Leisure activities

• The AccessAble website has online Access Guides to venues across Hampshire, as well as nationally. You can find detailed information about access to all kinds of places including; hotels, cinemas, hospitals, sports grounds, restaurants, council offices, parks and tourist attractions.
  
  
• The RADAR National Key Scheme gives you independent access to over 9,000 accessible toilets in the UK.
  
  
• The Great British Public Toilet Map lets you search for public toilets in the area you are visiting.
  
  
• The Changing Places toilet map allows you to search for accessible toilets in any area. Click on the individual listings for full details of facilities available.
  
  

• If you have a bladder or bowel condition which affects their ability to get to the toilet on time, a Just can’t wait card may help.  Some shops and public places have signed up to the scheme which means you can access their toilet when showing the card.

• Euan's Guide has thousands of disability access listings and reviews of venues in the UK and beyond, written by disabled people for disabled people.

• You can find accessibility information about individual stations on the National Rail website.
  
  
• Wheelmap lets you mark and find wheelchair accessible places — worldwide and for free.
  
  
• Hampshire County Council’s countryside pages give details of countryside attractions. The Council runs country parks throughout Hampshire, and some have areas that are adapted for disabled people of all ages. The 'Visit us' section for each attraction gives accessibility information.
  
  
• Visit the website of your local Borough and District Council to find details about parks, recreation grounds, open spaces and sports facilities in your area. Most will have information about accessibility.
  
  
• Access Advisr is a new website which has been created by a wheelchair user to provide a user-led view of how easy to access different places and transport stops are for disabled people. You can contribute by rating and commenting on places you visit.

There are many activities and clubs in Hampshire, some of which cater specifically for older people or people with disabilities. Use our Community directory and look under 'Community support/activities' to search for an activity or club near to you. You can also look under 'Specific needs' to find activities, clubs and support specifically for people with physical or learning disabilities, mental health conditions or other needs.

If you are looking for activities specifically, for example, for older people or people with disabilities, look in our Community directory and select 'Specific needs'.

There are many national and local sports organisations, clubs and groups that cater for people of all ages, with all kinds of disabilities. There are also organisations which cater for people with specific disabilities (e.g. amputees).

Finding sports clubs and exercise activities in your area

Use our Community directory and search under 'Community support/activities' to find sport/exercise activities near you.

Visit your local leisure centre

Every district and borough council area in Hampshire has leisure centres or sports centres, many with a swimming pool. Most also have a fitness suite with a gym facility and aerobics studio and they offer a variety of sports activities during the day and the evening. Most of these centres are wheelchair accessible and offer disabled facilities.

Some districts and boroughs offer concessions to older and disabled people as well as to carers and people in receipt of benefits using leisure centre facilities. Contact your preferred leisure centre to enquire about activities suitable for your age group.

Use our Community directory and search under 'Community support/activities' and then 'Sport/exercise' to find leisure centres near you.

National organisations

All of the organisations below aim to provide opportunities for people of all levels of ability:

• British Blind Sport
• UK Deaf Sport
• British Disabled Angling Association
• Activity Alliance (previously the English Federation of Disability Sport)   
• Cerebral Palsy Sport      
• Wheel Power (British wheelchair sport)
• British Wheelchair Athletics Association    
• Access Adventures delivers life-changing adaptive sports and activities  
• UKSA Facebook page (UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disabilities)
• Sport England

As well as good wheelchair access, most cinemas now have audio description and subtitling facilities. A lot of cinemas now have cheaper senior citizen tickets for showings during the day. Contact your local cinema for details.

Cinema Concessions Card

The UK Cinema Association offers the CEA card to disabled people. This entitles any carer accompanying them to a free ticket. The card is available to people receiving disability or attendance allowance, registered blind or holding a disabled person’s railcard. A small processing fee is chargeable per card.

Autism friendly film screenings

Dimensions UK offer autism friendly screenings at over 250 cinemas in partnership with Cineworld, Odeon, Showcase and Vue cinemas. Every month, each participating cinema shows a different film from a selection of new releases and classics including Pixar animations, Disney adventures and many more films suitable for all age ranges.

There are 60 libraries in Hampshire. Many can provide far more than books. There are DVDs, talking books, digital media. Many also host events, courses and social activities; from knitting groups to learning computer skills.

Find out more:

Hampshire County Council library services

Portsmouth City Council library services

Southampton City Council library services

Do you need specific help?
Libraries provide a range of services for older people and people with disabilities and sensory impairment. Some libraries offer a mobile services.

Find out more:

Hampshire libraries

Portsmouth libraries

Southampton libraries