Shelley Cowan, a disability rights campaigner from Co Fermanagh, has embarked on a groundbreaking initiative to enhance disabled accessibility in hospitality venues and hotels. After enduring years of confinement and limited mobility due to severe ME, Shelley is now dedicated to ensuring that wheelchair users can experience all-inclusive accessibility at local establishments through her campaign #accommodationforall.
Shelley’s personal journey of being bedridden, tube-fed, and wheelchair-bound for over a decade has fueled her passion to advocate for improved accessibility for all individuals. Drawing from her own experiences and research on the ‘purple pound’, the significant spending power of disabled individuals and their families, Shelley aims to revolutionize the hospitality industry by making venues fully accessible to everyone.
With a focus on inclusivity and equality, Shelley emphasized the importance of redefining the concept of ‘all-inclusive’ to encompass comprehensive accessibility in hotels and venues. She expressed dismay at the current lack of adequate facilities, recounting instances where guests with disabilities were forced to sleep on pool loungers due to inaccessible hotel rooms. Shelley stressed that negative attitudes towards disabled guests are prevalent, leading to feelings of humiliation, neglect, and exclusion.
Motivated by her firsthand challenges as a wheelchair user navigating inaccessible hospitality venues, Shelley founded Access Avenue, a business venture aimed at promoting social inclusion for individuals with disabilities. Through her initiative, Shelley hopes to empower disabled individuals to fully participate in society and enjoy enriching experiences without barriers. She outlined the core principles of her campaign as the 5E’s: equal, effective, enjoyable experiences for all.
One of Shelley’s key contributions to improving accessibility is the creation of the ‘Hotel Accessibility Grading Classification’, a system designed to help guests assess the level of accessibility in various venues. By working closely with hospitality providers, Shelley intends to equip them with the necessary knowledge and tools to enhance accessibility within their premises, fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all guests.
Having conducted extensive research on the challenges faced by disabled individuals in the hospitality sector, Shelley’s findings underscored the pervasive barriers and limitations that hinder accessibility for guests with disabilities. Despite the abundance of pet-friendly accommodations in the UK, only a handful of fully accessible hotels cater to disabled guests, with none located in Northern Ireland. Shelley’s personal experience as a wheelchair user for a decade has provided her with unique insights into the daily obstacles encountered by individuals with disabilities, driving her commitment to effecting positive change in the industry.
Shelley’s advocacy for enhanced accessibility extends beyond her local community, as she recognizes the global impact of inadequate accommodations on disabled tourists. Through her efforts, Shelley aims to raise awareness of the economic potential that hospitality companies overlook by neglecting the needs of disabled guests. She emphasized the significant value of the ‘purple pound’, highlighting the substantial spending power of disabled households and the lucrative opportunities that inclusive tourism can offer to the hospitality sector.
In conclusion, Shelley Cowan’s pioneering initiative to improve disabled accessibility in hospitality venues represents a transformative step towards creating a more inclusive and accommodating environment for individuals with disabilities. By championing the principles of equality, effectiveness, and enjoyment in hospitality experiences, Shelley is paving the way for a more accessible and welcoming future for all guests. Through her tireless advocacy and dedication, Shelley is leading the charge in reshaping the hospitality industry to embrace diversity and inclusivity, ensuring that every individual, regardless of ability, can fully participate and thrive in society.