Autism friendly hotel room launched in Knightsbrook Hotel

The Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim recently launched its new sensory bedroom in conjunction with the Trim Autism Friendly Town (TAFT).

TAFT was set up last year with the aim of making Trim a more accessible and inclusive town for all and has been supporting local businesses to become 'champions'.

The launch of the sensory bedroom in the Knightsbrook Hotel took place on Thursday, 29th August when the room was available to view and there were also refreshments and entertainment, while a quiet area was also provided.

Melissa Barwell, Chairperson of TAFT said: "The Knightsbrook Hotel has been a huge supporter of our mission to make our beautiful town more inclusive and accessible for all. It's fantastic to see them take a huge and important step forward in leading the way to make this achievable.

"I got to experience personally a stay with my son in the new sensory bedroom and he absolutely loved it. Previously we have had to travel over two hours to find somewhere with the right accommodations for him. We had people on the day travel the same distance with their child to come view the room, as they themselves had nothing close by that provided this. It shows how much it's needed everywhere."

"We feel strongly about the importance of educating businesses on neurodiversity, to help support awareness and acceptance," she added.

The Knightsbrook Hotel has completed training for their employees with the TAFT training progamme and two designated car park spaces at the front of the hotel for neurodivergent families that may need them. They will have clear visuals and a social story on their website so people can make themselves familiar with the hotel before they visit. Each TAFT champion is also given a sensory box that their customers can avail of.

"We were absolutely thrilled to present the Knightsbrook Hotel with their certificate for becoming an Trim Autism Friendly Town Champion on the day. We are continuing to work with the hotel on the next year with some exciting plans in the works, " said Melissa.

A spokesperson for the Knightsbrook Hotel added: "At Knightsbrook Resort, we believe in fostering an inclusive community where everyone feels welcome. Supporting Trim's Autism Friendly Town initiative aligns with our core values of empathy and accessibility. Creating a sensory bedroom was a natural step for us, ensuring that our hotel is a place where all families can relax and enjoy a comfortable stay. We're proud to contribute to making Trim a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone."

Many other businesses and sporting organisations in Trim have pledged to become champions - making three small changes to their operations to become more autism friendly. These include Trim GAA, Trim Town Academy, Aura Leisure Centre, Stonewall Cafe, Credit Union, Floral Art, Brogans Bar and Hotel, Med Street food to name just a few.

"We have forged many new relationships that will help make this project a success. We will be doing lots of new and exciting work but also building on the work of other groups long in existence such as Prosper Meath who already do outreach into schools and opened the sensory garden in 2019," said Melissa.

TAFT’s main aim is to ensure that any autistic person ultimately feels accepted and included in the community of Trim. With 85 per cent of autistic adults unemployed, TAFT will assist businesses through training and exploring ideas to improve this situation. Awareness training for businesses will be provided free of charge and the committee will assist businesses identify the three simple changes they can make which will make a significant change to autistic people’s lives.

Apart from training, there are really tangible things TAFT want to enact such as express/priority checkout in large shops, hidden disability car spaces, adult hangouts, to name but a few.

Anyone who would like to become a champion or volunteer, can find out more by emailing trimautismfriendlytown@gmail.com.