Helping Hands Desk
Raining outside and hands full? We'll hold your brolly.
Hands full with the kids? We'll help you with your shopping.
Lost something? We'll help you find it.
Whatever you need, we’re here to give you a little helping hand.
Just ask our lovely staff at the Helping Hands Desk. Or email all enquiries to helpinghands@forestside.co.uk
Free Car Parking including designated disabled and parent/toddler spaces
Public Toilets including toilet facilities for the disabled and a parent/baby room
Photo Booths are available, offering a photo service for those important passport photos.
5 ATMS - 2 close to the entrances to the centre and 3 inside
No-Smoking policy throughout the Centre. Thank you for not smoking.
Public telephones are situated at all entrance lobbies
Forestside's Shopmobility station can be found at:
Level C7 Marks and Spencer
Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm
Shopmobility was launched in Forestside Shopping Centre in 2001 to make shopping more accessible to those with limited mobility.
The scheme provides electrically powered wheelchairs, scooters and manual wheelchairs to make shopping and using the Forestside facilities easier for those who have difficulties getting around the centre.
The full service provided comprises of practical advice, leaflets and centre contact names are given to people who are or have relatives, who are partially blind, have hearing difficulties, or other special needs.
The scheme was officially launched by Olympic Champion and Gold Medallist Dame Mary Peters, silver medallist Mary Rice, bronze medallist Sharon Rice and Michael Smith who competed for Ireland in the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Speaking at the launch, Dame Mary Peters congratulated Forestside Shopping Centre on the new Shopmobility facilities and services and for recognising the needs of disabled people and helping them to be more independent.
Adrian Young, Centre Manager of Forestside Shopping Centre commented,
“Forestside Shopping Centre prides itself in providing very high standards of customer care and safety and introduced this full Shopmobility service into the centre as one of its customer care initiatives and to underline Forestside's commitment to ‘Accessibility for All'.”
About Shopmobility
Shopmobility is a scheme to provide electrically powered wheelchairs, scooters and manual wheelchairs to help people who have limited mobility to shop and use the facilities at Forestside Shopping Centre.
Shopmobility first opened in Belfast on 5th December 1995 in temporary premises in Victoria Centre, Belfast. They had five scooters, one electric chair and seven manual either loan or donated.
Shopmobility is open to anyone, young or old, who feel that getting around is difficult for them.
Shopmobility operates from 10.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday (and also for late night shopping and special occasions).
Shopmobility is a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee and received revenue funding from Belfast City Council, Castlereagh Council, Department of Environment, Eastern Health and Social Services, South and East Belfast Health Trust and various Charitable Trusts.
Shopmobility is a free service with no membership fee.
In December 1998 Shopmobility Belfast received a National Consumer First Award presented by the Department of Trade and Industry in recognition of services provided by them in Northern Ireland to people with mobility difficulties. They were the only organisation in Northern Ireland to receive this award.