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all4access
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A non-profit making incentive to inform disabled people about the facilities available at entertainment venues around the country
Female
38 years old
Northeast
United Kingdom
Last Login: 7/6/2009
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all4access's Interests
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| General | Improving access and understanding the needs of disabled people when attending gigs and the theatre. |
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all4access's Details
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| Status: | Single | | Zodiac Sign: | Taurus |
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all4access's Blurbs |
About me:
My name's Helen and I have always had to use a wheelchair due to Cerebral Palsy and hip dislocation.
Although over the last 20 years or so I have seen attitudes towards disability and general access improve - There is an area that seems to have been forgotten about.
That is the facilities offered to disabled people at theatres and entertainment venues around the United Kingdom.
The difficulty is, I find, that access and facilities vary considerably from venue to venue. Plus, when booking tickets over the telephone, it can be impossible to judge just how accessible a venue actually is when sometimes you are not necessarily always told the truth, mainly because the person on the line doesn’t understand what our needs are - so I began my website all4access.com.
What was the catalyst for this? Well...
In 2004 a band I liked announced a rare tour of England, but Yorkshire, where I hail from, was not included in the tour itinerary, so I decided to try and purchase tickets for their concert in Manchester. When I enquired at the Box Office about access for disabled people, I was told that the venue was indeed able to accommodate me, and although I had no choice in where I could sit, if the audience took to their feet during the performance then I would be able to move forwards towards the stage in order to watch the show. With no other way to check out these comments I had to take the words at face value and booked my tickets.
However, on arrival at the venue I discovered that things were very different indeed.
Because there were 2 steps at the main entrance into the building I had to be ushered inside through a side door - only to then have to negotiate 2 others in order to collect my tickets from the Box Office. Once inside the hall itself I found my seats were just two rows from the back and I knew that there would be no chance of me seeing anything happening on stage once the audience took to their feet, so I went to speak with a member of the security team to check that I would be able to move. To my surprise his reply was a negative one so I requested to see the manager of the venue.
Unlike what I had been told over the telephone, it soon became apparent that I would not be able to move forward. The band in question came on stage and as I suspected I was unable to see anything. I left for home (after trying to alert the manager to my difficulties again) 15 minutes later, annoyed, upset, but determined to try to change things for the better - and all4access was born.
You'll find over 250 venues listed online, detailing their facilities for disabled people - and I've received some positive feedback including:
"I have looked at your site and it looks excellent. I have been looking for an accessible music venue site for years. There are many sites however yours seems to be the most comprehensive! Congratulations once again on your website you're doing a great job" - Dominic Webb, Chairman of DisCASS (disabled citizens advice and support service)
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish you the best of luck with building your website - most ingenious and very positive, I have to say! Well done!" - Mark P Reed, Brentwood Theatre
"The website looks great and its nice to see more and more organisations joining it!" - David Dewhurst, Bristol Tobacco Factory Theatre
Oh and you should now be abke to find all4access leaflets @ the following venues:
Cumbernauld Theatre
Keswick Theatre by the Lake
Ipswich New Wolsey Theatre
Leicester The Y Theatre
Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre
New Milton Forest Arts Centre
Leicester Haymarket Theatre
Margate Winter Gardens
Exeter Northcott Theatre
Hull Truck Theatre
Newark Palace Theatre
Birkenhead Pacific Road Arts Centre
London Bush Hall
Abergavenny Borough Theatre
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Washington Arts Centre
Newcastle Upon Tyne Live Theatre
Stirling Tolbooth
Rotherham Arts Centre
Rotherham Civic Theatre
Radlett Centre
So let's keep the site growing!
Myspace Layouts at Pimp-My-Profile.com / Untitled
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Who I'd like to meet:
If you or anyone you might know is in a similar situation to mine, please, pass this information on. I am searching for fellow disabled people who are regular gig-goers to help review venues for inclusion online. If you represent a venue and are interested in being listed on site please send me a message.
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