Accessibility Guide for National Memorial Arboretum

Travel by public transport

 Lichfield Trent Valley station is located approximately five miles from the Arboretum. Lichfield City Station is approximately six miles from the Arboretum. Burton upon Trent railway station is approximately eight miles from the Arboretum. All are a short taxi drive away.

Taxi information: The Arboretum does not take any responsibility for taxi service availability or quality of service.

Other taxi services are available.

Travel by taxi

Details of how to reach us can be found on the ‘Getting Here’ page of our website, www.thenma.org.uk. An alternative website to assist in planning a journey by public transport is available at www.traveline.info. Where public transport is used there may be a requirement to walk from the village of Alrewas to the Arboretum which is approximately a 20 minute walk

Parking

Thirty accessible parking bays are available on a first come, first served basis (15 disabled bays and 15 wide bays for disabled/ family use) On special event days alternative parking arrangements may apply, please visit our website or contact us on 01283 245 100 for further information and advice. The Arboretum’s overflow car park, with a gravel surface, is located one hundred metres from the Remembrance Centre. This car park may not be suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

Path to main entrance

Main entrance

Visual Impairment - General Information

Ticket/ information desk

Welcome Desk

Things to See and Do

The Arboretum Grounds

There are 150 acres of landscaped grounds at the National Memorial Arboretum, accessible via roads, firm paths and grassed areas. Access from the Remembrance Centre is via automatic doors. One set of these doors is operated by push buttons at a height suitable for wheelchair and mobility scooter users. The doors open onto Heroes' Square, a flat paved area. The square leads to The Boyes Garden where there is a slope 2000mm wide with a gradient of 4.5% leading into the grounds. The slope leads to Millennium Avenue and the Aspects Building. Wooden benches are located throuout the grounds.There are three portable chemical toilets suitable for disabled users located beside the Shot at Dawn, Millennium and Christmas Truce shelters. Visitors can familiarise themselves with these locations at the Orientation Area within the Remembrance Centre. They are also shown on the Orientation Guide available from the Welcome Desk. 

The Land Train

The Arboretum offers a 50 minute guided Land Train tour of the site. A recorded commentary descibes memorials and Arboretum features during the tour. Tickets are available from the Welcome Desk. There is designated wheelchair access to the Land Train via a ramp. Please ask the Land Train operator for assistance onto the ramp and into the carriage. A step may be required to access other carriages, this step can be provided on request from the land train operator. Walking aids and mobility scooters are left at the Land Train stop. There are normally two Land Trains in operation. Ramp access may vary from that shown below.

Far East Prisoners of War Exhibition

The Far East Prisoners of War Exhibition is accessed from Millennium and Giffard Avenues. There are access steps to the front of the building and a ramp to the left side. Access via this ramp may be restricted for larger mobility scooters. There is a disabled toilet to the inside right rear of the building. There are no staff or volunteers guides permanantly located at this building.

Public toilet

Remembrance Centre Accessible Toilets

There are three accessible toilet cubicles in the Remembrance Centre toilet area.

Baby change facilities are available in one of the diabled cubicles, this cubicle is 1300mm wide at the right side and 1300mm at the front and is fitted with a drop down baby changing table.

1 wide pan bariatric toilet is avaialable in the male toilet section and 2 wide pan bariatric toilets are available in the female section of the separate public toilet area facilities.

There is a disabled toilet in Heroes' Square, to the left side of the Coffee Shop. A low level illuminated button suitable for access by wheelchair users opens the door automatically if the toilet is vacant. From inside the toilet the door can be locked/unlocked by an illuminated button on the left side wall. The door can also be locked/unlocked by the knob on the inside of the door.

There are three portable chemical toilets suitable for disabled users located beside the Shot at Dawn, Millennium and Christmas Truce shelters. Visitors can familiarise themselves with these locations at the Orientation area within the Remembrance Centre. They are also shown on the Orientation Guide available from the Welcome Desk. 

Shop

Gift Shop

Place to eat and drink

The Restaurant

The Restaurant seating and servery are accessible to wheelchair users. Seating can be moved where required. Menu items are displayed on signage above the servery. Children’s portions and high chairs are available. Bottle warming facilities are also available in the Restaurant, contact a member of our Foodservices Team for assistance. Where possible all food produce is locally sourced. Special dietary requirements are catered for, visitors are advised to contact the Arboretum on 01283 245 100 before their visit, or contact a member of our Foodservices Team for further information.

