We are delighted that Our Bench has been selected as a finalist in two categories at the Hampshire Business Awards 2026:
- Business in the Community Award
- Retail, Leisure & Hospitality Business of the Year
The Hampshire Business Awards celebrate businesses and individuals contributing to the success of the county, with 14 categories spanning different sectors and achievements. The winners will be announced at the awards evening on 26 November 2026.
Retail, Leisure & Hospitality Business of the Year Finalist
Our Bench was created to make holidays possible for people who can struggle to find suitable accessible accommodation.
Our three purpose-built accessible cottages combine specialist equipment with the comfort and independence of a holiday home. But accessibility is about more than hoists, profiling beds and wet rooms.
It is also about honest information, listening to individual requirements and helping guests feel confident about their whole holiday.
We want our guests to leave remembering the places they visited, the time they spent together and the experiences they enjoyed, rather than simply that their accommodation was accessible.
Business in the Community Award Finalist
Over the last few years, we have increasingly taken what we learn from our guests beyond our own front door.
We share practical accessibility information about the New Forest, raise questions about access within local business networks and work with organisations when information could be clearer.
That has included conversations that helped improve accessibility information on local business events and clearer information about accessible parking and toilets in Forestry England's New Forest car parks.
Our aim is not to create a separate community for disabled people.
It is to help make sure more people can participate in the Hampshire community everybody else already enjoys.
Why being a finalist matters
We are a small family business.
We cannot remove every barrier, but we can notice one, ask a question, share useful information or start a conversation.
And then do it again.
To have both sides of Our Bench recognised, the holidays we provide and the wider difference we are trying to make, feels particularly special.
Being a finalist is already something we are very proud of.
A holiday that feels like home.
Updated: October 2026