Case studies

This page contains a selection of organisations who have successfully applied for grants from the City Bridge Trust to improve access to their buildings.

The Migrant Resource Centre

The Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), established in 1984, provides legal advice, training and education for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers living in the Westminster area. The Resource Centre moved to its current location, Churton Street, Pimlico, in 1991. The Churton Street building covers three floors. However, at the time only the ground floor was accessible. An access audit identified the need for a passenger lift, and, in 2003, the Centre applied for two grants from the City Bridge Trust under the Access for Disabled People programme. The Migrant Resource was awarded both grants – £4,447 towards a feasibility study, to ascertain the viability of installing a new lift shaft, and, subsequently, £84,000 towards the cost of the lift, a new, electronically operated front entrance door and the widening of internal doors.

The Canal Museum Trust

The Canal Museum Trust (CMT) is a charitable body responsible for the management of the London Canal Museum, situated by Battlebridge Basin on Regents Canal. The museum tells the story of London's canals, their social history, and the cargoes, boats and horses, which provided transport by water in London for more than 150 years. The museum is housed in a former ice warehouse and two industrial scale ice wells have been preserved beneath the ground floor – one of which can be viewed from above by visitors.

In 2003, the Canal Museum applied for funding from the City Bridge Trust under the Access to Buildings programme, and was awarded £52,000 to improve access to the museum. The Canal Muesum used the money to help fund a platform lift to connect the ground and first floor levels, automated front entrance doors and make improvements to the rear entrance doors, improved lighting for the display cases, various improvements to the signage and floor coverings, an audio tour of the museum and a virtual tour of the Museum's narrowboat cabin.

The Camden Arts Centre

The Camden Arts Centre, established 1965, is a major venue for contemporary visual art. It serves the local community and a wide range of schools and encourages new artists to exhibit and launch their work. The layout of the building, on Finchley Road, made it extremely difficult for disabled people to access the centre. Previously, wheelchair users could not visit the building unless they were lifted up the front stairs by staff.

The Camden Arts Centre was guided by specialists throughout the planning and development process. This included an access audit and feasibility study, as well as a visit by the City of London's Access Officer. The access improvements included tunnelling under the external stairs, relocating the portico and main entrance to the ground floor, levelling the ground floor throughout and installing a new 20-person lift and accessible WC facilities. The total project cost was £5.5 million of which the majority came from an Arts Council Lottery Grant. The centre applied for £250,000 from the City Bridge Trust and was awarded £100,000.

The Rugby Portobello Trust

In October 2003, the Rugby Portobello Trust (RPT) was formed as the result of the merger of three charities: The Rugby Clubs, The Portobello Trust and Portobello Houseshare. The merger gave the new organisation the opportunity to occupy two floors of a new building in North Kensington and convert it into a purpose built centre for youth activities – offering young people the chance to take part in education and employment training programmes, and health and fitness activities. The facilities planned included the construction of a large hall for dance, drama and sport, several multi purpose rooms, two training kitchens, a music technology suite, a fitness room, computer rooms and a cafe. To help fund a number of the access elements of this development, the Rugby Portobello Trust was awarded £69,000 from the City Bridge Trust.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews

The Board was founded in 1760 to protect, support and defend the interests, religious rights and customs of Jews in the United Kingdom and to promote the development of the Jewish community in Britain. The Board of Deputies moved into their present location, a Grade II listed building on Bloomsbury Square, in November 2001. The Board had an access audit carried out in April 2003. One of the main recommendations was to install a lift to connect the various levels in the building. Due to structural limitations, the Board found themselves in the position of having to build a lift shaft within an existing stairwell. The City Bridge Trust contributed £100,000 towards this work.