As part of the Harris Your Place redevelopment, a Changing Places toilet facility is being installed to ensure all visitors can access the building with dignity and ease. Installed thanks to grant funding provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with support from Preston City Council.

This new facility features a height-adjustable changing bench, ceiling track hoist, and ample space for carers, creating a safe and inclusive space for people with complex disabilities and their families.

Councillor Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council, said: “This facility reflects our deep commitment to inclusion for all residents and visitors. It is a fundamental step toward making The Harris a place for everyone.”

Jenny Miller, PAMIS CEO said: “We are thrilled to see a Changing Places Toilet open at the Harris – a vibrant cultural hub that brings people together through creativity, learning, and inclusion. This facility ensures that everyone, regardless of their support needs, can fully participate in and enjoy what the Harris has to offer.”

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Inclusion, access and participation is core to the projects we fund thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. We believe that everyone should be able to access heritage and feel comfortable doing so. It is absolutely great news that there will be a Changing Places toilet at The Harris when it reopens ensuring that it is a heritage venue where all feel welcomed.”

Harris Your Place aims to enhance the visitor experience, with an expected increase of 100,000 annual visitors on top of the existing 350,000. As a dynamic cultural space, the project will enrich Preston and Lancashire, blending the past and future in a space designed to inspire generations to come.

More details about The Harris’ reopening event, exhibitions and programme can be found on the website: theharris.org.uk.

More details about The Harris’ accessibility can be found here: theharris.org.uk/accessibility