Archive for January, 2010

Accessible tourism: Making it work for your business

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

On the 25th January 2010 the Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism, Margaret Hodge, launched “Accessible tourism: Making it work for your business“ which ”sets out the business case for accessible tourism and the economic potential in providing better services and encouraging more tourism from disabled people.”

The document includes new statistics from the UK Tourism Survey regarding trips taken by disabled people between January and June 2009. ”12 per cent of all overnight domestic trips in England between January and June 2009 were made by visitors with access needs, or those accompanying someone who had access needs. This amounts to 5.7 million trips, contributing almost £1bn to the economy in just six months.” 

It continues to cite both OpenBritain and Tourism for All as “UK’s main information services for disabled and older visitors.”

The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) webpage also has “Accessible tourism: case studies” which gives examples of good practice in tourism for disabled people. For further information please visit the DCMS article.

Mobility Roadshow: Ready, Willing and Mobile 2010

Thursday, January 21st, 2010


NEWS RELEASE

Mobility Roadshow Announces Ready Willing and Mobile 2010

The Mobility Roadshow, the UK’s premier mobility and lifestyle event, is delighted to announce the sixth year of Ready Willing and Mobile, its national competition that encourages young people to help their less-able peers.

Supporting National Young Disabled Persons’ Day on 3rd July, it offers young people aged between 7 and 16 years the opportunity to win £1,000 for their school or club, as well as great prizes for themselves.

The competition seeks bright ideas to help children with disabilities on the move – at home, at school, at play. Mobility is not an issue exclusive to wheelchair users … sensory, learning or memory impairments can also affect a young person’s mobility in different and challenging ways.

“For over 25 years, The Mobility Roadshow has promoted inclusivity through showcasing products and services to aid anyone who needs help to get around,” said Jacqui Jones, Executive Director of Mobility Choice, the charity that organises the Roadshow. “Through this competition we are encouraging young people to think about others from an early age.”

To enter, all that’s needed is an illustration of the idea with a short description – what it is, how it works and how it could help. Previous entries have included accessible sports and play equipment, accessories and tools, communication and shopping aids and funky lifestyle wheelchairs. There are two age categories, 7 to 11 and 12 to 16, with a winner and runner-up in each age group. An outright winner is then chosen from the two age group winners.

Great Prizes

Each of the two age category winners receives a digital camera, £50 worth of Penguin Books and a VIP visit to the Mobility Roadshow on Saturday, 3rd July 2010 at the East of England Showground, Peterborough. The outright winner goes on to receive extra prizes for their school or club – £1,000 towards equipment or projects, STAEDTLER art and crafts materials worth £250 and £100 worth of Penguin Books. For themselves they bag an overnight stay for four at a Holiday Inn in London with a trip on the London Eye.

Visit www.mobilityroadshow.co.uk for full terms and conditions, entries close on 31st March 2010.

Ready Willing and Mobile is supported by Aspire, Go Kids Go!, Holiday Inn, Penguin Books, Phab Kids!, Royal College of Art and STAEDTLER.

DisabledGo Search Now on OpenBritain

Monday, January 11th, 2010

The DisabledGo search engine is now available on OpenBritain in the left hand column. The engine allows users to search through over 50,000 venues and organisations that have facilities for disabled people. The venues listed include educational institutions such as universities and colleges, as well as health care centres such as hospitals, doctors surgeries and dentists. Libraries, post offices, community centres and local government and council services are also included.

In addition to this you can search for disability organisations and community groups in your area. You can also change the search radius from between 1 – 50 miles of a given location or postcode.

OpenBritain are proud to working with DisabledGo, so what are you waiting for? Why not try it today?

Happy New Year!

Friday, January 1st, 2010

OpenBritain would like to wish all our visitors a Happy New Year! 2010 will see a new groundbreaking alliance, DisabledGo, the UK’s largest provider of access related information is joining forces with OpenBritain.

From early in the New Year, visitors to this site will be able to comprehensively search over 50,000 leisure and tourism venues throughout the UK including restaurants, hotels, cinemas, shopping and all associated facilities including public and private transport.

This will create OpenBritian as the largest leisure time information resource in the UK for all those with access needs – and it will continue to grow and be continually updated with each new venue that is assessed.

It is also your opportunity to contribute by using our interactive feedback system where you can post your reviews and experiences for others to benefit – OpenBritain needs You !!!

Register with us now to enjoy all the benefits we can offer – there are many more services due to go live next year and we will alert you to each and every one as they go live.

Please see our press release for futher details.