A new online accessibility guide is live and here to take the uncertainty out of going out.
The council has teamed up with disability organisation AccessAble and more than 90 shops, restaurants, community centres, libraries and other local sites so that disabled people and carers can find out if a venue meets their access needs.
The guide features information relevant for anyone with an access requirement, including people with mobility impairments, sensory impairments, learning difficulties or autism, and provides information to let the user decide whether a venue will be suitable for them. For example, how far a car park is from a building, whether a restaurant can offer menus in Braille and if a cinema can offer assistive listening.
All of the venues and locations have been visited and assessed by an AccessAble surveyor with input from local disability groups, disabled people and carers, who also offered suggestions on places to be included.
The free guide was officially launched at a celebratory event held in Haringey last week, which was attended by Cllr Peray Ahmet, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health and Cllr Kirsten Hearn, Cabinet Member for Environment, as well as residents and community groups.
Cllr Ahmet, who opened the event, said: “We are thrilled to launch the accessibility guide to Haringey and I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work on this project. Not knowing what to expect, particularly about key facilities such as ramps, parking and toilets, is a barrier to people accessing their local community. Our aim is for the guide to support residents and those planning a visit here to explore the borough in the same way any person would – and to have the best possible experience while doing so.”
Cllr Hearn said: “Environmental, attitudinal and institutional barriers stop disabled people being equal and included in our society. The accessibility checker and supporting app provide a practical solution that will assist us to do what we want in our lives easily and freely. This will aid choices and rights for disabled people and maximise access and inclusion for us as citizens of Haringey.”
Anna Nelson, Executive Director of AccessAble, said: “We are so excited to have launched the accessibility guide to Haringey and would really welcome feedback from disabled people and carers on its impact. We know that planning a trip out can often feel like a military operation and AccessAble is all about going somewhere new easier. I would like to thank Haringey Council for their commitment and leadership; we really hope that we will be able to develop the guide in the future to cover more of what Haringey has to offer.”
The guide can be accessed free of charge via: www.accessable.co.uk/organisations/london-borough-of-haringey and it will also be featured on: www.haringey.gov.uk