Small change makes big difference for disabled

Dine at your preferred restaurant with ease? Go shopping for a new outfit stress free? Most of us don’t give these pleasures a second thought, but I’d like to ask your readers, what if having a disability meant you could no longer go about your day with such ease? Having personal experience of disability myself, I know this is a reality for many disabled people, and I’d like to tell your readers why change is vital.

As a non-disabled person, you would never expect to be denied access to your favourite coffee shop, or be unable to use public toilet facilities because there isn’t one available, so why are we ignoring the needs of disabled people?

I work for Revitalise – an incredible charity that runs the Netley Waterside House respite holiday centre in Southampton, providing short breaks for disabled people and carers from around the South Coast region and beyond. As an organisation we often highlight issues of importance to disabled people and our latest study revealed some disappointing results. 6 out of 10 non-disabled people admitted to using disabled toilets, and more than 1 in 10 of us use disabled parking spaces either sometimes or habitually.

With the amazing Rio Paralympics still fresh in our minds, we believe that if non-disabled people were to simply make small changes to their attitudes and habits, they will be helping to create a more inclusive society for disabled people and really keeping the Paralympic legacy alive!

To find out more about Revitalise, or to support our vital work, please visit www.revitalise.org.uk email [email protected], or call 0303 303 0147. Thank you.

Stephanie Stone

Revitalise

www.revitalise.org.uk

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.worthingherald.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Worthing.news

3) Follow us on Twitter @Worthing_Herald

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Worthing Herald - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.