BBC on Changing Places: UK Retail Giants on Accessibility
Last night Changing Places and the question of legislation to support them was featured on the BBC News at 10 (skip to 25:10). To be delivered to Parliament today, over 100,000 people have signed the petition for accessible toilets to be installed in all motorway services in the UK.
This naturally calls into question other services in the UK; standard disabled toilets don’t meet the needs of approximately 250,000 people.
“A basic right that many take for granted; the freedom to use the toilet” stated Natalie Perks, BBC Correspondent, in a sombre introduction to the story. Severely disabled children placed on dirty floors to be changed, with the message that the choice is either this or sitting in their own waste.
The indignity of the reality for disabled people using toileting facilities is glaring – highlighted further when the BBC identified that only 9 major retailers across the UK have Changing Places toilets.
Changing Places are 12m2 fully accessible toilet facilities with a Ceiling Hoist, Changing Table and a range of other equipment. Speaking with those who are challenging retailers to improve their disabled facilities, they believe there is some resistance from large retailers to develop the accessibility in their stores. Not all show such reluctance though; mentioned in the segment, IKEA has already included Changing Places at many of their locations.
As the campaign sponsors, we have been working closely with a number retailers and many have pledged to improve and install Changing Places in many of their facilities. We look forward to working closely with them on their Changing Places projects across the country.
Although the current lack of Changing Places in retail giants outweighs those who have installed them, the thinking, understanding of the need and desire to include all customers – both able-bodied and disabled – is slowly catching up with the cry for these basic rights to be met in a modern society.
To find out more about the Changing Places Campaign, click here.
If you would like to discuss your Changing Places project with our Product Specialist, call 01252 758 858 or email info@opemed.net