So, spring is on the way, the evenings are getting lighter and there’s blossom on the trees – what better time to celebrate the national event, ‘Disabled Access Day’, here in Brighton and Hove and West Sussex?

Disabled Access Day actually covers three days – Friday 10 to Sunday 12 March. We’ve crammed as many local offers as we possibly can in this special blog – and we’re delighted quite a few of our lovely Compass Card partners are providing you with special offers to mark the event.

Disabled Access Day was the brainchild of ‘Euan’s Guide’, the disabled access review website and app, and you can find more information about it at www.disabledaccessday.com – but do bear in mind details for some of the offers we list here may not be listed on the website.

A quick note about accessibility and Changing Places
One of the things that can stop families enjoying leisure is access to appropriate toileting and changing Changing places logofacilities. If you’ve explored the Compass Card offers page on our website (www.compasscard.org.uk/compass-card-offers/) and used our Compass Card app, you’ll know we include information about accessibility for all our Compass Card offers to help you plan your trip – but did you know about the ‘Changing Places’ campaign? It’s calling for all large public places to have ‘Changing Places’ toilets installed; these are toilets that are clean and safe and include equipment like hoists and large changing benches. The Changing Places website (www.changing-places.org) lists Changing Places toilets across the UK and you can search for them locally so you can forward plan.

Enter our Disabled Access Day draw for two pairs of free tickets for the relaxed performance of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ at The Hawth Theatre in Crawley, Tuesday 4 April at 2.30pm
The Hawth in Crawley has provided us with two pairs of free tickets for the relaxed performance of Northern Ballet’s ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ at 2.30pm on Tuesday 4 April to celebrate Disabled Goldilocks eating porridge.Access Day – see below for how to enter our draw for the tickets. A 40 minute performance that runs for 40 minutes, this lovely show combines live ballet, music and theatre and is suitable for all ages. The relaxed performance has slight adaptations and is aimed at anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed performance environment including people with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, Sensory or Communication Disorders, or a learning disability. There’s a more relaxed attitude to noise (voluntary and involuntary) in the auditorium, in order to reduce anxiety and ensure a safe and enjoyable theatre visit.

How do I enter the draw for tickets?
Email marie@amazesussex.org.uk If you’re one of the lucky ones, Marie Baker from the Compass Team will email you all the information you need to collect your tickets – so make sure you check your email inbox next week (and your junk mail folder, just in case!) to see if she’s messaged you.

Family fun days

Worthing Leisure Centre – free activities Saturday 11 March 12 to 4pm
Cricket ball and wicket. Worthing Leisure Centre is marking Disabled Access Day with an afternoon of free activities for all ages at Worthing Leisure Centre, Shaftesbury Avenue, Worthing BN12 4ET on Saturday 11 March from 12 to 4pm. All activities are suitable for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families and will include football, basketball, disability cricket, trampolining, soft play and dance. For more information, email sally.honey@southdownsleisure.co.uk

Southwick Leisure Centre – Extratime Family Fun Day Sunday 12 March 10am to 4pm
Extratime and Southwick Leisure Centre have joined forces to provide an inclusive Family Fun Day on Child on trampoline. Sunday 12 March. It’s a fully inclusive event for children and young people with and without additional needs and their siblings and friends. There is a suggested donation of £4 per child and parent carers go free of charge. Expect trampolining, a bouncy castle, a music workshop and an opportunity to learn magic tricks with Tony the magician. For further information, email brett.preston@extratimebrighton.org.uk or call 01273 420580.

Sport and physical activity

Brighton Table Tennis Club – free entry for Compass Card holders and carers Friday 10 to Sunday 12 March
One of our newest Compass Card partners, Brighton Table Tennis Club, is offering Compass Card holders and their carers or PAs free entry for sessions during Disabled Access Day. There are a number of sessions to choose from: on Friday 10 March All Comers sessions for adults with learning disabilities on Friday 10 from 5 to 6.30pm, Cadet Elite/Intermediate session from 6.30 to 8.30pm and Adult and Junior Advanced Training from 8.30 to 10.30pm; on Saturday 11 March session for 5 to 10 year olds from 10am to 12pm, Junior Open session for under 18s 12 to 2pmTable tennis bats and ball. and All Comers Sessions for 16s and overs from 2 to 5pm; and on Sunday 12 March girls only session for 7 to 14 year olds from 3 to 5pm; All Comers All Ages session 5 to 8pm; and Junior Elite session from 6 to 8.30pm. The sessions are at The Fitzherbert Centre, 36 Upper Bedford Street, Brighton BN2 1JP. Call 01273 670145. For more info, visit www.brightontabletennisclub.co.uk

High Sports Brighton – bring a friend for free when you book a taster or ‘Rock Start’ climbing session 10 to 12 March
Another Compass Card partner, High Sports, is one of the best climbing facilities in the South East, so if you like heights, this could be the perfect Disabled Access Day offer! If Compass Card holders book a  Girl on indoor climbing wall.£13.50 taster session (available at weekends) or a £25 Rock Start session (available Mondays to Thursdays) for over 18s between 10 and 12 March, they can bring a friend for free. You can choose any date that’s available to suit you; you just need to book during Disabled Access Day to get the special offer and take the Compass Card with you on the day to validate the discount. High Sports is at Withdean Sports Complex, Tongdean Lane, Brighton BN1 5JD. Visit http://www.high-sports.co.uk/climbing-walls/brighton.html for more info.

