Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Access

Location, Services and Transport

• Location: 5 minutes' walk to City centre over Silver Street bridge. 2 minutes' walk to Sidgwick Site, and 10 minutes' to University Library via Sidgwick Site. 10 minutes' walk to Downing Site and New Museums Site.
• Traffic: Sidgwick Avenue is fairly busy with traffic at peak times, and with fast-moving bicycles during hourly lecture changovers. Pavements are uneven, and there are many parked cars. Ridley Hall Road and Newnham Walk are quiet, residential streets.
• Services and shops: City centre. There is a 24 hour petrol station and several small restaurants and shops on Newnham Corner. The Sidgwick Site buttery is also close by.
• Parking: On site car park with two disabled bays. Entry off Sidgwick Avenue and exit to Newnham Walk. Call in advance to reserve.
• Other transport options: 5 minutes' walk to Uni 4 bus stop in Silver Street.

General Information

• General: The student body consists of up to 75 men and women, most of whom are training for ordained minstry in the Church of England. The College is part of the Cambridge Theological Federation, and has strong links to the Faculty of Divinity. The Centre for Youth Minstry is also based here. Family friendly, although no family accommodation can be offered. Access for disabled students particularly wheelchair users or those with mobility difficulties may be difficult to some areas of the site and buildings due to the age, layout and Listed status. However, a detailed access audit and consultation has recently taken place, and access improvements are ongoing in many areas.
• Smoking: No smoking in any public building. Smoking is currently allowed in the grounds, but the policy is under review.
• Medical facilities: No nurse. First Aiders available during office hours.
• Emergency procedures: Advise reception if you would need help evacuating in an emergency. Evacuation facilities will be reconsidered if lifts are installed.

Accommodation and Catering

• Wheelchair accessible rooms: Two new wheelchair accessible rooms, with shared bathroom, kitchen and laundry facility. Temporary ramp available until a permanent ramp can be installed.
• Other rooms: Several ground floor and ensuite rooms.
• Live-in assistants and assistance dogs: Carers and assistance dogs welcome for short visits, but please advise in advance. Live-in carers assistance dogs would have to be discussed well in advance.
• Early induction and vacation stays: Early inductions and staying over vacation would be possible on prior arrangement.
• Catering arrangements: Three meals daily are served in the Dining Hall Monday to Friday. Kitchens available for self-catering at weekends, but full self-catering is not permitted. Low level kitchen in disabled accommodation.
• Special diets: Special diets and allergies can be catered for. Please notify the College of any requirements on your application form.

Physical Access

• College grounds in general: Main entrance through archway, up and down two steps. Intercom due to be installed at main entrance. Temporary ramps can be made available, but please arrange in advance. Grounds all accessible by slabbed paved paths and some gravel.
• College buildings in general: Most buildings have at least two steps up, many without a handrail. Plans are in place to ramp most main areas within the next two or three years, and to install lifts where needed.
• Bar: No bar.
• Cafeteria: No cafeteria.
• Chapel: Level access at rear of Chapel. First time visitors please arrange in advance. Spacious inside, with moveable chairs.
• College offices: Two steps up to most College offices. Ramps are planned. Staff will meet elsewhere on arrangement.
• Common rooms: Common room opposite Dining Hall, up many stairs with no handrail. carpeted and fairly spacious inside, with moveable furniture of various heights.
• Computer facilities: No central computer room. All individual rooms are networked.
• Dining Hall: Up many stairs with no handrail. Plans in place to install wheelchair lifts. Spacious and level inside, with moveable tables and wooden bench seating. Low-level servery within Dining Hall.
• Fellows' areas: No separate area for senior and academic staff.
• Gardens: Gardens within grounds of College. Fairly even slabbed paved paths, some gravel, and level croquet lawn. All accessible. No benches.
• Laundry: Main laundry in basement, down stairs. Washing machine fitted in disabled accommodation.
• Library: Library up three flights of stairs, with one handrail. Books can be taken to an accessible location on request.
• Porters' Lodge and post room: Reception up steps from main entrance archway, with window linking the archway directly through to reception. Intercom due to be installed at entrance.
• Sport facilities: No gym or sports fields.
• Toilets: Disabled toilet inside staircase near Hall. Currently up four steps, but a temporary ramp is available until a permanent one can be built.
• Other:
  • Lecture Hall currently up several steps. Temporary ramps available. Level and spacious inside, with moveable furniture.
  • Seminar rooms up several steps and through awkward doors. Access would be possible on prior arrangement. Moveable furniture inside.

Visual Impairments

• Assistance dogs: Assistance dogs welcome for short visits, but please advise in advance. Live-in assistance dogs would have to be discussed well in advance.
• Computer facilities: No central computer facilities. Speak to the College Administrator in advance.
• Large print, Braille and audio: Large print information on request. Many of the new external signs have Braille and touch-readable letters.
• Library and magnification equipment: No special lighting or magnification equipment currently. Could be acquired if needed, and has been in the past.
• Signs and wayfinding: Good, clear, white on brown external signs (with Braille) and red on white directional signs. Large, clear, colour map at entrance. Paper maps available.
• Other:
  • Lighting around College site recently improved, with lights on all staircases and common areas, and around grounds.
  • External steps and stairs are not usually marked, and many do not have continuous handrails.

Hearing Impairments

• Induction loops: Induction loop in Chapel. There are plans to install more loops this year.
• Alarms: Strobe alarms on staircases. Disabled accommodation is fully alarmed. Vibrating alarms could be acquired if needed.
• Other:
  • Peaceful and quiet around the College site, as it is shielded from roads and traffic noise.
  • Most common areas are small and softly furnished, and have good acoustics.

Specific Learning Difficulties and Mental Health Issues

Arrangements for students with Specific Learning Difficulties are on an individual basis, in conjunction with the DRC. Discuss your needs with your tutor.

Planned Access Improvements

• Plans in place for extensive ramping and the installation of wheelchair lifts within the next few years.
• Induction loops, intercom at main entrance, and other smaller access improvements are ongoing