Chapter 7 – Leisure & Entertainment

This chapter has information on inclusive sports, arts and entertainment, parks, libraries and holidays.

Sport and Inclusive Activities

See YMCA, GLL, The Hub and Wimbledon Guild for listings

YMCA Inclusive Lives Project - Seated Dance Classes

YMCA Wimbledon, 200 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1RY

The class is £2.50 or £7.50 with lunch included

For dates of classes please visit - http://www.mvsc.co.uk/event/seated-dance

Sports Venues:

Most venues have wheelchair access and accessible toilets.

For further information, contact the venue directly or see: www.disabledgo.com.

Wimbledon Sailing Club

136 Grosvenor Rd SW1V 3JY

e-mail: alan@westminsterboatingbase.co.uk

Telephone: 020 7821 7389

Web Address – www.westminsterboatingbase.co.uk

Lawn Tennis Association

National Tennis Association

100 Priory Lane, Roehampton, London, SW15 5JQ

e-mail: wimbledonballot@lta.org.uk

Phone: 440208487 7000

Fax: 44 0208487 7301

Wheelchair Basketball – Fantastic

BWB Office, Sport Park, 3 Oakwood Drive, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE 11 3QF

Phone 44 01509279900

Fax: 44 01509279909

Trampolining Saturn V Rebound Centre - Special needs

Saturn V

Tel: 01342 323530

e-mail: info@saturnv.co.uk

Other Organisations

Deen City Farm

Phone: 020 8543 5300.

E-Mail : information@deencityfarm.co.uk

Web: http://www.deencityfarm.co.uk/

Interactive

Develops sport for all, including people with learning or physical disabilities, visual and hearing impairments.

Tel: 020 7717 1699

Email: info@interactive.uk.net

Web: www.interactive.uk.net

PHAB Club Merton

A youth club for disabled and non-disabled youths in the community.

Phone 07886 573820

E-mail mertonphab@btinternet.com

Walks with Wheelchairs

UK website dedicated to providing information on routes that are suitable for wheelchair users throughout the UK.

Web: www.walkswithwheelchairs.com

Contact: http://walkswithwheelchairs.com/contact

Music, Arts, Leisure & Entertainment

Cinema Concessions:

CEA Card - The Cinema Exhibitors' Association Card

This is a national card that can be used to verify you are entitled to one free ticket for a person or carer accompanying you to the cinema.

Application forms are available from cinemas across the UK. You can download an application form to print out and fill in.

To apply for this card you must:

a) Be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance or b) Be a registered blind person

You will also need to supply a passport-sized photo with your application to appear on the card. A processing fee of £5.50 is chargeable per card.

Web: www.ceacard.co.uk

Most local theatres and cinemas have wheelchair access, accessible toilets and hearing loop or infra-red systems. Contact individual venues for details, assistance and concessions. See www.disabledgo.com for access guides.

Local Cinemas & Theatres

HMV Curzon Cinema

http://www.curzoncinemas.com/wimbledon/info

Phone: 0330 500 1331

Odeon Wimbledon

http://www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/wimbledon/142/

0333 006 7777

Empire Cinema Sutton

St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey, SM1

Odeon - Epsom

Odeon - Kingston

Wimbledon Theatre

Sutton Theatre

Carshalton Theatre

Richmond Theatre

Access Booking Line: 0844 871 7677

Typetalk Access Booking: 18001 0844 871 7677

Box Office: 0844 871 7651

Email: richmondboxoffice@theambassadors.com

Web: www.ambassadortickets.com/richmond-theatre

Rose Theatre Kingston

Tel: 020 8546 6693

Box office: 08444 821 556

Web: www.rosetheatrekingston.org

Entertainment in London

Artsline Disability Access Information Service

Website providing searchable accessibility information on arts venues across London.

Artsline, C/O 21 Pine Court, Wood Lodge Gardens, Bromley, BR1 2WA.

Tel: 020 7388 2227

Email: admin@artsline.org.uk

Web: www.artsline.org.uk

Shape

A disability-led arts organisation working to improve access to culture for disabled people. They can arrange reduced ticket prices for a range of events in London, and drivers or escorts. Deane House Studios, 27 Greenwood Place, NW5 1LB
Tel: 020 7242 7330
Textphone: 020 7424 7368

Fax: 0845 521 3458

Emial: info@shapearts.org.uk

Web: www.shapearts.org.uk

The Victoria and Albert Museum

Events for people with sensory impairments.

Bookings: Tel: 020 7942 2211

Telephone Disability officer on: 020 7 942 2766

Text phone: 020 7942 2002

Email: bookings.office@vam.ac.uk

To receive the events programme by email

Email: disability@vam.ac.uk

www.vam.ac.uk

Tate Britain and Tate Modern

Programmes and services for disabled visitors.

Tel: 020 7887 8888 Minicom: 020 7887 8687

Email: visiting.britain@tate.org.uk or visiting.modern@tate.org.uk

Web: www.tate.org.uk

Parks and open spaces

Merton has a large number of parks and gardens. Access and facilities vary, so check before you visit.

http://www.merton.gov.uk/environment/openspaces/parks.htm

Library Services

All libraries in the Borough are accessible and most have a selection of large print books, music, audio-books, CD’s and internet access. Braille may also be available in some libraries. Some have accessible toilets but call the individual library for details.

https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web/merton/branches

Morden Library

Mitcham Library

Colliers Wood Library

Pollards Hill Library

Raynes Park Library

Wimbledon Library

Sutton Library

London Libraries Consortium Library Catalogue

This website offers access to the combined catalogues of public library services from many London Boroughs:

Web: https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web/merton/london-libraries-consortium

Housebound Library Service

A special home delivery service for older and disabled residents who cannot get to their library:

http://mertonmeansbusiness.co.uk/hvl

020 8640 7355

debby@mvsc.co.uk

The Home Visits Library Service

Not able to get a library or have difficulty in using a library due to physical difficulty or illness? The Home Visits Service takes books to individual’s homes on a regular basis. If you're interested in using the service please email homevisits.library@merton.gov.uk to find out more.

The Home Visits Library Service is a delivery service to Merton residents who cannot get to their local library and have no one to go for them. This is a free service and covers the whole of the London Borough of Merton. One of our trained volunteers will visit the home of the reader and will deliver materials to the readers taste. The books will then be collected and a new selection delivered once a month. All our volunteers carry identity cards for the reader’s reassurance. We cater for all tastes, providing a wide range of materials from the whole of the library service including: Books in large print, Talking books and Free Postal Service for Talking books is also available.

Home Entertainment

TV Licences

If you are aged 75 or older you can get your TV Licence free. You will need your National Insurance Number.

Tel: 0300 790 6131

Web: www.tvlicensing.co.uk

You can get a 50% reduction on the TV Licence fee if you are blind or severely sight impaired. Your licence will also cover anyone who lives with you.

The British Wireless for the Blind Fund

Provides audio equipment specially designed and adapted for listeners with sight loss, available on free loan if you meet their criteria. People who do not qualify for free loan can buy the radios through BWBF Direct.

10 Albion Place, Maidstone, Kent ME14 5DZ
Tel: 01622 754757

Fax: 01622 751725

Web: www.blind.org.uk

Audio description on television

The RNIB has information on audio description

RNIB Helpline Tel: 0303 123 9999

Email: helplin@rnib.org.uk

Web: www.rnib.org.uk

Subtitles on television

Action on Hearing Loss (the new name for RNID) has a fact sheet on getting subtitles on television

Information Line: 080 8808 0123

Text phone: 080 8808 9000