We have put together this page of frequently asked questions to help you find out more about Bendrigg services and/or plan for your upcoming trip.
Our courses are available to people of all abilities but we specialise in activities for people with a disability of any severity and any age.
This includes :
You can find out more about all of the services we offer for each on our “What We Do” pages or the FAQ sections below.
Yes, absolutely! Bendrigg Trust has been running courses for over 40 years and we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Our staff are highly skilled and have lots of experience. From working with people who have very limited mobility right through to people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Our activities really are inclusive to all. We use specialist equipment, have a positive attitude and the skills and expertise so that everyone who wants to take part in an activity can!
Please note : It is rare, but there is a weight limit for a limited number of activities. We ask you to provide your accurate weight on the medical form prior to arrival so that we can adapt the activity programme accordingly.
There is no minimum age as such… the main barrier for a handful of our activities is size rather than age. This is because equipment such as harnesses, helmets and buoyancy aids need to fit properly in order for people to safely take part in activities. We have had small children join our family weekends from the age of 4 who have been able to take part in activities… but again this is dependant on their size.
If you’re unsure please contact our Activity Coordinator Liz who will be able to advise you.
In terms of wheelchair access, yes, our grounds, accommodation and facilities are wheelchair accessible, we have lifts or ramps in our accommodation and accessible paths throughout our grounds to ensure that getting around is as easy as possible. In our main Lodge building there is one corridor which is not accessible to wheelchair users but we have discussions with families/group leaders prior to booking to ensure rooms are allocated dependant on your needs.
We also have a variety of accessible aids in many of our bedrooms/bathrooms including profile beds, ceiling mounted tracking hoists, automatic doors/lighting, shower beds, chairs and grab rails.
You can view our floor plans to give you an idea of the aids and access in each building (Acorn House & Bendrigg Lodge)
We also have a list of additional aids which are allocated on a first come first served basis. Please let us know if you would like to reserve any of the items on our list in advance of your visit.
Yes you’ll need to bring a towel and any toiletries you need with you.
A full list of what you’ll need to bring can be found on our Kit List on the Already Booked section of our website.
When staying over on an activity residential we recommend that you bring the following :
If you have them, you can bring your own :
Please don’t worry if you don’t have your own as we do have a good supply of these which you can borrow for the duration of your stay.
All Bedding IS provided and will be handed out at the group meeting on arrival.
No, all of the equipment you’ll need to take part in the activities is provided.
We are currently working hard to improve our use of communication symbols throughout the centre, for example by displaying the days activities and weather forecast using communication symbols on our notice boards.
Depending on the needs of the groups, we can also use communication symbols during activity sessions for example on our climbing wall to encourage climbers to find certain symbols and reach new heights.
The vast majority of our tutorial staff have also received Makaton training. Please let us know your needs when you book and we will do our best to allocate staff to your course accordingly.
Yes we do!
We run a fortnightly Climbing Club throughout term time for teenagers and young adults.
We also have an accessible “Aiming High” playing field with accessible roundabout and swing along with a range of accessible bikes. This is available for families or individuals to access for an annual donation. Visits must be pre arranged with our team and you must have a short induction. To arrange please contact us directly.
Throughout the year, dependant on funding and capacity, we also host some exciting events like our Activity Festival Open Day and Winter Wonderland. To keep up to date with out latest news and events you can subscribe to our e-newsletter and follow us on social media.
Yes, we are able to cater for gluten and diary-free, vegetarian, vegan, halal and other medical diets (e.g. blended/mashed) if notified in advance.
If you receive food products on prescription we would appreciate it if you could bring this with you.
Please supply this information on your medical consent form.
We fundraise throughout the year to subsidise our course prices to visitors by around £25 per person for group residentials and considerably more for our open family and adult courses to help make these affordable for all.
We created a “Funding Pack” which is full of funders who you can apply to and may be able to help towards the cost of your trip. Please email martha@bendrigg.org.uk to request a copy.
For our Group Residential Courses, we do also fundraise to build up a “Sponsorship Fund” which is available to apply for if you would be unable to afford a trip to Bendrigg otherwise. To apply you must already have an idea of your groups numbers and have gained a quote and availability from us. If the cost is unaffordable to your group, you can request an application form to apply for additional sponsorship funds. The amount we are able to offer will depend on our own fundraising success and if we have sponsorship funds available.
