We recently supplied the Stairmate Major stair climber to the National Trust after existing customer Stourhead National Trust recommended our accessibility solutions for other properties run by the charity. Our stairclimbers are perfect for historic buildings with steps where it isn’t possible to fit other accessibility solutions such as lifts or ramps. Another advantage is that visitors can stay seated in their own wheelchairs whilst moving up and down the stairs.
The National Trust in Northern Ireland partnered with the Mae Murray Foundation two years ago to improve inclusivity and accessibility at their locations. Talia Crawford, daughter of Mae Murray Foundation’s founder Alix, recently made history when she became the first wheelchair user to access Mussenden Temple, using the Stairmate Major stairclimber. For the first time, wheelchair users are able to experience events inside this iconic cliff-side venue.
Alix Crawford, Chairperson at Mae Murray Foundation, said: “It’s our passion to break down barriers and partnerships are a huge part of that. Working with the National Trust has been really inspiring because staff are so enthused about our vision.
“From our perspective, we are keen to do anything we can to support the National Trust to make all of their venues and locations inclusive. It’s just really exciting because when you have a partnership where both parties see the end vision. It means those barriers can be broken down a lot more quickly.”
Stuart, our Operations Manager, conducted on-site training for the National Trust team so that they could learn how to operate the stairclimber safely and confidently.
Here you can see Stuart and the National Trust staff using the Stairmate Major at Mussenden Temple:
The adoption of the stairclimber coincided with an accessibility event at Portstewart Strand beach. A volunteering day was hosted by The National Trust and Mae Murray Foundation to organise guided litter picks along the beach and the dunes, as well as inclusive activities for all the family, including netball, scavenger hunts and sensory table fun.
The event was part of The Big Help Out which launched last year as part of the celebrations for the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla. Visitors to the beach were given the chance to understand the essential role volunteers play in preserving nature, beauty and history for everyone, for ever. The event was featured in the local press, as well as Talia’s visit to Mussenden Temple. You can read more about the event here.
The Stairmate Major
One of the main advantages of the Stairmate Major is that there is no need for the passenger to transfer from their wheelchair to use the stairclimber. It is perfect for use in historic buildings which do not have modern building adaptations. It can be used for both internal and external steps and stairs.