GoTo Shop

Parents shouldn’t have to struggle to go shopping with their child.

Unfortunately, we know that many do.

We’ve been asking for their thoughts and opinions on the Firefly GoTo Shop Cart – here are just some of the responses we have received:

– “Great to see this the experience the children get from shopping with mom and dad is priceless and the bond is even better”

– “I think every store should have about 4 each at least. The people that would sit in them would love to be out and about like everyone else and the people that help them can go to the store to get stuff for both people.”

– “It would be awesome if they had them for all ages and sizes.”

– “All stores should have this”

– “All stores should consider this special needs cart.”

– “This would make shopping soooooooo easy and enjoyable!”

– “We visit USA once a year for therapy and can’t enjoy shopping trips like we enjoy shopping trips here in the UK because the other special needs carts just doesn’t support my daughter The GoTo is amazing and is in almost every supermarket here in the UK now. It’s great we love it and would love to see it in the USA”

– “They should have three or four in very store”

– “The other special needs carts won’t support my daughter there is no lateral and no head support. They serve different needs!”

– “Although the current special needs cart is a wonderful addition to our local retailers, it does not properly fit all children. My son is 2 years old, 24lb with poor head and core support. I support the GoTo Shop for the Moms of smaller special needs babes”

– “All stores should have one there are a lot of special needs children out there”

– “The current adaptive cart is good for bigger kids but this would be perfect for smaller kiddos so they don’t slide off to the side”

– “Arvada, CO needs them would make shopping with all my kids so much easier than to push a wheel chair and pull a cart”

– “Yes!!!! We’ve tried the other special needs carts and it was an epic fail. I left frustrated in tears. My son is just too tiny for it. We NEED them (pretty please).”

– “Same! The other carts are made for adults. Kids are waaay to tiny. My son hates it.”

– “Every place that has shopping baskets should have this”

– “Albany, CA needs one. Other special needs carts are just too big for my toddler who has muscular dystrophy”

– “This will be the only way I can shop with my son without having to leave him with someone.”

– “My daughter cannot sit in a buggy and is still way too little for the other special needs carts”

– “My 5 yrs. son is too little for the other special needs carts. They don’t give any trunk support. He is in a wheelchair otherwise, which makes shopping VERY difficult”

– “Target in Manhattan beach California needs one ASAP! The other special needs carts are great for older kids and adults. The go to is better for smaller kids”

– “Lake Grove, NY! Whole Foods Market. They’d have a customer for life if they had this cart!”

The Firefly GoTo Shop Cart which has transformed shopping trips for special needs families in over 3,500 UK stores, is now available for distribution in the US, Europe, Australia and Canada.

Today we’re calling on our US families to get behind the campaign by downloading the US Campaign Leaflet and handing it in to your local stores to make store managers aware that the GoTo Shop Cart is now available in the United States.

Download the leaflet here.

If you require more information, assistance or if you want to let us know your progress feel free to contact [email protected]

US Parents Need The GoTo Shop

Do you ever struggle to go grocery shopping with your children?

You’ve been telling us how this can be a near impossible task for a while now – and we’re pleased to say we have the solution:

The Firefly GoTo Shop Cart which has transformed shopping trips for special needs families in over 3,500 UK stores, is now available for distribution in the US, Europe, Australia and Canada.

We have a strong community at Firefly and parents are continuously sharing the challenges they face with everyday tasks like grocery shopping.

It is the simple products, that improve day-to-day life, which are the most effective.

The importance of the Firefly GoTo Shop Cart cannot be underestimated.

GoTo Shop Cart has been designed to make shopping trips easier for parents and carers of young children with disabilities.

The shopping cart seat includes a secure and adjustable 5-point harness, adjustable head and lateral support, a soft padded seat and an open front for easy transfer.

Parents who have used the cart in the UK have commented on the social benefits of the face-to-face interaction they get with their child.

Download the leaflet here.

Anything you can further do to increase campaign awareness will be a massive step in helping get the GoTo Shop Cart in stores across America.

Don’t forget to use the #EverySupermarket if you are posting about the campaign on social media.

