Flying the flag at Rise4Disability

'I was invited by Limitless Travel to attend the Rise 4 Disability Exhibition at Maidstone Showground in Kent on 7th September. Over 90 exhibitors were showing aids for the disabled, together with the attendance of physiotherapists, social workers, welfare organisations, carers groups, advisers and volunteers with and for people with all forms of disability, from those who needed 24-hour constant care, to those with sight, hearing and language problems. The range of exhibits was extremely wide and a huge number of disabled people attended. Apart from the exhibitors, there were many demonstrations and workshops. It was a really interesting show for everyone.

There was little time to eat a sandwich or get a cup of tea, as my host and I spent so much time discussing with the visitors the needs of those travelling on holidays with a wide range of disabilities. Many of the people I spoke to had experience the common problem that companies who stated their venues were accessible proved not to be the case. Many establishments have very little knowledge of what constitutes an 'accessible' space and most felt that designers of these spaces were not themselves disabled.