Our Partnership with Aveso

Aveso celebrate a year making toilets fully accessible for people with a disability

This week marks the first anniversary of Aveso’s sponsorship of the Changing Places campaign, which aims to install fully accessible toilets in public places so that the people who need them can enjoy the same freedom as everyone else.

Under Aveso’s sponsorship the past year has seen notable successes, with Arsenal becoming the first Premiership football stadium to install a Changing Places facility, along with other locations such as Stansted Airport, Brighton FC and the Glastonbury Festival.

Changing Places toilets are essential for those with severe and profound learning disabilities and people with other severe disabilities. They are larger than a standard disabled toilet and include a height-adjustable changing bench, a hoist and room for up to two carers.

The team at Aveso said:

“We’re incredibly proud of the successes of the Changing Places campaign over the past year in partnership with Aveso. High profile events such as the 600th Changing Places toilet at Arsenal’s Emirates stadium have allowed us to get the message out as to how desperately these facilities are needed, and we are glad to see other sporting venues have followed such as at Brighton FC. With our 20 years of experience in the field we look forward to reaching our target of 1000 registered Changing Places toilets in the next three years.”

Loretto Lambe of Changing Places partner PAMIS said:

‘We’ve enjoyed a really positive year with Aveso and experienced a great working relationship. Changing Places toilets make such a difference to the lives of thousands of people who desperately need them. Standard disabled toilets simply aren’t suitable and without Changing Places many families and carers are forced to change their loved ones on dirty, unhygienic floors. We’re looking forward to making this a thing of the past and expanding our work with Aveso to achieve our mutual aims.’

Samantha Buck, mother of Alfie who uses Changing Places said:

“Standard disabled loos are simply not suitable for the severely disabled or elderly. In these toilets I am forced lay my son on what is often a urine soaked floor. The experience is horrendous. The only other option is either to not go out or plan our trips depending on the toilet facilities. Changing Places mean Alfie can visit the same places as anyone else and really feel part of his community”

Lloyd Page, a Changing Places volunteer at Mencap said:

“The Changing Places campaign has really taken off in the past year and I’m incredibly proud to be part of it. I was thrilled to see the first Premiership football stadium install a Changing Places toilet and we’re working hard to get the stadiums hosting the 2015 Rugby World Cup to install Changing Places toilets too. Here’s to another successful year and to reaching a new milestone of 700 Changing Places toilets!”