This year’s United Nations World Toilet Day theme is “accelerating change” with a powerful call to action for everyone to do their part to tackle the current global sanitation crisis that affects millions of people every single day.

Right here in the UK there are over ¼ million people who cannot safely access a toilet, preventing them from doing everyday things most of us take for granted like visiting family and friends, attending hospital appointments, enjoying days out and holidays, attending school, enjoying lifelong learning opportunities, participating in sports and leisure activities. Having access to a toilet is a basic human right that many people in Scotland do not currently have. PAMIS is a Scottish charity supporting people with profound learning and multiple disabilities, their families and carers. Our families cannot use accessible toilets because they do not meet their needs, they are too small and do not contain the right equipment. They need a facility called a Changing Places toilet which has an adult sized changing bench, ceiling hoist and is much bigger to allow the whole family access or carers to assist with personal care. Our charity works tirelessly to create change for these families and thousands of others across Scotland with various disabilities who also require Changing Places toilets.  

 This World Toilet Day, PAMIS want to shine a spotlight on a fantastic new Changing Places toilet at the Larick Centre in Tayport, North East Fife, which we think is a perfect example of such a facility and what can be achieved when a local community work together to create an inclusive environment for all and “accelerate change” to benefit everyone.

If you are interested in installing a Changing Places toilet in your venue, so much can be learned from the Larick Centre. Or, if you are looking for a fantastic day out just a stones throw from Dundee and Tentsmuir Nature Reserve and beach then you will find ample disabled parking bays, wide open plan internal spaces, a bright and friendly café serving delicious cakes and scones and of course, a superb Changing Places toilet built to high standards which includes  a freestanding adult sized trolley, shower and height adjustable sink.We often receive requests from other charities and organisations who are looking to hire a fully accessible venue for meetings, workshops and conferences and the reality is these venues are few and far between. Which is just one of the reasons we wanted to shout about the Larick Centre as it is certainly a great space for an accessible event with the The Otter, Red Squirrel and Kingfisher Rooms available to hire along with the much larger Sea Eagle Hall. There is also a 32 pitch campsite nearby and pathways to the nearby beach.  

 World Toilet Day also urges us to be the change we want to see and Tayport Community Trust is a good example of this. Established in 2008 to develop and support projects and activities that contribute to a vibrant and sustainable local community, the Trust developed plans for the Larick Centre with the idea of creating a new activity and meeting place that would make a real difference to Tayport’s people of all ages and abilities. The centre aims to empower people to start up groups which will be beneficial to other people within the community. It promotes and supports health and fitness, local business, local employment, and tourism. For several years Tayport Community Trust have been consulting local people and community groups. Their ideas were then used to develop a set of ambitious plans for what is now a versatile, new community building. Over £2.8M in capital funding was raised, through a number of very generous grants and donations including Big Lottery Fund, Bruce Wake Charitable Trust, Hugh Fraser Foundation, Kingdom Group, The Robertson Trust, Scottish Rural Development Program and the Walter Craig trust. Upkeep of the building and its charitable activities is funded through the commercial provision of a function venue, charging for daily and hourly use of the facilities, revenues of the café, fundraising, and charitable donations. For more details on how the community trust funded their facilities visit their website HERE.

PAMIS’ Fife team find the centre an ideal base for hosting activities and events and we are certainly looking forward to working together in the future to develop new opportunities for our families in the area.  

To find out more about the Larick Centre click HERE.

To find out more about Changing Places toilets contact [email protected] 

PAMIS offer a free enquiry service – get advice and support with planning, design, management and more. We offer a range of training courses including a Changing Places Awareness course. We register all new CPts in Scotland – check out the UK Interactive CPT map HERE.