Monday 08 April 2019
Surveyors from AccessAble are in Guernsey carrying out a two-week review of the accessibility of many island facilities and venues.
AccessAble are an organisation who work across the British Isles to produce Detailed Access Guides for people with disabilities. The information is available as an online guide (found at www.accessable.co.uk) or through an App.
This accessibility information is important for both islanders and visitors, enabling everyone to check details about access and therefore plan their visit. Over 600 different island locations are now included in this guide, including restaurants, shops, leisure centres, parks, theatres, libraries, hotels, supermarkets, tasty walks - the list goes on.
Speaking about the need for the App, AccessAble's Lucy Wood said:
"The phrase 'day trip' has always made me anxious and when I go out, it can feel like a military operation. I have to do loads of research in advance. I don't feel I can be spontaneous when I have to trawl through websites to find accessibility information. For Disabled People, finding the practical stuff is vital - can I get in? Can I use the toilet! Very few venues have this much detail online. This is why the AccessAble App is so exciting."
The AccessAble team are being supported by Gill Evans, the States' Disability Officer, who said:
"Having the right information to be able to plan visits is important for everyone, but especially for those with limited mobility or certain requirements. This online guide and App aims to make that information available, to make that planning easier."
AccessAble have also published an important survey that highlights the need for better accessibility information. The survey revealed that 99% of disabled people in the UK want to know about accessibility before visiting a new place and 98% search for accessibility information in advance.
You can read more about it and check out the survey here: https://www.accessable.co.uk/articles/new-survey-highlights-major-accessibility-gap-for-uk-s-20-million-disabled-people-and-carers
