Who can help? - Useful contacts
As we said in the last section, one of the best ways of improving your access and finding out what your disabled customers need is by talking to them directly. If you do not yet have any disabled customers, try contacting you could local access group for advice.
How to contact your local Access Group
- The Centre for Accessible Environments website to find the contact details for many of the access groups in England and Wales.
- The Scottish Disability Equality Forum website lists all the contact deatils for active Access Panels in Scotland.
Finding and Access Auditor
Having an access audit of your service will give you a complete overview and recommendations of how to become fully accessible and comply with all access laws. See the National Register of Access Consultants to find an auditor in your area.
Other useful contacts
The Equality and Human Rights Commission offers advice for all types of shops and services as to how you should comply with the Equality Act 2010.
Legal helpline - England 0845 604 6610
Scotland - 0845 604 5510
Wales - 0845 604 8810
The Centre for Accessible Environments is a registered charity and leading authority and resource in the UK on inclusive design and access to the built environment for disabled and older people. They also offer a consultancy and training service.
Telephone number 020 7840 0125
Enjoy England offer advise on accessible tourism.
Examples of Access Improvements
Here is an example of how campaigners have helped services improve their access and their quality of service for all their customers.
Local campaigning case studies
Success story.
The healthy salads are not the only new thing on the menu at the Chesterfield franchise of McDonalds. Several changes have been made to make the restaurant more accessible, including a new accessible toilet.
The changes are due to local campaigner Nadine Dart, the Disability Rights Project at Chesterfield Law Centre, and McDonalds of Chesterfield all working together to improve access and raise disability awareness.
All staff at the McDonalds are now going to be trained in disability equality and the Disability Discrimination Act as part of their induction.
Further changes include the introduction of a table designed especially for wheelchair users, a wall mounted menu at table height, and further printed menus kept behind the counter.
The McDonalds will also look at the push button that opens the main door and report back to Nadine on its effectiveness, and if an alternative model is needed.
Throughout the campaign, Nadine was also supported by her colleagues in the ASPIRE Campaign Action Group.
Since this sucess Nadine has been working with other shops in the area for example Bargin Books who have now installed a bell for disabled people to press to alert staff who will bring out a portable ramp.
For more examples of campaigners work on access follow this link.