Telford cafe introduces new wheelchair-friendly tables
A community cafe in Telford has become one of the first in the area to install special tables which change height for customers who use a wheelchair.
The Hummingbird Cafe, at Meeting Point House in Southwater, has introduced two “rise and fall” tables, and staff say they are already proving popular with customers.
The tables have been funded by a £1,100 UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) grant through Telford & Wrekin Council, and more specialist equipment is still to come.
Wayne Jenson, chief executive of the Meeting Point Trust, said it was vital for Meeting Point House to be accessible to every member of the community.
He said: “At Meeting Point House and the Hummingbird Cafe, we believe everyone should feel welcome and comfortable so we are delighted to have installed these new rise and fall tables.
“With just the touch of a button, the tables adjust to the perfect height, making access so much easier for everyone. For us, it’s all about accessibility, inclusion and making sure every customer is happy.
“We would like to say a big thank you to Telford & Wrekin Council for enabling us to install the tables, and we are now in the process of purchasing more wheelchair-friendly tables for outside the cafe.
“It’s been a pleasure to see the tables being used on a regular basis and improving the experience for those customers who use a wheelchair.”
Kim Cundliffe, a support worker at Wrekin DCS Ltd, regularly brings clients to the Hummingbird Cafe and said the new tables made a massive difference for anyone in a wheelchair.
“We take clients to all sorts of places around Shropshire and this is the first time I have seen adjustable tables like this,” she said.
“It might seem a small thing but having the ability to sit at the table like everyone else makes wheelchair users feel more included and more comfortable.
“I would really love to see tables like this in every cafe because they can make such a difference to so many people’s lives.”
Sharon Emmett, who regularly visits the cafe with husband Simon, added: “It’s just perfect because it’s so easy to get yourself seated under the table, and you can then adjust it to whatever height you want.
“I don’t know of anywhere else in Telford which has tables like this, and I would thoroughly recommend them to other venues because they are absolutely brilliant.”
