Scunthorpe campaigner says there are more easily accessible disabled toilets but still far from enough

Lorna Fillingham started her campaign 4 years ago

Changing Places
Author: Andy MarshPublished 21st Mar 2022
Last updated 21st Mar 2022

A Scunthorpe mum says despite her 4 year campaign there's still some way to go before there are anywhere near enough accessible toilets for disabled people.

Lorna Fillingham struggled to find suitable rest rooms when out with their disabled daughter.

She says there now 16 hundred so called "changing places" toilets in the country but that compares to thousands of regular ones.

Lorna says there's been progress locally but not in many other locations.

"If we go further afield often I really really struggle, I can still change her on a baby change even though she's 11 years old".

"Obviously if she was an average sized 11 year old that would not be an option anymore, it's getting more and more difficult as she gets older".

"It's getting to the point of actually having to physically lift a disabled child who has no independent mobility".

"I can do that with Emily May, she's around 25 kilogrammes".

"If we were talking about an adult, someone with motor neurone disease for example people would struggle to physically lift an adult onto a toilet."

"I've heard loads of horror stories over the last 4 years".

"Disabled children being changed on public toilet floors because of a lack of facilities or being changed in the back of cars".

"When you get to a disabled teenager or adult it gets to a point when you cannot be physically lifted anymore".