Camps & Holidays

Maybe you have had trouble finding a suitable destination for your holiday. Perhaps you are limited due to mobility or just don’t feel comfortable going to a resort where you are surrounded by slim youngsters in micro costumes. We want to hear of the best resorts, hotels, apartments, transport companies etc that you have found round the globe (including of course here in Britain) that have in some way catered for the “bigger” tourist – this can be anything from larger beds through to making you feel as special and relaxed as a holiday should.

Size friendly hotels like Freedom Paradise in Cancun are starting to open up to meet demand. For young people summer camps are increasingly popular and yet the need in the UK is far outstripping the demand. As we hear from more of them we will bring their details to you here.

Carnegie International Camp is a weight loss camp for children in the UK. This is what they have to say about their concept. " Carnegie International Camp’s unique approach to helping children manage their weight effectively is a result of over 15 years of experience in delivering treatment programmes for overweight children, which has been strongly supported by clinical research. At the heart of the programme is a belief in creating an environment that is supportive and engaging, where children receive individual attention and are encouraged to have fun, make friends, learn new skills and be successful. Our team are specialised in the areas of obesity, health, physical education, exercise science, nutrition and child development ensuring a safe, effective and fun experience for every child. The camp is also supported by an advisory committee with expertise in medicine, psychology, nutrition and obesity. The residential Camp is based in the North of England at Woodhouse Grove School. Screened by woods, the 70 acre campus sits in the broad Aire Valley . To achieve the long term benefits from the camp programme we ideally like children to stay for the full duration. However, we acknowledge this may be difficult and are happy for children to stay for a shorter period. The minimum residential stay allowed is two continuous weeks. Day places are available for children who live within commuting distance of Woodhouse Grove School. Details of the day places are available in a separate application form. Please call (0113) 283 2600 ext 5233 for more information. For more information contact :CARNEGIE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education Fairfax Hall Headingley Campus Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds LS6 3QS Tel: +44 (0) 113 283 2600 ext 5233 Fax: +44 (0) 113 283 6145 Email: info@carnegieweightmanagement.com Website: www.carnegieweightmanagement.com

 

Airlines We contacted some of the major airlines and airports regarding their policies on seat sizes, facilities and how they were viewing the longer term of dealing with the fact that as a nation we are getting bigger. Summer is the busiest time for flights and we know that airlines have to get as many seats as they can on an aircraft to keep competitive, but how does this actually relate to the larger traveller? We asked : We know that travel can present real problems for people who have either mobility issues as a result of their weight or the most common problem of seat sizes. We hope very much to include an informative and accurate portrayal of what airlines current facilities are, in particular with indication to seat width and leg room for bigger people and what other assistance or development plans they have or may consider adopting to deal with the increase in passenger size. To date the comments we have received. British Airports Authority BAA. As the airport operator we undertake a lot of work to ensure the airport is accessible for all, and that the infrastructure and services are in place to allow ease of access and comfort for all passengers. As with all our are passengers who require special needs assistance, the airport is able to provide transportation for "bigger" passengers from their point of arrival at the airport, to the check-in desks. This is either provided in the form of wheelchair provision of motorised buggies. There are help points located in the car parks, station and terminal forecourts where passengers can telephone for assistance, or this can be pre-booked in advance before arriving at the airport. From check-in to the aircraft boarding gate, passengers must check with their airline for provision of transport if required Careful planning goes in to making sure signage around the airport is designed to meet the line of vision for all passengers, so this takes into count particularly tall or short people. Also, consideration is given to the seating areas in the terminals, and these are designed to ensure they can be comfortably used by passengers of all sizes. The overall design of the airport is such that it is able to withstand the wear and tear of some 30 million passengers a year travelling trough it. There can be up to 8,000 passengers travelling through one terminal alone in just one hour, so the infrastructure is designed to meet this intense use. It is something which is under continuous review, looking at ways in which we can improve services and facilities at the airport to make their journey as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. “

“Virgin. Customers who wish to purchase an extra seat for their own comfort can do this when they book their flights. Reservations will advise the customer
the approximate dimensions of seats in all classes and if, after discussion with the customer, the reservations agent feels that an Economy seat would hinder the customers' comfort, will recommend the customer purchases a seat in a higher class of service - premium economy or Upper Class. This may be
a less expensive option than two seats in Economy Class and will be more comfortable for the customer.”

Our thanks to those who replied to our request and we await more input from other airlines – but do you think what they are offering is enough? If airlines have to increase the size of seats to improve comfort would you be willing to pay more for your tickets? If not what would you suggest they can do to help?

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