Case Study – Jayne Bennett

Jayne Beckett, who has a learning disability, loves Blackpool, writes Anabel Unity Sale. In fact, she likes it so much that in the past two years she has visited the seaside town five times. She feels most comfortable when she stays at the Bond Hotel, which caters especially for people with disabilities, and where she is today with United Response support worker Audree Downes. The hotel opened in 1983 when the owners realised there was a gap in the market for holiday accommodation for people with disabilities. It now has 30 staff, and 20 are completing national vocational qualifications in subjects relating to the care of disabled people and hotel working.

Jayne says staff understand her: “Bond has the best facilities. The bedrooms are made for disabled people. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

The hotel has big ambitions as it has just been awarded planning permission for a building with a chemist, conference centre and sauna.

➔ See more on Jayne’s holiday experiences in our special issue, written and edited by service users, on 13 September. For information on the hotel go to www.bondhotel.co.uk