Microsite – Is There An Accessible Loo? (ITAAL)
The charity Is There An Accessible Loo? (ITAAL) was born in 1997 when a group of disabled women – fed up with not being able to travel locally, regionally or nationally because they did not know where accessible WCs were – got together to compile a directory of accessible WCs. The idea rapidly caught on and over 200 disabled men and women from all over England volunteered to provide information on WCs.
The group originally only intended to compile the directory. However, they received so much information about the problems facing disabled people and carers – due to poorly designed WCs or lack of support in coping with personal care needs – that they felt there should be an organisation to highlight the problems faced by disabled people and to campaign for improvements.
ITAAL's stated aims and objectives were to:
- improve the provision of accessible toilet facilities for disabled people
- increase the public understanding and appreciation of the personal care needs of disabled people
- compile and publish a directory of the locations of accessible WCs and the facilities provided
Unfortunately, when a core funding package was turned down in 2005, ITAAL's trustees were forced to accept that without this money to buy administrative help and to meet trustee expenses and their legal responsibilities as a charitable company, the work could not continue. ITAAL was wound up at the end of 2005.
The Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) agreed to establish a lasting legacy for ITAAL by transferring key information from the ITAAL website and publications onto a microsite accessed via CAE's website. That way invaluable information such as how people use accessible WCs, typical user concerns, what users need and design guidance, will not be lost. Those wishing to comment on ITAAL's work and legacy should email info@cae.org.uk