Little Bench - New Forest Accessible Accommodation

Our Bench - Accessible Equipment for you wheelchair accessible holiday

Specialist Facilities & Services for Your Accessible Holiday

Specialist Equipment as Holiday Essentials: Our range of specialist equipment is included as a holiday essential. To ensure availability, please check in advance if specific equipment is crucial for your stay.

We have various equipment available for our guests to use during their stay, ensuring a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Reservation and Liability:

Booking in Advance: Equipment must be booked in advance to reserve and prepare it for your arrival. Choices will be confirmed once your deposit is paid.
Usage at Own Risk: Guests use our equipment at their own risk. Our Bench Self Catering accepts no liabilities for injuries, falls, or equipment breakdowns. All equipment must be returned cleaned, in working order, and used only for its intended purpose.
Hoists: If you plan to request a mobile hoist or use our ceiling hoists, please bring your own slings, be trained in using them, and have at least two people present.
No Training Provided: We cannot offer training or instruction for the equipment provided.
Safety Instructions: It is essential to read any relevant safety instructions as the equipment may differ from what you have at home.

How to Reserve Equipment: The easiest way to reserve equipment is by returning an equipment list sent after your deposit is paid. Please tick what you require along with details of the lead guest, cottage, preferred 4-digit number, and stay dates. We will try our best to accommodate you.

Details of all our in house equipment that is available for your stay:

The equipment you require is not listed above?

Hiring External Equipment: If the equipment you require is not listed, you are welcome to hire and have it delivered to the cottages on the Friday before your arrival between 10 am and 1 pm. Inform us before arranging delivery to ensure that your cottage will be ready and someone is available to accept it. Below is a list of external services, agencies, and hire companies that have been helpful to our family, neighbors, and guests.

External Equipment Providers:

Dorset Nursing Supplies: Contact on 01202 425070 for equipment like Stand Aid, profiling beds, dynamic mattress overlays, scooters, and standing hoists.
Winton Health Care Solutions: Contact on 01489 896435 for equipment like replacement mattresses, overlay mattresses and air mattresses.
Mobility Hire: Offers wheelchairs, hand-bikes, scooters, lift and tilt shower chairs, tilt and recline shower chairs, air flow mattresses. Contact through their website.
Mobility at Sea: Contact on 02392 000000 for equipment like mobility scooters, power chairs, Rotunda, and tilt in space shower/commode chairs. Delivery and collection on Fridays.
Richen's Care: Contact on 01425 638006 for a range of additional equipment delivered before arrival and collected after departure.
Ableworld based in Christchurch, offers scooter hire with delivery/collection fees, daily and weekend rates.
Dialysis machines: Contact Milford War Memorial Hospital (01590 644135), Totton (02380 660195), or Wessex Renal Unit (02392 0286000) for service.
Dolby Vivisol: Contact for home oxygen services
New Forest Mobility: Based in New Milton, offers mobility scooter holiday hire, delivery, and collection services
Solent Mobility Equipment Hire - Contact Solent Mobility Centre for a range of equipment hired daily, weekly, or monthly with delivery/pick-up service within a 40-mile radius of their showroom in Lee-on-the-Solent.
Hot Tub Hire- Contact this local companies for hot tub hire during your stay.

Additional Information: If you require anything else, please ask. We understand everyone has different needs and will be happy to assist or recommend a suitable company.

Care Agencies and Services

To ensure a comfortable stay, you may wish to arrange services with a private care agency. It's best to contact and book directly with them to get the service that you require. For the most up-to-date list of carers in the area, use the postcode S041 8HH on the United Kingdom Homecare Association website. Due to high local demand, we recommend making arrangements as soon as possible.

United Kingdom Homecare Association Ltd (UKHCA)

UKHCA is the professional association of home care providers, promoting high standards of care and providing representation with policy-makers and regulators. Given the demand for care in the New Forest, ensure availability with your carers before confirming your holiday dates.

Hampshire Personal Assistants in Care

This directory lists available PA's in the New Forest area, many of whom are happy to take on short-term work. Search Here

Recommended Care Providers

Guests at Our Bench Self Catering Cottages have had positive experiences with the following companies familiar with our cottages:

CAS Care Solutions: Local, friendly team. Call 01425 600232.
Oakhaven Care: Provides sensitive, personalized care. Visit www.oakhavencare.co.uk or call 01590 646440.
Bluebird Care: Offers respite care. Call their Lymington office.
Forest Care: Home care services in New Milton. Email or call 01425 620906 - Forest Care
Serendip Home Care: Family-owned, providing person-centered care. Carers and companion service available. Call 01590 7193501 or email hello@serendiphomecare.co.uk.Call them direct on 015907193501 or email hello@serendiphomecare.co.uk

Private Carers

We recommend verifying the suitability of private carers for your needs:

Monique Jessop - Mobile number: 07311272273. View on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Mjcarer-109531177617175
Emma Cleaver - Mobile number: 07928499665

Additional Services

Shopping Delivered

Order your shopping online and have it delivered to the cottage on the Friday before your arrival between 10 am and 1 pm. We'll ensure it's put away in the kitchen. Contact us first for mid-week stays.

Herbert Protocol

Consider using the Herbert Protocol if you have a vulnerable family member who may go missing. This questionnaire helps alleviate stress if someone goes missing and should be updated every six months.

Taxis and Transfers - Wheelchair Accessible Taxis

Accessible Transport - acctrans.co.uk - advance booking required. 4 seater rear loading vehicle to transport wheelchairs, powerchairs, 3/4 wheeled walkers, scooters plus passengers - Contact Brian - 01590 674764 or 07850 126844
Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Service with Tracey Scott-Nash: call 0771 8907898
A2B Taxis Lymington - www.a2blymington.co.uk -
Hinton Cars at Christchurch https://hintoncars.co.uk/services/
The local council hold a list of all the New Forest District Council licensed taxi's or private hire vehicles that are wheelchair accessible - you can find the list here with contact numbers for each company: NFDC Wheelchair Accessible Taxi's and Private Hire. There are only a limited number available so booking in advance is essential.

Assisted Transport

Driving Miss Daisy, Lymington is an assisted transport provider based locally with a wheel chair accessible vehicle. Fully licensed, insured and emergency first aid trained, we have chatted to the company and they have explained to us that they can take our guests sight seeing, out for a meal, for a picnic or an ice cream at the beach. If you are coming for a car free holiday - they may be able to help. They advise contacting advance for availability and costs at 01590 467 679 or email lymington@drivingmissdaisy.co.uk and you can see some of their recent trips at Driving Miss Daisy Lymington

Care Taxi / Minibus

A friendly driving service with vetted and trained carers. They are wheelchair accessible and can take 9 passengers. Advance booking required. Contact details: 01590 642121 or email: serendiphomecare@gmail.com

Holiday Transfers

Driving Miss Daisy offers a home-to-holiday service with over 45 teams nationwide. Check https://drivingmissdaisy.co.uk/ or call 0333 014 6211