Many of the people we support at Thera East love visiting the seaside, but found there was a lack of accessible facilities, making it difficult to properly enjoy a day out. In 2014, we set up a project to open an accessible beach hut in Dovercourt. To raise money to buy the Beach Hut, Thera East began fundraising. A local baker made cakes to sell at coffee mornings, there were drinks, bingo, music, a danceathon, and many other events at the local hall. After a few years, we had enough money to purchase the hut, and in May 2016 we officially bought the Beach Hut, but it wasn’t safe for anyone to use. The old Beach Hut was knocked down, and a new Beach Hut was built.

Since 2019, people have used the Beach Hut to enjoy days at Dovercourt Beach. It’s been enjoyed by the people we support, their friends and family, and members of the public too. Located near a large green, the promenade, and the beach, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a day relaxing.

We chose this beach hut specifically as it’s so close to accessible toilets and changing facilities with hoists. Piece by piece, the Beach Hut has been made fully accessible with a ramp and an open plan interior for manoeuvring. We’ve kitted it out with basic catering appliances, table, chairs, and some games.

Since 2016, volunteers have maintained the Beach Hut. From fresh coats of paint, to new accessibility features, the Beach Hut relies on donations and volunteers to keep it well maintained and safe for everyone to use every year throughout spring and summer.

If you fancy a day of tea, cake, and the soothing sounds of the sea, click this link to see how you can book The Beach Hut.