Nottingham City Council triumph at Community Care Awards 9 January 2007

Nottingham City Council, one of the first local authorities to install a Changing Places toilet in a public place, was proclaimed winner of a 2006 Community Care award at a recent awards ceremony. The Community Care awards aim to highlight and reward good practice and innovative ways of working, and are awarded to projects or teams that are really making a positive difference to the lives of service users.

Over 500 professionals, volunteers and service users attended the awards ceremony in London’s West End, which was hosted by comedy actor and TV presenter Tony Robinson.

Nottingham City Council was declared winner of the carers category, for installing a Changing Places toilet in the city to successfully tackle the lack of suitable toilets in public places for thousands of disabled people.

The team from Nottingham were thrilled to receive the award, which was judged by a panel including leaders from social care, charities and academia.

Day Services Modernisation Manager Martin Jackaman who led the Nottingham team said, “We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award. It is an honour for the City Council to have our project recognised by some of the leading professionals in social care in the country. We hope this will raise the profile of the Changing Places campaign and encourage other councils and the community as a whole to join Nottingham City Council in installing Changing Places toilets – something which really does make a difference and opens up a world of possibility for so many people.”

Without Changing Places toilets, families and carers are forced to risk their own health and safety and that of the person they care for changing their disabled family member on a toilet floor. The alternative is not to go out at all. The Nottingham Changing Places toilet is already making a huge difference to the lives of many profoundly disabled people and their families.

Bethan, mum to Lowri aged 8 who has profound and multiple learning disabilities, explains, "Previously we wouldn't have had the confidence to spend a whole day out. Now that we know the Changing Places toilet is in Nottingham and are so confident of what's on offer I know we'll be back regularly”.

As well as being given an award, the team were presented with a cheque for £5,000 which they will put towards building further Changing Places toilets in key venues within the city.

> Read how the Changing Places toilet is making a difference to the lives of Lowri and her family

> Find out more about the Changing Places toilet in Nottingham