Here’s some other ideas:

– Take a photo with the store manager when you hand the leaflet in

– Contact your local newspaper or TV stations to tell them why you need a GoTo Shop in your local store – ask the community to rally around and support you.

– Start a petition in your local store and ask the community to sign and support your cause.

Let us know your progress – we’re asking for your help, so you can bet we’ll be there to help you with your efforts!

If you require more information, assistance or if you want to let us know your progress feel free to contact Mark at [email protected]

Tesco orders additional 350 GoTo Shop Trolleys

Tesco have just ordered another 350 GoTo Shop trolleys!

Things like this do not happen on their own, they need to be campaigned for.

This campaign is promoted and shared every day by you, every single one of you that want to take your little ones to the shops and be able to take more than a basket’s worth home.

There are now 1,350 GoTo Shop trolleys in Tesco stores across the United Kingdom.

While we haven’t received a list of the new stores just yet – we hope to share this with you in the coming weeks.

To find out if your local Tesco has a GoTo Shop trolley, visit the Firefly Finder and search your post code.

This now takes us to a grand total of 3,080 GoTo Shop trolleys throughout the UK and Ireland. But the campaigning doesn’t stop there – our mission is see a GoTo Shop trolley in every retail store around the world.

If you want to support the GoTo Shop campaign, download this leaflet and hand it in to your local store.

Don’t forget to share your GoTo Shop photos with us on our Facebook Page!

Happy shopping!

Does the UK Lead the Way When it Comes to Changing Places?

That sounds like quite a lot but when you consider how big our country is, and how many places do not have one, it really isn’t very many at all.

But, even with so few facilities, could it be that this is one area in which the UK are overshadowing the rest of the world and leading by example? Even though we aren’t doing all that well ourselves.

The rest of Europe is being very slow in catching up to the UK when it comes to Changing Places toilets.

We understand there are a few changing places toilets in Germany now and we spotted a campaign in Sweden. But we couldn’t find any information about other campaigns or facilities across the continent.

It seems strange that Europe is so far behind us considering how close we are and how many disabled Brits visit the continent each year.

We expected the USA, to at least be hard on our tails, if not, way ahead of us when it came to, “Changing Places”, style toilets.

They are world leaders in most other areas after all.

But we were wrong.

The USA does not have a single, “Changing Places”, style facility anywhere in the country.

Even Walt Disney World expects disabled people to lie on a toilet floor, not the magical experience we all dream of.

Sure, we have noticed a few bathrooms are springing up which house an adult sized changing table but we couldn’t find any which also had a hoist!

When you consider that Florida, just one of their 50 states, could house the whole UK and still have space left over, it really is shocking (and disappointing) we couldn’t find a single facility to write about!

We did notice there are several online campaigns to get adult sized changing benches into public bathrooms but no one seems to be including hoists in their campaigns, which seems a little odd as it is extremely difficult and dangerous to lift an adult onto a changing bed without one.

If you do know of a changing places style toilet in America, please let us know!

Canada, however, is starting to take notice of the campaign. They recently opened the very first Changing Places toilet in Montreal airport.

If you need this type of facility in Canada you can now visit the airport and use their fantastic facility. You wouldn’t really be able to go anywhere else though which is disappointing!

But now they have one, the sky’s the limit.

And we all have to start somewhere don’t we!

Australia is hard on the UK’s heels when it comes to changing places though.

Their campaign has been running for some time and they now have several changing places toilets.

There are government grants of up to $100,000 available to places who want to build changing places toilets which is just brilliant.

This can only mean more and more changing places toilets are built which is something to really celebrate.

So, back to the original question, are the UK the world leaders when it comes to Changing Places toilets?

Yes, it would seem we are, even though we still need more facilities across the country.

So here is a challenge for our overseas readers… do you think you can catch up?

Accessibility: What is a radar key?

The “accessible” loos we’re referring to are those with wheelchair symbols on the door, usually found in public areas, shops or restaurants.

Unlike regular public toilets, these loos are often locked to the general public to prevent misuse and to keep them clean.

