The Changing Places Consortium welcomes changing places toilets for London's 2012 games

Friday 07 November 2008

London 2012 will be the first accessible Olympics, thanks to an announcement by the Olympic Delivery Authority that has today been backed by the Changing Places Consortium.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced that it will install special Changing Places toilets across the Olympic Park for the London 2012 games. Changing Places toilets differ from standard accessible toilets, as they provide extra space and facilities such as a hoist, a height-adjustable changing bench, a screen and a non-slip floor.

In a move being warmly welcomed by the Changing Places Consortium, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) says the Olympic Park, Olympic venues and the infrastructure for the London 2012 Games will be the most inclusive and accessible to date - and Changing Places toilets will be a major feature of these plans.

Chair of the Changing Places Consortium, Beverley Dawkins, said:

"It is great news that the Olympic Delivery Authority is considering the needs of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and many other disabled people by building Changing Places toilets into their plans for the London 2012 Games. Changing Places toilets make a real difference to the lives of many disabled people and will allow many disabled people and their families to participate in this nationally significant event which they would otherwise have been excluded from.

Changing Places toilets are needed by many thousands of people who need support to go to the toilet or to have their continence pad changed - for whom standard accessible toilets do not come close to meeting their needs. Without Changing Places toilets they are unable to go out as regularly or have to be changed on a cold and dirty toilet floor.

Margaret Hickish, Principle Access Officer for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said:

"We have published our Inclusive Design Strategy which sets out the framework for how the Olympic Park will be designed and constructed to be inclusive for people of all cultures, faiths and ages, and accessible to disabled people. As part of this commitment, we will have accessible changing places toilets in every venue, both front and back of house."

The Changing Places Consortium is a group of organisations working to support the rights of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities to access their community. The Changing Places Consortium is campaigning for Changing Places toilets to be installed in big public places.

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For more information about the Changing Places Consortium please contact: sam.heath@mencap.org.uk or phone: 020 7696 6949.

• The Changing Places consortium consists of Mencap, PAMIS, Nottingham City Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Department of Health Valuing People Support Team, the Scottish Government and the Centre for Accessible Environments.
• People who need a Changing Places toilet include those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, some people who have had a severe stroke, some people with acquired head injuries and some frail and elderly people.
• Changing Places toilets have been identified at 58 locations across Britain, including Nottingham City Council, the University of Dundee, the Tate Modern and Bradford City Council. For a full list visit www.changing-places.org