Accessibility is essential. That’s it. End of post. But in all seriousness, there are still plenty of people who believe that accessibility is a ‘luxury.’ Accessibility isn’t ‘nice to have.’ It is the difference between inclusion and exclusion.

The trials of being a mobility aid user

Cracked pavement slabs, blocked dropped kerbs due to parked cars, potholes that threaten to throw you out of your seat, cars parked on the pavement, and worst of all: BIN DAY.

Many trips have been spent having to go to long way round in order toget to my destination. On one occasion, I was hit by a driver door while trying to navigate past a car that was parked on the pavement, and the driver didn’t notice my approach in my wheelchair. Seriously, it can be an absolute nightmare to just go about your day.

Access comes in many forms

While we often think about accessibility in the form of dropped kerbs and ramps, it goes so much deeper than this. In fact, here are some lesser-known forms of accessibility:

• Captions in cinema/theatres/talks – If you have never been to any captioned performace before, allow me to explain: text is synchonised with the live action either on the screen or stage, and comes complete with speaker names, sound effects and off-stage noise. Typically the screens that supply the captions are on either side of the stage, or may even be built into the set (or, in the case of cinema, on the bottom of the screen).

I cannot explain to you how disappointed I have been in the past at going to a performance or cinema screening, and finding that I am unable to hear what is going on, and not having any captions to rely on. It is equally as disappointing to find that a lot of venues only have anywhere from 1-3 captioned showings a month (and, in some cases, in the entire run of a performance!), and, to make matters worse, they usually end up being on a random Tuesday at 2:30pm. As you can probably tell, I have quite a lot of feelings on the subject!

• Wide doors for mobility aid users – Ok, so this one might not be entirely lesser-known, but it’s important to note that it’s not just wheelchair users that benefit from this – people who use aids such as rollators, powerchairs, and mobility scooters also benefit from having the extra room to manoeuvre.

• Tactile signage – Braille and raised text and symbols are examples of tactilesignage. They allow people who are blind or partially sighted to read signs through touch.

• Sensory friendly spaces/’quiet zones’ – These spaces are for autistic/ADHD people (but really, anyone can use them!) who need to take time away from stressful environments. They typically consist of muted colours and lighting, soft seating and fidget toys.

EVERYONE benefits from accessibility

The truth is, everybody benefits from accessibility, even in ways you haven’t thought about. From delivery drivers using a hand truck and thus needing a dropped kerb, to parents with children in buggies using ramps, and even tactile signage being used by people who have forgotten their glasses! It’s not just disabled people who thrive on the world being accessible.

L.

Product of the month: Sunflower Lanyard by Hidden Disabilities

I remember when I got my first Sunflower Lanyard. It was during the 1st lockdown that I discovered them, and I also purchased a card to go that alerted people to my Deafness.

Since then, Hidden Disabilities have expanded their range of cards to cover an even wider range of disabilities and illnesses, as well as having personalised cards and even a digital card too! Many venues and establishments are already a part of the Sunflower Scheme, so you can rest assured that support is available if you need it.