Unless you carry a radar key with you then you may need to find a staff member to grant you access to the “accessible” toilet.

But disabled people don’t really want to have to ask permission to use a toilet, especially when the chances of finding the magical key holder are usually slim to none.

Radar keys mean you don’t have to ask, you can simply let yourself in.

These keys don’t just open standard “accessible” toilets though.

Many of the UK’s Changing Places toilets are only accessible with a radar key so it is well worth taking the time to get one to take with you when you are away from home.

Why are, “accessible”, loos locked anyway, surely that makes them in-accessible?

There are many reasons that businesses and councils lock their “accessible” toilets.

Many of those reasons are to do with keeping them clean and safe for disabled users, but it may also be to prevent misuse if the location is not monitored regularly by a staff member.

Why are they so huge?

Radar keys are massive, there’s no getting away from it.

They’re not something you’d want on your keyring and you certainly wouldn’t want to keep one in your jeans pocket. But they are large for a reason.

They are designed to be easier for people with physical impairments to get out of a bag and in to a lock.

And their ergonomic design is there to give good leverage to make them easier to use.

Who can have a radar key?

When these keys were first introduced in the 1980’s, there were tight controls on who could get a key.

People had to apply to their local council and would only be given a key if they met strict requirements.

However, over the years these rules have been relaxed which means that they are much easier for disabled people to access.

You can now buy radar keys online from websites such as Amazon & Ebay or in stores such as Argos.

This has, sadly, made them more open to misuse as there are no checks carried out to ensure buyers have a legitimate need for one.

Where do I get a radar key?

The radar key had a make-over recently as there were so many unreliable keys on the market.

To ensure you have a key which will work in all radar locks, it is recommended that you have a “blue heart comfort key” which you can get from your local council or from the blue badge company and other reputable sellers.

Special Needs Campaigns: 10 Places That Don’t Have a Changing Places…But That Really Should!

That may sound extreme but if you need the toilet and can only use one which provides a bench and hoist then it really is life changing if you can go somewhere that provides just that.

There are now 1019 changing places toilets across the UK but there is still a long way to go before families who need one can live their lives as freely as families who don’t.

We think these ten places should provide changing places toilets, because it really would change lives if they did.

1. Cinemas

We’ve all been to the cinema to see the latest blockbuster on a rainy day, haven’t we?

We fill up on popcorn and guzzle a gallon of fizzy drinks which means we are usually desperate for a pee when the movie is over, if we’ve managed to last that long.

Currently none of our national cinema chains (Cineworld, Vue, Odeon) provide changing places toilets, which means that anyone who needs one simply cannot go to the cinema.

Watching a movie is one activity which could easily be accessible for all members of the family, regardless of ability.

Cinema chains realise this as they actively promote disability friendly screenings.

The lack of a suitable toilet should not be the barrier stopping people from participating in an otherwise accessible day out.

2. Supermarkets

Imagine you are half way through your food shop and you need a wee, most of us would just leave our trolley in the aisle for a minute and nip to the loo.

But if you need a changing places toilet you may have to leave your trolley and its contents in the aisle and leave the shop completely.

Shopping is one activity we all do regularly and although the option for home delivery is available, it should be just that. An option. Not our only option.

3. Department Stores

Most town centres have at least one department store these days. Whether it is Marks & Spencers, John Lewis or Debenhams.

Many of these stores have cafes or restaurants for their customers which encourages them to stay a little longer and spend a little more money.

Without a toilet, many of us would be likely to leave after visiting their café rather than spend time in the store and perhaps spend some cash.

So those toilets are provided for a financial benefit to the business. But right now, anyone who needs a changing places toilet wouldn’t have that option.

We would have to leave, and probably wouldn’t return to spend our money.

The addition of a changing places toilet in large department stores would mean that people could spend more time in their local town as a whole, something we’d love to see big businesses encourage now that our high streets are on the decline.

4. Holiday Parks

Families who need changing places toilets are facing daily battles and struggles and should probably be right at the top of the list of people who deserve a holiday.