Bendrigg Trust is located just outside Kendal at: Bendrigg Lodge, Old Hutton, Kendal LA8 0NR. There is no public transport to the centre so if you are not travelling by car then the nearest train station is Oxenholme, Lake District.
Depending on staff and vehicle availability we may be able to arrange pick ups/drop offs from the station. Travel arrangements must be discussed and agreed with us in advance.
Any group of people could book onto a Bendrigg Residential.
We welcome schools, youth groups, residential homes, charities and other organisations.
Basically, if you are an “organised group” of people and a designated group leader to arrange the trip, you’re good to go!
You’ll first need to have an idea of the following :
From here we’ll be able to check availability and prepare a quote.
If you are happy with the quote and dates suggested, we can proceed with the booking, sending you a booking form and a deposit invoice (20%) to secure your booking.
Then you can start planning your trip! We will send through helpful information for you to be able to plan and prepare for your trip, from checklists to medical forms. The Already Booked section of our website has some helpful documents including Guidance for Group leaders and the Group Leader Checklist
Yes absolutely. Our family courses have been designed so that families with a disabled member can come away and enjoy doing lots of activities together.
We understand that for many siblings, they are usually unable to do things alongside their brothers/sisters and so we encourage all family members to take part in the activities together.
Yes, we do sometimes run day activities for families but these are separate to our family courses so you cannot book to come along on these for just 1 day.
Our family courses run for several nights and from the feedback we receive, we find that this gives people the time needed to settle in, enjoy a range of activities and meet new people.
If you’re worried about how your child may cope staying away from home, you may want to come and visit our site to have a look around and familiarise yourselves with the facilities. Please contact us on 01539723766 if you’d like to arrange this.
We are also creating a number of social stories and videos which will be available soon to help your child prepare for visiting the centre.
Yes we do! You’ll need to contact us directly to check availability and receive a quote
Sometimes we also receive funding to provide day activities or open days like our activity festival.
If we do have any day activities or open days running, information will be posted on our social media pages, our blog and our monthly e-newsletter so it’s good to keep up to date with our latest news and events.
You can request which activities you would prefer to do when you book and we will do our best to include this in the activity programme although this may not always be possible.
With open courses, it depends on the needs of the whole group, the length of the course and the weather, as to what activities you might do. Our course tutors will talk to you as a group throughout your stay, so that if you’re programmed to go Canoeing for example, but the wind is very bad that day, you may be asked if you’d prefer to have a Climbing session or go Caving instead.
A full day of activities includes a morning, afternoon and evening session, so even on a 3 night course, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy lots of fun activities.
There are lots of great clubs and activities out there to access.
Often a simple google search for “accessible activities in <enter your location>” can bring up some great results! Below we’ve included a few ideas to get you started.
There are some wonderful support groups which you can access through national charities for specific disabilities like Autism UK who may have more relevant information to share.
There are also lots of groups on Facebook like “Accessible Holidays and Day Trips” where you can ask advice and share your recommendations with others.
We often share helpful resources and information about clubs and services on our social media pages and e-newsletter so why not sign up or follow us on Facebook.
You can request which activities you would prefer to do when you book and we will do our best to include this in the activity programme although this may not always be possible.
With open courses, it depends on the needs of the whole group, the length of the course and the weather, as to what activities you might do. Our course tutors will talk to you as a group throughout your stay, so that if you’re programmed to go Canoeing for example, but the wind is very bad that day, you may be asked if you’d prefer to have a Climbing session or go Caving instead.
A full day of activities include a morning, afternoon and evening session, so even on a 3 night course, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy lots of fun activities.
There are lots of great clubs and activities out there to access.
Often a simple google search for “accessible activities in <enter your location>” can bring up some great results! Below we’ve included a few ideas to get you started.
There are some wonderful support groups which you can access through national charities for specific disabilities like Autism UK who may have more relevant information to share.
There are also lots of groups on Facebook like “Accessible Holidays and Day Trips” where you can ask advice and share your recommendations with others.
We often share helpful resources and information about clubs and services on our social media pages and e-newsletter so why not sign up or follow us on Facebook.
There are several types of volunteering opportunities here at Bendrigg including :
Regular Volunteers
These volunteers come and help out regularly either in our grounds maintenance team, in the office with administrative tasks or in our catering and domestic teams.
This includes the possibility of work placements or student placements which could last a number of weeks or months.