Out of Bounds in Angmering provides tenpin bowling offer on 11 and 12 March
If you fancy a game of tenpin this weekend, Compass Card partner, Out of Bounds in Angmering, is providing a special offer for Compass Card holders on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March. Show the card and Pay just £2 for the card holder and £2 for one carer. Out of Bounds is on Golfers Lane, Angmering BN16 4NB. Visit www.out-of-bounds.co.uk for info about the venue.

Westgate Leisure Centre in Chichester offers free swimming for Compass Card holders on 11 and 12 March
Three young people swimming under water.If you fancy a free swim and you’re in the Chichester area, here’s one for you! Westgate Leisure Centre in Chichester is offering free swimming to Compass Card holders on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12. Just show your card and the card holder swims for free – and the usual carer goes free deal still applies – so that’s two free tickets! The centre is on Via Ravenna, Chichester PO19 1RJ. See www.everyoneactive.com/centre/westgate-leisure-centre for more info, or call 0330 050396.

Theatre and entertainment

Bag your free popcorn at the Duke of York’s in Brighton on Friday 10th
The Duke of York’s Cinema has teamed up with Lewes-based charity, The Bevern Trust, to provide a freeBox of popcorn. small bag of popcorn for every ticket holder at children’s film, Moana (PG), this Friday 10 March at 3pm. In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain’s daughter’s island, she answers the Ocean’s call to seek out the Demigod to set things right. The Duke of York’s is at Preston Circus, Brighton BN1 4NA. Don’t forget, there’s also a Compass Card offer in place at the Duke’s – see the app for more details, or visit the offers page on this website.

Brighton Dome – free backstage tours on 11 and 12 March
Brighton Dome & Festival is marking the weekend with free backstage tours and lots of information Brighton Dome and Festival Theatreabout accessibility. There’s an ‘Access Information Hub’ from 2 to 4pm on Friday 10th and on Saturday and Sunday and local disabled organisations Carousel and Possability People will also be on hand. The free backstage tours are on Saturday and Sunday and include two backstage Touch Tours on Saturday from 10 to 11.15am and 11.45am to 1pm and two backstage BSL-interpreted tours on Sunday from 10.30 to 11.45am and 12.15 to 1.30pm. Places on the tours are limited, so advance booking is essential. To reserve your place, email tickets@brightondome.org or contact the Ticket Office on 01273 709709. If you have a specific access enquiry, call the Visitor Services team on 01273 261525 / 541 or email access@brightondome.org

Theatre Royal Brighton – free activities Saturday 11th 10.30am to 12.30pm
The Theatre Royal in Brighton has several free events to mark Disabled Access Day: from 10.30am there are Mad Hatter’s Tea Party craft activities for children and adults, led by inclusive artist, Abigail Horn; at 11am there’s a Backstage Tour for visitors in wheelchairs or with limited mobility (meet at the Stage Door in Bond Street); at 11.30am there’s a BSL signed Backstage Tour for mobile visitors (meet in the theatre Theatre Royal Brighton.foyer); and at noon there’s a visit and display from Guide Dogs for the Blind. Throughout the morning Staff will be on hand throughout the morning to show you around and let you try the theatre’s ‘Inside the Magic’ iPad app. If you’re going to the afternoon performance of Nell Gwynn, there will be a Touch Tour at 1pm and the performance at 2.30pm will be audio described (to buy tickets, call the Access Line team on 0800 912 6971 or the typetalk booking line on 18001 0871 297 5477). For more information, email jackiealexander@theambassadors.com or call Theatre Royal Brighton’s Access Champion, James Dubois, on 01273 764405.

Other offers

Discounted cream tea at Wendy’s @Bosham 10 to 12 March
Here’s Scone with strawberries, jam and cream.a particularly delicious offer! Wendy’s @ Bosham, is offering Compass Card holders a scrumptious cream tea with homemade fruit scone, jam and cream and tea or coffee with a refill for just £3. The offer’s available during opening hours on Friday 10, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March. Just show your Compass Card when you place your order. Wendy’s is at Bosham Walk Art & Craft Centre, Bosham Lane, Bosham, West Sussex PO18 8HX. Tel. 01243 575297.

Brighton and Hove and Metro Buses – good news if you have a Disabled Concessionary Card
If you have a Brighton & Hove Buses or a Metro Buses ‘Disabled Concessionary Card’, you can get free bus travel for a travelling companion of your choice on 10, 11 and 12 March. To claim the free travel, companions just need to board the bus with their Disabled Concessionary Card holder friend and make it Brighton and Hove bus.clear to the driver that they are travelling together. If you’ve already got a ‘Plus Companion’ (‘+C’) on your Disabled Concessionary Card, a second companion can travel for free with you. More details are at www.buses.co.uk/accessday for Brighton & Hove and at www.metrobus.co.uk/accessday for Metrobus.

Gatwick Airport gets on board 10 to 12 March
If you’re free on Friday 10 March, Gatwick Airport is celebrating Disabled Access Day from 10am to 1pm with a special tour, a drive round the airfield in a minibus and lunch. You need to register if you want to take part by emailing community@gatwickairport.com and giving the names of everyone attending and providing information on any special requirements. Because part of the tour includes going through to the Departure Lounge, you’ll also need to bring photo ID (eg. passport or driving license) for the members of your group. On Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, there are also Q and A sessions about accessibility at Gatwick from 11am to 2pm in the South Terminal Special Assistance Reception, plus refreshments and £5 vouchers to spend in the terminal.