Today marks a new era in the Changing Places campaign. The Changing Places Campaign (for which Aveso are the official sponsor) has been hosted by the Changing Places Consortium member: Mencap, for the last 11 years. The campaign under Mencap’s co-chair leadership has gone from strength to strength and has assisted in producing over 1000 Changing Places toilets across the country. Moving forwards into 2018, the Changing Places Campaign has announced a new co-chair and host to the campaign, Charity: Muscular Dystrophy UK.
The charity is taking over from Mencap to lead campaigning activity across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will co-chair the Consortium alongside PAMIS, which leads activity in Scotland.
Robert Meadowcroft, Chief Executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK, said:
“Our charity has a proud heritage of fighting for better facilities and access for disabled people, a heritage we can draw on to drive the Changing Places campaign forwards. An estimated 70,000 people live with a muscle-wasting condition in the UK, and many can benefit from the use of a Changing Places toilet. There is lots more work to do in raising awareness and improving building regulations to ensure better facilities for all disabled people, and we are excited to work with PAMIS and the rest of the Consortium to make it happen.”
Speaking of the success that Mencap have helped to foster during the decade of the campaign run to date, Jan Tregelles, Chief Executive of learning disability charity, Mencap said:
“We’re incredibly proud of everything the Changing Place Consortium has achieved, and we are pleased to have been part of the movement, along with our amazing campaigners. As we celebrate 10 years of our involvement with Changing Places we’re pleased to see the campaign in its strongest position ever, ready for its leadership to be taken on by a new consortium.”
As the official sponsors, we are delighted to have worked so closely with all of the consortium members and look forward to our continued sponsorship of the Changing Places Campaign with MDUK’s support. Founders of Aveso, James Stuart-Smith and Nick Kent said:
“We’re extremely proud to have sponsored and supported the Changing Places toilets campaign over the last 4 years and have built some wonderful relationships with the Mencap team which has resulted in achieving a landmark 1,000 Changing Places in the UK.
“Having worked closely with a number of campaigners and stakeholders to install Changing Places toilets in some significant and high profile venues, we understand the importance of these life-changing facilities. As such we are incredibly proud to continue for many years to come our sponsorship of the Changing Places toilets campaign and support Muscular Dystrophy UK as we move into a bright new future together to strengthen the campaign.”