Readers’ Comments

Not Every Disability is Visible

When you have Crohn’s or Colitis your immune system doesn’t work properly, and your body starts attacking itself. One of the most common symptoms being urgent and frequent diarrhoea, where quick access to a toilet is necessary. As an invisible disability, unfortunately over 50% of people living with Crohn’s or Colitis in the UK have faced stigma or discrimination just for using the accessible toilet facilities they urgently need? This has a huge effect on social isolation and reducing the ability and confidence of people to leave their house, travel to new areas and lead an active life.

Crohn’s & Colitis UK are the UK’s leading charity for Crohn’s and Colitis. In 2016, we created our award-winning campaign to challenge public perceptions to show that Not Every Disability is Visible. After successfully encouraging 3,000 venues to install Not Every Disability is Visible signage including UK Supermarket’s Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, and travel hubs like London City Airport, London Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester airports; we are delighted to announce JD Wetherspoon, Punch Pubs & Co, Nando’s and Wagamama have all pledged to install signage in their restaurant through our most recent campaign targeting pubs and restaurants. We are currently working with restaurants and pub chains to encourage them to join us in tackling the stigma felt by those with invisible disabilities by installing the new accessible toilet signage raising awareness that Not Every Disability is Visible.

In a few weeks it is Awareness Week on 1st to 7th December. We want to raise awareness and money that will help Crohn’s & Colitis UK to achieve a better quality of life for those affected by the conditions, improve services and ultimately – find a cure. It Takes Guts to talk about these invisible conditions, and that’s why we are trying to highlight these conditions during Awareness Week 1-7 December.

If you know an venue that could benefit from Not Every Disability is Visible signage to tackle the stigma felt by those with invisible disabilities please email contact@noteverydisabilityisvisible.org.uk with your name, address and how many signs you would like and we would be delighted to spread awareness and continue enhancing our message that Not Every Disability is Visible.

Crohn’s and Colitis UK - November 2019
“I am pleased to say that BS 6465-2: 2017 ‘Sanitary Installations. Space recommendations – code of practice’ has now been published. This updates the 1996 version, and for the first time includes space requirements for baby changing. Where possible, a separate family room is recommended, so that the parent, young children, babies (and pushchairs!) do not have to be separated to use the toilet facilities. There are other recommendations which it is hoped will ease space problems, and the standard should be useful for both the design of new toilets and for upgrading existing facilities.”
Michelle Barkley (6465-2 committee member) - 26 September 2017
“Updated by experts to meet current requirements for information, the third edition of this concise, easy-to-use, free guide, identifies many issues which need to be considered by organisations having a special interest in the provision of ‘away from home’ toilets. Carefully researched, it suggests ways to improve standards and encourage good practice.”
The British Toilet association – January 2016
“This is a straightforward, easy to use, guide to the provision of public toilets fit for the 21st century. All providers of public facilities should read this to avoid the simple mistakes in design and provision we see so often. “
Baroness Randerson – 28 January 2016

Public In-Conveniences is provided Free of Charge

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“A valuable resource for any organisation that is providing appropriate facilities for pregnant women and parents with young children. Brings everything you need to know into one place, to save time in meeting public needs.”
Rosie Dodds, Senior Policy Adviser, NCT – 22 December 2015
“This is a useful guide that identifies many issues that require consideration and action by providers, designers and builders of public toilet facilities. It makes good use of the recommendations contained in the British Standard series of documents about sanitary provision – BS 6465 – and references many other helpful sources as well.”
John Griggs MD of JPJN Partners Ltd – 18 December 2015
“This is an excellent easy guide to public toilet design, which should assist in solving problems and in helping providers to achieve good standards.”
Michelle Barkley, Technical Director, Chapman Taylor – 15 December 2015

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