An update on our Safe Spaces pilot project, helping venues identify what they can do to help urostomates feel more at ease on a day out.
Having visited two National Trust (NT) properties – Shugborough Hall and Attingham Park – accompanied by UA members who kindly gave their time and feedback, we shared with NT representatives criteria which, if met, could do so much to encourage people with a urinary diversion to feel confident on visits to these national treasures.
Our criteria, which range from providing information about the location of accessible toilets ahead of people’s visits to making sure toilet doors reach the ground and including urostomy awareness in training for NT staff and volunteers, have been welcomed by both properties. They are keen to work with UA to roll out improvements more widely, too.
Following our Safe Spaces pilot, the following recommendations have been submitted for consideration by UA’s Board of Trustees.
- Creating a document with advice to help venues become more urostomy aware
- Rolling out Safe Spaces nationwide, engaging the wider National Trust, plus English Heritage, the Association of Independent Museums, local authorities, garden centre chains, etc, advocating for greater accessibility, plus improvements to staff and volunteer training
- Developing a map of ‘Places we Love’ for UA’s website (and potentially, an app), showing the venues members rate as safe, comfortable and enjoyable for a day out following stoma surgery.
A big thank-you to our members who took part in our pilot. We really appreciate your support, helping us drive forward more awareness and greater understanding for everyone living with a urinary diversion.