By listening carefully to what thousands of individual wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility would prefer when travelling, I have been able to assist tourism businesses and some destination managers to help meet these requirements, mostly in the UK.
Epping Forest and Wanstead Park in East London are close to my heart as I spent a great deal of my leisure time working for one of the first urban conservation groups in the UK in my formative years. Still going strong, the Wren Conservation Group continues to help educate local people and record wildlife data about this former royal hunting ground. Their patron is Sir David Attenborough.
I would like to see a time when the final barriers are substantially removed for disabled people, and inclusive design should help to overcome this, both in the natural and built environment.
I joined Tourism for All UK in 1993 from a background of working within both the English Tourist Board and the London Convention Bureau. My work on access has taken me right across the UK, into Europe and a rare trip to the USA.
My consultancy work has involved close liaison with people at all levels in the world of leisure and business tourism and with individuals and groups dealing with disability issues. I have represented Tourism for All UK on several national committees and working groups reviewing criteria that relate to accessibility at accommodation, attractions and ports and ferries.
Most of my time is devoted to encouraging tourism businesses to do more to meet the needs of disabled visitors and guests.
