A new Accessible Heritage Guide has been created by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Museum Services in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and the Glenshane Care Association in Dungiven.
The free publication features 20 local heritage sites across the Causeway Coast and Glens.
The Accessible Heritage project was a part of the PEACE IV Understanding our Area programme which set out to increase the understanding and expression of the borough’s culture, history, people and places, through museum collections, historic sites and cultural heritage. The initiative is part of Council’s PEACE IV Local Area Action Plan, funded by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), which is providing £3.8 million for community projects across the borough.
Speaking at its recent launch, the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor Sean Bateson said: “This project has allowed people with sensory, physical and learning disabilities hands-on access to different aspects of our area’s past, highlighting how they experience history in these places. The new guide gives people with additional needs, as well families with young children, an opportunity to make informed decisions about visits to a range of heritage sites including Dungiven Priory and Dooey’s Cairn, the Giants Causeway, Bushmills Distillery and Rathlin Island’s West Light.”
The free Accessible Heritage Guide is now available in a range of formats. Print copies and audio CDs are available by visiting Visitor Information Centres across the area, or contact Museum Services (cms@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk or 028 2766 0230), RNIB (028 9032 9373), and Glenshane Care Association (028 7774 2948).
A digital copy of the guide is available by clicking on the link below: www.niarchive.org/accessibleheritage
A digital audio guide is available here: www.niarchive.org/audioheritage
A follow-up document will be provided to heritage site managers highlighting any accessibility concerns and recommending actions to increase access for all visitors.
Museum Services plans to continue its accessibility programme beyond the end of PEACE IV by assisting with facilitated visits and additional support. Any groups wishing to get involved should contact Museum Services for more information.