Place to eat and drink

The Coffee Shop

The Coffee Shop seating and servery are accessible to wheelchair users. Seating can be moved where required. Menu items are displayed on signage above the servery. Children’s portions and high chairs are available. Bottle warming facilities are also available in the Restaurant, contact a member of our Foodservices Team for assistance. Where possible all food produce is locally sourced. Special dietary requirements are catered for, visitors are advised to contact the Arboretum on 01283 245 100 before their visit, or contact a member of our Foodservices Team for further information.

Landscapes of Life Exhibition

Entrance to the exhibition is by ticket-controlled automatic barriers with a width of 940mm. Tickets are obtained at the Welcome Desk. There is a clear contrast between the floors and walls. Exhibition content is positioned at a height appropriate for wheelchair users. Portable, lightweight, foldable seats are available in the Landscapes of Life exhibition. One carer is entitled to free entry to the Landscapes of Life exhibition with one paying disabled visitor.

Millennium Chapel

The Millennium Chapel has double doors, the right side is 800mm wide, the left door is 900mm wide and assistance may be required to open this normally fixed door. Arboretum volunteers are available to offer assistance with entry to the chapel at 10:45 prior to the Act of Remembrance and at 13:45 for the Introductory Talk each day. At other times assistance can be provided by asking at the Welcome Desk or by any available volunteer.

Learning Centre

Access to the Learning Centre is by pre-booking groups only. Entry is via a double set of automatic doors separate from the general public entry. For safeguarding purposes, entry and exit to the Learning Centre is controlled by the staff, using key cards.

There is one disabled toilet in this area, the door is 800mm wide. The toilet has a left approach with 120mm side width and 1500mm front approach. The toilet seat height is 490mm from the floor.There are four standard toilet cubicles with 800mm door width.

Aspects Building

Unless otherwise notified the Aspects Building is reserved for pre-booked events and is not open to general visitors.

The Aspects Building is accessed from Millennium Avenue via 4 steps to the front and a ramp to the right side. This ramp is 24.66 metres long, 2 metres wide, and has a gradient of 2.4%. The ramp is suitable for wheelchair and mobility scooter access.

The automatic sliding doors into the building open to 1500mm  wide as visitors approach them. These doors lead to a lobby area and a further set ofautomatic sliding doors.

There is a disabled toilet with baby changing facilities in the Aspects Building. Additionaly theere are toilet cubicles with outward opening doors in the other public toilets, these are more user friendly for wheelchair users.

In addition to the entrance ramp and steps at the front of the building there is a 2 metre long, 1 metre wide temporary ramp that can be placed at the rear terrace exit in case of emergency.

Arboretum Grounds

From Heroes' Square visitors can enter the grounds and the Aspects building via the Boyes Garden.

There is access via a slope with a gradient of 4.5%. This route also gives access to the Aspects Building. The Arboretum is largely flat and is serviced by level firm paths; other areas of the grounds are grassed.

Picnic Area

Children's Woodland and Picnic Area

Armed Forces Memorial

Access to the Armed Forces Memorial is via smooth causeway and a flight of steps or the spiral Pilgrims’ Way. The Pilgrims’ Way has a gradient of 1.8%.  Visitors with walking difficulties who require access can be taken to the summit of The Memorial and returned to its base by golf buggy. Please contact a member of the team if further assistance is required. This service is subject to availability, and on busy days there may be a short wait.

Far East Prisoner of War Building

There is a 4 metre ramp with a gradient of 6% to the side of the Far East Prisoners of War building. Alternatively there are three steps at the front of the building.

There is a turning space of 1200mm opposite the double door set that open outwards at the top of the ramp into the building. Visitors in wheelchairs or mobility scooters may require assistance to gain access.

The information panels provided have clear print. A video with sound plays in the building, the video depicts the experiences of a selection of WWII Far East prisoners of war.

The Far East Prisoners of War building houses an accessible toilet, with a vertical hand transfer and emergency cord.

Aspects

There are 2 routes to the entrance doors of Aspects

1). Directly ahead from the Remembrance Centre, Heroes' Square and ramp, four steps and a level area with a ribbed surface.

2). To the right of the building is a ramp 2 metres wide, 24.66 metres long, witha gradient of  2.45%. This ramp is suitable for mobility scooter and wheelchair access.

Accessibility equipment

We can provide mobility scooters for a £5 hire fee. We advise booking by calling 01283 245100. Subject to availability we can loan blankets to wheelchair and mobility scooter users. A height-adjustable bed is available on request for adult and older child changing.

Please contact the Welcome Desk for advice and help.

Emergency evacuation procedures

The alarm system when activated will cause all automatic doors to open. The route to the evacuation area is via Heroes' Square and the sloping path to Millennium Avenue and the South Atlanntic Association (Falklands) memorial. Staff members and volunteers will provide guidance and assistance in the event of an evacuation.

Customer care support