A GRANT of £10,000 has been awarded to go towards creating a more accessible disabled toilet in Berriew Street car park, which is planned to be completed before the start of the new tourist season in 2019.

The new facility is called a ‘changing spaces’ toilet and is designed especially for people with profound disabilities. They are much larger than standard disabled bathrooms, which do not meet the needs of all people with a disability. They also contain extra equipment such as a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench and a hoist system.

A group called Civic Pride were responsible for the project, which has its own constitution and management group and comprises of councillors, local historians and interested parties.

Folkert Veenstra, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Llanerchyddol Ward, started pushing for a changing spaces toilet in Welshpool after a constituent come to him, and spoke to the County Times last month about his campaign.

He said that the changing spaces toilet would be of huge benefit to Welshpool’s disabled population and that it would also make the town a stop-off point for people travelling further into Wales.