Last year, Sandra and Margaret PR Ambassadors at Sainsbury’s Telford Forge store, with support from the Store Manager launched a special time in store called “Friendly Hour”.

The next “Friendly Hour” will next take place on Monday 5th February and on the first Monday of each month from 9.30 am to 10.30 am. Anyone who would appreciate a quieter time to shop may like to take up this opportunity.  While lights can not be dimmed, there will be no tannoy announcements and no music. It will be quieter with No roll cages on shop floor to cause noise. 

Ruby, SDN Chair said “We support this initiative as we know people with Dementia, or with Autism Spectrum as well as those who with other long term conditions and those who need help from Carers, often appreciate quieter times to shop. We are pleased to be able to promote Friendly Hour at Sainsbury’s Telford Forge Store”

Note: This is an initiative by the PR Ambassadors at this particular store and is not available at other stores. Watch this space for more information.

We are very pleased to share this good news story with our members and wish to thank Cllr Nicola Lowery, Ward Member for the Ironbridge Gorge for her support.

Work to renovate the public toilets in the Museum of the Gorge car park and Market Square in the Ironbridge Gorge will begin on Monday 8^th January, 2018.

The work will falls into 2 distinct phases with one set of toilets being refurbished at a time with toilet facilities to be available for public use at each, during usual opening hours.  The Museum of the Gorge toilets will being first on 8^th – 25^th January with the toilets in the Market Square provisionally beginning on 29^th January.

The Museum of the Gorge toilets will be stripped out and the existing sanitary ware including cisterns in service areas replaced along with a complete internal redecoration of male, female, disabled toilets with improvements to baby change facilities and disabled toilets to include the replacement of lighting.  In the Market Square there will again be a complete internal redecoration of male, female, disabled toilets and baby change facilities and refurbishment of sanitary ware and hand wash units and lighting.

Cllr Nicola Lowery, Ward Member for the Ironbridge Gorge said:  “I am delighted to confirm that following on from representations from myself as the Ward Member, The Gorge Parish Council, the Cabinet Member and many local residents and businesses, that both public toilets in the Museum of the Gorge car park and the Market Square will be renovated.  

“The toilet blocks currently aren’t at the standard required for the World Heritage Site and do not create a positive first impression of our destination, therefore this work is vital to ensure our facilities are brought up to a better standard.  The works will see a complete internal redecoration of both toilets as well as improvements to baby change facilities and disabled toilets.  I have also been working with the Council to ensure that the disabled toilets are stoma friendly having been approached by Telford’s Patients First Group as part of their campaign “Not all disabilities being visible”.  I am delighted to confirm that the planned works will incorporate the suggestions made to ensure that the disabled toilets are stoma friendly and would like to thank Telford’s Patients First Group for contacting me about this important issue and to Shropshire Disability Network for also raising this.

“I know the renovation of both toilets is something many residents, businesses and visitors to the Gorge have been keen to see addressed, so it is brilliant to see this joint project come forward and the investment being made to improve the facilities within Ironbridge to ensure the World Heritage site is appropriately maintained”.