We are three disabled people reaching for the stars but might touch the clouds!
Rich Copson, Jig Vaidya, who is also a polio survivor like myself, and I created our social enterprise, Access Rating – www.AccessRating.com – because we are passionate about assisting disabled people in having a voice and in improving access to employment and within society itself.
According to the Papworth Trust, young people aged 16-18 were at least twice as likely as their non-disabled peers to not be in education, employment or training.
Seventy-five per cent of disabled people and their families have walked away from a UK business because of poor accessibility or customer service.
We have personal experience of this and knowing the hospitality sector is losing out on well over ÂŁ160 million per month from not putting access as a priority for their customers.
There was a gap in the market for services that made businesses more disability aware, and also provided people, who have access needs, an easy way to have their say.
Seventy-five per cent of disabled people and their families have walked away from a UK business because of poor accessibility or customer service.”
In February 2020, we launched Access Rating and now have approximately 500 users, over 2000 venue ratings and, pre COVID-19, were completing market research on the access of over 400 venues per week!
We have been featured on BBC East Midlands Today, and the charity Scope described our free app as “groundbreaking”.
The app is now on its fourth version.
We have expanded the types of venues available to review almost a year ahead of schedule.
Originally, only bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels could be searched and rated, but now users can review music and sports venues as well as airports and shops.
Finding somewhere suitable to eat, drink, shop and entertain yourself without worrying if your access needs will be met is why this app, the first of its kind, is becoming so popular.
Our users review venues as they visit them, and the rating will help and inform others. Hopefully, eliminating any access anxiety for future visitors.
Also, our new search filters offer the ability to view results based on venues accessible for; manual wheelchairs, power/electric chairs, mobility scooters, customers who use a walking aid, etc.
Users can view where you are on a clear, concise map and see all nearby venues (if geolocation is enabled), find one you are interested in and use the search bar in the app to see any reviews left for that venue.
As well as the app, we carry out access audits to assist businesses.
Before lockdown, we had five orders in the bag. This is one of the main ways we fund ourselves. We don’t want to provide businesses with a problem we want to offer a social as well.
So why a social enterprise? My fellow co-founder, Rich Copson and I, have close connections with Ashfield Academy in Leicester, having both been students there.
Ashfield is a SEND school, which means it specialises in educating and supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities.
We have some fantastic ambassadors; GB tennis star James Shaw and GB wheelchair rugby captain Gavin Walker who, along with Rich, provide confidence classes and work experience placements to build up the students’ confidence, and employability skills.
We have been honoured by making the East Midlands Chamber Business Awards finals. It’s a real achievement.
Finding somewhere suitable to eat, drink, shop and entertain yourself without worrying if your access needs will be met is why this app, the first of its kind, is becoming so popular.”
Seven months ago, having used our savings to help launch our company, I cannot be prouder of what my friends and I have achieved.
We plan to expand the range of disabilities in our app next year and have already started work on Version 5 of the app!
Access Rating may have put a big dent in our savings, but we would not have any other way. We have a chance to make a positive impact on how disabled people live their lives.
How can you help? You do not have to be disabled to use the app. Download the app onto your Apple or Android phone (search for Access Rating) and start rating places you have visited in the past and your local venues.
Help us to change disabled access one review at a time.
