Go Beyond Access

01/09/2026

Aldi, honestly—this is not good enough.

I went shopping and ended up having to park my powered wheelchair sideways against the self-checkout because there was no space underneath it for me to get close.

That meant my basket was behind me.

I then had to twist backwards, struggle to reach each item and literally throw my shopping onto the packing shelf because I could not reach it properly.

Imagine having to do that with every single item in your basket.

I shouldn’t have to ask a member of staff to unload my shopping for me. Staff assistance may be helpful, but it is not the same as being able to shop independently.

Why isn’t there at least one properly accessible self-checkout in every store, with space underneath, a reachable basket position and a packing shelf that a wheelchair user can actually reach?

And while we are talking about checkouts, why can’t there be one staffed till with a lower or height-adjustable conveyor belt and packing area?

I am not asking Aldi to replace every checkout.

I am asking for ONE accessible self-checkout and ONE accessible staffed checkout in every store.

Wheelchair users shop. Our families shop. Our friends and carers shop with us. Accessibility isn’t only the right thing to do—it makes good business sense.

Aldi UK, you could lead from the front here.

Will you?

Please share this if you believe disabled people should be able to do something as ordinary as paying for their shopping without having to struggle, twist or ask to be rescued.

24/08/2026

Sometimes accessibility is not just about the facilities—it is about how people make you feel.

Yesterday I visited Windsor Castle and was genuinely blown away by the accessibility. From wheelchair-accessible toilets and changing facilities to discreet platform lifts designed sympathetically around the historic interior, it was clear that considerable thought had gone into helping wheelchair users and people with mobility problems experience this extraordinary place.

But what impressed me most was the staff.

They approached me before I needed to ask, always with a smile and a genuine willingness to help. They directed me clearly, accompanied me through “secret” doors and alternative routes, and made sure I could reach the areas I had come to see.

Not once was I made to feel like an inconvenience. Not once did the assistance feel awkward or reluctant. I was treated with dignity, kindness and, in their words, as “a guest of His Majesty”—so every effort should be made to ensure I didn’t miss out.

And that is exactly how accessibility should feel.

Historic buildings undoubtedly present challenges, but Windsor Castle demonstrates what can be achieved through thoughtful adaptations, well-trained staff and an attitude that focuses on finding a way—not pointing out the barriers.

As someone who audits accessibility through lived experience, I notice the details. More importantly, I notice how an organisation’s people make disabled visitors feel.

Windsor Castle, you got both absolutely right.
Bloody amazing and very deserving of recognition. 👏♿️

18/08/2026

This is such an important update !!!and it goes straight to the heart of why I created Go Beyond Access.

A disabled customer can decide your business isn’t accessible before they ever reach your door and you may never even know.

On 5 August 2026, the revised statutory Equality Act Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations came into force across Great Britain.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments isn’t new. What the revised Code reinforces is that accessibility should be considered in advance, not only after a disabled person has struggled, been excluded or complained.

You can read the revised Code here:

https://lnkd.in/d-4qzCGK

Disabled people should not have to become your unpaid access inspectors.

As a full-time powered wheelchair user, I rarely visit somewhere based on a vague promise that it is “accessible”. I need actual information.

Can I park nearby?

Where is the accessible entrance?

Is there a step, threshold, dropped kerb or intercom?

How far is the entrance from the car park?

Is there a genuinely usable accessible toilet?

Will the route work for my wheelchair?

What should I expect when I arrive?

Are sensory, visual, hearing and communication needs considered too?

When those answers aren’t available, many disabled people won’t ring up or complain. We simply decide it isn’t worth the risk, effort or uncertainty and choose somewhere else.

The business sees no failed visit and receives no complaint, so it assumes there isn’t a problem.

But the customer and often their family, friends, carers or colleagues and their spending, has already gone elsewhere!

That is why ticking an accessibility box isn’t enough. A venue can meet a technical standard on paper and still be difficult or impossible to use in real life.

Real accessibility starts with honest, useful information. Clear photographs, accurate route and parking details, accessible toilet information, sensory and communication guidance and staff who understand what inclusion actually looks like.

It doesn’t always require major building work or enormous expense. Very often, it begins with seeing your organisation through the eyes of the people who are currently being excluded and making practical, achievable changes.

That is exactly what I help organisations do through Go Beyond Access. Lived-experience accessibility audits, consultancy, disability awareness training and our independent Go Beyond Access accreditation scheme.

Don’t wait until someone struggles.

Find the barriers before your customers do.

www.GoBeyondAccess.com

Go Beyond Access delivers real-world accessibility audits, practical improvement support and transparent accreditation. We help businesses understand what is already working, identify where barriers remain and communicate their accessibility clearly, so customers can make informed choices with great...

06/08/2026

Anyone see the problem with these NHS disabled toilet bins?
My nemesis……..

04/08/2026

A square Go Beyond Access graphic in navy blue, pale blue, white and gold. It shows five diverse adults, including a woman using a powered wheelchair, a blind man using a white cane, a woman communicating through sign language and a person wearing noise-reducing headphones. The text reads: “Disability doesn’t have one look. Accessibility is more than wheelchair access.”

04/08/2026

🎉 WOOHOO… GO BEYOND ACCESS IS OFFICIALLY LIVE! 🎉

I have been working away behind the scenes for months—building the business, carrying out real accessibility audits and refining every part of the process before the formal launch.

And now I can finally share it with everyone! 💙

Go Beyond Access helps public-facing businesses, venues, workplaces, offices, workshops and community spaces become genuinely more accessible through:

♿ Lived-experience-led accessibility audits
💡 Practical consultancy and recommendations
🤝 Disability awareness training
🏆 Independent Go Beyond Access Accreditation

Accessibility isn’t only about wheelchair access, and it doesn’t always require knocking down walls or spending thousands. Sometimes, small and thoughtful changes can transform whether someone with a physical, sensory, communication or neurological disability can enter, participate, work and feel genuinely included.

This page will be where I share practical accessibility advice, real examples, business success stories and the organisations earning Go Beyond Access Accreditation.

I would absolutely love your support as I begin this next chapter:

✅ Follow the Go Beyond Access page
✅ Invite your friends and business contacts to follow
✅ Share this post and our website
✅ Tag a business or organisation that should connect with us

🌐 Visit the new website:
[www.GoBeyondAccess.com](http://www.GoBeyondAccess.com)

To celebrate our official launch, a limited number of audit and accreditation packages are available at a special launch rate throughout August 2026.

If you own or manage a space and want to discover how accessible it really is, message the page or email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

Let’s make accessibility the norm—not an afterthought—and create a world where disabled people are genuinely included.

I’m proud, excited and completely ready to get started. Let’s Go Beyond Access! 💙♿