Residential Volunteers
These volunteers will come and stay at Bendrigg to work alongside one of our group courses which can run between 2 – 7 nights.
Volunteer Work Parties
We often have groups from schools and businesses who come to volunteer at Bendrigg on a project for a day. This can be anything from painting and restoration to gardening.
You can find out more about Volunteering here
To volunteer residentially, you must be 16 years old.
Work experience pupils and Duke of Edinburgh bronze and silver students can be younger but are not allowed to stay residentially at Bendrigg.
We assign Residential Volunteers to one group for the duration of their course at Bendrigg, these usually run for between 2 -7 days and can be over a weekend or during the week.
During this time you’ll be asked to help with a variety of tasks and will mainly be assisting the groups during meal times and whilst on the activities.
You’ll be provided with accommodation from your start date. On occasion we may need to allocate a twin room which you’ll share with another volunteer.
Food is also provided and you’ll have access to tea, coffee, drinks and fruit.
Bedding is provided but you will need to bring your own towel and toiletries.
No, our volunteering programme is free and we do not charge for food and accommodation if you are a residential volunteer.
We are however a registered charity and rely on charitable donations to keep our services running, therefore we do gratefully receive donations which can be made via our website or directly to the office during your stay.
Volunteers may also choose to raise funds for Bendrigg through a sponsored event or challenge – you can read more about how you can support us here.
For our residential volunteers, all outdoor equipment is provided. Please just bring plenty of comfortable, ‘functional’ clothes, two pairs of trainers (if possible – one pair to get wet for canoeing). There is no need for you to go out and buy any new outdoor equipment but if you want to wear your own waterproofs you are welcome to bring them.
Our volunteer work parties are sometimes asked to bring items such as brushes or gardening tools if they have them depending on the work being carried out. We do have a small number of tools available and will discuss this with you directly.
Yes. We accept student placements from colleges and universities.
We may also invite any longer placements for an informal interview.
Please note : If you are under 16 and looking to be a residential volunteer as work experience or Duke of Edinburgh bronze and silver you can still apply but will not be able to stay over residentially at Bendrigg.
Yes! If you are local to Bendrigg you are welcome to do your Bronze or Silver volunteering sections with us on a regular basis. This is usually in the form of helping in our kitchens on an evening. You can also volunteer as part of the Residential section of your Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Please note : If you are under 16 and looking to be a residential volunteer as work experience or Duke of Edinburgh bronze and silver you can still apply but will not be able to stay over residentially at Bendrigg. We encourage any potential DofE volunteers to get in touch with us personally rather than through parents.
This has become very popular at the centre particularly in the school holidays so we ask that students apply early so as not to be disappointed. During the summer months some of our courses run from Saturday to Saturday and although the scheme only asks for a minimum of four nights and five days we do require students to commit to the full seven days to give the guests some continuity. You will also get a better ‘Bendrigg experience’ from staying for the full course.
If you are coming on our Gold Duke of Edinburgh you cannot come with somebody you know.
Please note : If you are under 16 and looking to be a residential volunteer as work experience or Duke of Edinburgh bronze and silver you can still apply but will not be able to stay over residentially at Bendrigg. We encourage any potential DofE volunteers to get in touch with us personally rather than through parents.
For Residential and Regular Volunteers you can apply online via this short online form and Kate our volunteer co-ordinator will get in touch with you to discuss dates and availability.
If you are interested in bringing a work party to Bendrigg please contact Kate directly via email or phone 01539 723766 letting her know an idea of how many people and what dates you would like to come.
For 40 years we have developed continuously, ensuring we remain at the forefront of disability innovation.
We are proud to share our knowledge, expertise and skills with others through training and consultancy.
Our training and consultancy is open to anyone who wants to develop their services to be more inclusive.
This could include : Schools, Colleges, Outdoor Education Centres, Activity Providers, Youth Centres and Businesses.
We offer Bespoke Consultancy and training where we can tailor make a programme to suit your objectives.
We also offer training courses for specific activities including
Read more about our consultancy & training here
Anyone who would like to!
We do sometimes run open courses for instructors and trainees to book on individually but the vast majority of our training is for a business or organisation looking to train a group of their staff team.
Training could be to cover a specific activity such as Climbing or generally about disability awareness.
We can also provide general consultancy around how to make your own facilities/services more accessible.
You can find out more on our consultancy webpage here.
Please contact us with your requirements and we will check availability and provide you with a quote.
