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Our Bench Resource Centre

Practical guides, answers, local knowledge, lived experience

 and real guest stories to help you plan an accessible holiday in the New Forest with confidence,

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Accessible holiday planning, all in one place

We know that booking an accessible holiday can take more thought than a standard break away. You may be planning around mobility, equipment, medication, carers, fatigue, transport, hidden conditions, family needs, or simply the worry of somewhere new not working in real life.

This resource site gathers together our most useful guides, answers and accessibility advice to help you plan a confident accessible holiday in the New Forest.

Planning your stay

Start here if you are comparing options, checking how booking works, or trying to work out whether Our Bench will suit your needs.

Equipment and accessibility

These pages are useful if you need to check practical details such as hoists, profiling beds, transfer equipment, access statements, carers or additional specialist hire.

New Forest practical guides

Once you know the cottage may work, these guides help you picture the holiday itself. They cover access, places to go, local facilities and ideas for making the most of your time in the area.

Accessibility advocacy and change in the New Forest

At Our Bench, accessibility is not just something we provide within our cottages. It is something we care about across the wider New Forest visitor experience. Because we support disabled guests and carers every day, we see first-hand how often the biggest barriers are not always physical. Sometimes the barrier is missing information, unclear websites, or local businesses simply not realising what people need to know before they visit.

That is why we are increasingly using our lived experience to raise awareness, ask questions and encourage better accessibility information across the New Forest. Sometimes one conversation, one email or one question really can make a difference.

Conditions, challenges and different needs

Not every accessibility need looks the same. These pages may help if you are planning around a particular condition, a recent diagnosis, hidden challenges, or the needs of someone you care for.

Stories, reviews and confidence-building

Sometimes the most helpful thing is hearing from people who have already stayed, especially if you are nervous about trying somewhere new. These pages help bring the cottages to life and show how different guests have used them in real situations.

Cottage guides and booking tools

Ready to look at the cottages themselves? These pages help you compare layouts, facilities and style before booking.

Still not sure where to begin?

Start with Which cottage should I choose?, then read our frequently asked questions and access statements.

If your needs are specific, unusual, or difficult to explain, please get in touch. We would much rather answer your questions properly than have you worry in silence.