Accessibility

Embracing the Sunflower – Helping those with Hidden Disabilities

In an effort to make its facilities more accessible to more people, Everyone Active has joined the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network.

The Sunflower allows people to voluntarily share that they have a disability or condition that may not be immediately obvious.

To indicate that they have a hidden disability, customers or staff members can wear a Sunflower lanyard. For customers wearing the lanyard this will inform Everyone Active staff that they may need additional support at the leisure centre or a little more time.

The Sunflower has been launched across all Everyone Active leisure centres and colleagues have accessed training to assist them to feel more confident in supporting people with hidden disabilities at our sites.

Everyone Active’s National Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager, Jules Twells, said: “We are proud to support the fantastic work of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. Over the next year, our ambition is to raise awareness for people with hidden disabilities that need additional support using our facilities.”

As well as this, Everyone Active is also launching Quiet Swim Sessions. These are adults-only swim sessions with no lanes, no music and at non-peak times. They’re also bookable, so the numbers are limited, making the sessions quieter and easier to handle. These sessions are specifically designed to help people with sensory issues enjoy swimming.