I cant wait to go!
I even booked my Travel Insurance
Because you never know!

Im leaving here at six
Right from my very door
Chauffer driven by Holiday Taxis
Ill be on time for sure.

We’re heading up to Blackpool
To the awesome Bond Hotel
I saved some money booking!
Which went down really well.

They offer entertainment
And everywhere’s accessible
The food is just divine
It really is incredible

Daily excursions provided
On the wheelchair accessible bus
Travel in style and comfort
Whilst enjoying your break with no fuss.

Blackpool Beach is a must
The waxworks and piers too
Blackpool illuminations
Are a really magnificent view.

It’s a shame I have to go home now
There’s still so much to do
Back in with Holiday Taxis
But next year im returning to you.

I arrive back at my front doorstep
Grinning and bursting with pride
That I had booked my holiday
Through Disability Holidays Guide.

2013 Accessible Holiday to Mauritius

Wings on Wheels develop and run small escorted group holidays worldwide for people with special needs and the less mobile, their carers, friends and relatives.  They also arrange tailor made holidays for individuals, families and groups both in the UK and abroad to your specific requirements and budgets. 
Here I am introducing you to the brand new 


              2013 HOLIDAY TO MAURITIUS!!          

Friday 18^th – Friday 25^th January, 2013

 £2475.00  per person.

Single room Supplement £350.00

Fly Air Mauritius from Heathrow to Mauritius. Stay 6 nights at La Plantation Resort & Spa which is located near Turtle Bay on the West Coast. There are 4 rooms at street level with bathrooms accessible to wheelchairs at this hotel. The hotel has a swimming pool, in-room safes, tea/coffee making facilities, minibar, air conditioning in the rooms, a shop, spa, 3 restaurants, 3 bars, a lounge, a natural beach, watersports, gym, petanque, table tennis, beach volleyball and tennis. Breakfast and dinner are included daily.  All transfers and excursions are by one wheelchair accessible minibus and one ordinary minibus with English speaking guide.

   

EXCURSIONS

Full day sightseeing with photo stop at Trou-aux-Cerfs dorman volcano, a stop at the Sacred Lake of Grand-Bassin and a visit of the Seven Coloured Earths. Lunch will be taken in the village of Chamarel and is included.

Half day to the Botanical Garden and some time for shopping.

Half day visit to the Physically Handicapped Welfare Association

    

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: Economy flights between Heathrow and Mauritius and return on Air Mauritius.  Accommodation for 6 nights at La Plantation Resort & Spa.  Breakfast and dinner daily. Excursions and transfers as above.  A Care Assistant and Wings on Wheels staff throughout, All taxes, gratuities and Service Charges as at 7^th March, 2012

NOT INCLUDED:- Drinks, lunches, hotel extras, personal expenses and Travel Insurance
(click on Travel Insurance for more information)

This air holiday is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.  Our ATOL Number is ATOL 9989.  Please see our Booking Conditions for more information.

For more information please give Jean a call on 01945 871111 quoting Disability Holidays Guide Blog. Thank you