Hello. I’m Pam Newall and I have joined the Board of SDN. I have worked as an architect and am now a fine art printmaker. I have secondary progressive MS so work in bursts, and not much at all in a heatwave!
I have been asked by Building Design magazine http://www.bdonline.co.uk to write a regular blog on disability issues in the built environment. This came about through SDN’s Ruby Hartshorn having campaigned for better disabled access to the new Shrewsbury Premier Inn. I mentioned to BD’s Editor how shocking I thought it was that such poor access could be approved under Part M of the Building Regulations, whose mission statement is that ‘reasonable provision should be made for people to gain access to and use a building’.
She asked me to write about it for other architects and the blog started. There have been some interesting and supportive responses so far. I would love you to write to me about any design issues around disability – this is a chance to talk to all the architects and designers who read BD every week! Please contact me via pamnewall1@mac.com For those with no IT access, if you want to raise issues, then please make contact via the SDN Outreach Officer, who sends out your copy of “Your Voice” each month. I am hoping you will feel able to tell me of your concerns so that I can help by highlighting problems and help Shropshire Disability Network, make a real difference for you as well as make “the powers that be” aware that things can and should be better.
SDN says “Thank you Pam for putting us on the map, both nationally and internationally. Accessibility to buildings for people with a disability is so important, as a building can be wheelchair friendly but not exactly wheelchair or accessible for those with mobility problems. We hope you will get feedback and people will contact you, as together we can really make a huge difference to the lives of those with a disability. We are pleased to have you on board and wish you all the best”
I visited the Premier inn the other day trying to find disabled access, not very well placed or signed , I needed to ask as I was thinking of taking my wife for a meal, I didn’t like either the disabled access or parking and I was looking at it during daylight I wouldn’t park their in the dark. and use the backdoor, I don’t think they will get my business.
Who else has visited the Premier Inn Shrewsbury and had similar experiences? Please feel free to tell us in this comment box. If you do not wish your name to be included then please email info@shropshire-disability.net and we will add appropriate comments anonymously. It is very important to SDN that we know about your experiences as we have visited the Premier Inn and are talking about the issues to the relevant people in the hopes that the problems can be resolved. Many thanks.