Media coverage for the Changing Places Campaign is always encouraging. Seeing the BBC support and promote Changing Places shows how far the campaign has come in the 10 years it has been running.

The article “Disabled toilets: When does accessible not mean accessible?“ details what makes a Changing Places facility and outlines how it is superior to standard disabled toilets; they just don’t meet the mark for those with additional needs such as a hoist and changing bench, and fail to offer the space required to manoeuvre a powered wheelchair.

 

Importantly it touches not only on the campaign to install changing places but also for changes in building regulations to make Changing Places guidelines compulsory; their specifications have been included in the Building Standards guidelines (BS 8300:2009) since 2009 as a recommendation rather than a compulsory requirement which will more often than not go ignored.

It continues on to cover personal stories of those struggling in a frequently inaccessible world, stories that anyone following the campaign will be oh so familiar with, but may come as a surprise to new readers.

This is, of course, not the first time that Changing Places has seen the spotlight; our recent article “Changing Places in the Media” includes recent coverage for Changing Places in the Media and various high profile publications, as well as featuring on the Channel 4 programme No Go Britain. The growing profile of the campaign is wonderful and welcome news for all those who follow it and take part; campaigners, carers, parents, users and friends alike.

An increased awareness benefits Changing Places, as the more of those who see these as an essential component to making places fully accessible for everyone, the more likely they are to champion the cause and expect these facilities from venues and public places just as you would a standard toilet. It ploughs the path towards the final goal where Changing Places- such will be their normalcy in our day to day lives- will hardly be newsworthy at all.