hi everyone
& happy new year to all of you:)
i just wanted to ask some advice, we will be going to crufts for the first time ever with our mally girl "storm" on the friday..now then my mum aged 70 really would love to come with us she has very bad health (cancer and emphasemia) and is on oxygen constantly she has a wheel chair and still goes out with us,but has to be plugged in to a nebuliser every 3 hours <gee> i would feel awful saying no to her...but if my other sister came along to help is it possible ???
im not sure what to do,my mum has followed us through everystep with the showing we have already done, this may be the last most wonderful wish
what i really want to know is is there facilities for disabled ????
i would appeciate any advice???

Hi Steph

Crufts Working is on the Friday this year, the Car Parking at the NEC is quite a way from the Halls, although there are buses from the Car Parks to the main entrances, I don't think it is very easy to get disabled parking but I could be wrong...they appear wheelchair friendly, but I've never tried it :-) There are disabled facilities and slopes (although fairly steep) between the halls. The main problem I feel is that it is so crowded, it is at times a glorified bazaar with really only limited space between the isles.

However Mals are usually off in the corner of a hall (3 I think) and so if it was more about arriving and staying around your bench, then it is probably possible, the Friday is definately quieter than the weekend

Hope this helps, just trying to explain it as it is....I think you could probably do it, just remember it is a long and crowded day. There is a set time to leave (4 pm) and this can mean a big rush at that point...although Mals haven't always been judged by then:D

And its freezing cold in there too ...at LKA we (Mals) were opposite the open doors ;)

Melody

Hi Steph,
My Mum is in a wheelchair and came to Crufts with me last year, it wasn't too bad, toilets are certainly not a problem as people were very helpful with doors etc to disabled toilets. My Mum is 72 and has Parkinson's so has slightly different problems but I would contact KC and tell them what you have told us and any more help you need. They should be able to help as all your Mum is asking for is the right to do what others do, she sounds as if she's as involved with the dogs as my Mum so if she's keen to go good for her. One thing I would suggest is a horn for the wheelchair to move people out of the way, I'm not joking I just asked/yelled last year buta horn would help. Please let me know how you get on,
Anne

This will sound strange.... but a 'flag' like children have on their bikes helps too!! Bright orange stick with the pennant on the end. Not to put on her chair, but to wield like a cane to get people to move aside.
Tour guides use them all of the time ;)
just a thought to get the herd to move aside when needed. Any border collies for rent? ;) :P :D :D
good luck,
toodles

Steph,
I was telling my Mum about your post and she says thatshe thinks your Mum should go for it. She found Crufts itself enjoyable it was the Taxis from Hotel and back and the train journey to/from Scotland that were a bit fraught also Cava my pup hated Crufts so a wheelchair and a scared pup was hard going. If your sister is going too it should be fine
Anne

My husband is disabled, we found the disabled parking not to bad if you have help,I had no help but it was still manageable with two large dogs, I would not say I was over fit either, if there are problems, and you find a member of the Kennel club staff, as two years age my husband was taken ill with heart problems while we were there and they did everything to help us leave early If you have any unease I would contact the kennel club and seek there advice as to help and opinion, they can be quite good over some things BRITNEY 1000

thankyou all for your posts,i have emailed the kc to ask them for more info
thanks again:)

Steph, did you get the information you needed from the KC? And if you did, was it helpful?

hi admin thanks for your post,no i didnt ask the kc,as my mum thought it best not to go,she really is too ill for that lots of things to take into account,so she decided agaist it ..sad really but she is quite bad and anything could happen.
thanks for asking
steph

I am very sorry to hear that your mother is to ill to go. Maybe the TV coverage will be better this year :-) Good luck with your dog if you decide to go.