But even at places such as Center Parcs or Butlins, where we expect there to be something for the whole family, these families are unable to really relax and unwind.

Simply because of the lack of changing places toilets, which seems crazy!

5. Leisure Centres

This is obvious really but if you are going for a swim, hopefully you wouldn’t pee in the pool!

But without a changing places toilet it is pretty impossible for some people to go for a wee before they get in the water.

We’ll leave it at that!

6. Hospitals

It is unbelievable that our hospitals don’t have changing places toilets as standard. Nurses and doctors working in hospitals are not allowed to lift patients.

Professionals such as physios and occupational therapists work with families to ensure equipment is in place so that they don’t lift their loved ones.

All these professionals know the risks involved with lifting disabled people. And yet there are no hoists in disabled toilets in most NHS hospitals across the UK.

So disabled people have no choice but to be manually lifted if they need the toilet during a visit or stay. And then there’s the little issue of infection control and toilet floors!

7. Motorway Services

Most people usually plan their long journeys to include a coffee stop, maybe a bite to eat and definitely, a trip to the loo.

However, there are very few motorway services which provide a changing places toilet even though people who need one are often making long journeys to and from hospitals or therapy centres.

Without a changing places toilet at motorway service centres many disabled people are resorting to with-holding fluids on a long journey simply because they can’t risk needing a wee.

8. Zoos & Theme Parks

Or anywhere you would go to spend a day out with the family. Places like zoos are designed so that visitors can stay all day.

They provide restaurants and cafes, picnic areas and playgrounds. Things to keep the whole family entertained.

And of course, anywhere you spend more than a few hours will inevitably require a toilet trip.

So of course, changing places toilets are essential to allow disabled people to spend the whole day having fun like other families do.

9. Train Stations

We cannot expect to have access to a changing places toilet on a train, let’s face it, they can’t even get a standard accessible toilet right on a train.

But stations which provide toilets for other passengers should certainly be providing changing places facilities.

After all those most vulnerable passengers simply can’t hold it in and shouldn’t be expected to sit in their own mess for a long journey.

10.Town Centres

All town centres should have at least one changing places toilet. It should be funded by the council and should be in a central location.

If the council can only fund one toilet facility for local residents, it should be a changing places toilet. Because that is the ONLY type of facility which is suitable for ALL local people to use.

Without access to a changing places toilet, disabled people and their families are being left housebound.

So even in times when councils are closing public toilets across the country, they should ensure at least one remains, and it should be a changing places toilet.

4 Reasons Your Business Should Be Accessible

What if the one person they hadn’t thought of was you?

Imagine how you would feel if a multi-million pound company had failed to do one thing that would mean you could visit them to buy their products or use their services.

You’d feel a little let-down I’m sure.

There are moral / ethical reasons to ensure you are providing for all potential customers and treating everyone equally.

However, treating everyone equally doesn’t necessarily mean treating everyone the same, some people will need to be provided for differently than others in order for them to access your services.

Being accessible is more than having wide doors and a lift and that’s why there is legislation in place to ensure that people are thought of and reasonable adjustments are made for disabled people.

The Equality Act 2010 specifically requires businesses to anticipate people’s needs so that they are catered for.

But putting all the legal and moral reasons aside, here are 4 more reasons your business your business needs to be more accessible:

1. Increased Profits

If someone said they could increase your profits you would be sure to listen to their idea, wouldn’t you?

So, here’s one… Make your business more accessible!

In the UK, it is thought that some seven million people of working age have a disability, which adds up to an awful lot of spending power.

This is known as the, “purple pound”, and is reckoned to be worth around £249bn to the economy!

If you want a slice of that, it is up for grabs!

All you need to do is make sure that the people who want to spend their money can come into your stores or access your services!

2. Even More Profit

Yes there is even more money up for grabs than just that £249bn!

It is estimated that 1 in 20 children in the UK are disabled.

That means 1 in 20 families need better access so they can visit your business and use your services.

If the child can’t visit you, neither can the parents or siblings, and we all know it’s the parents who hold the purse strings but the children who get them to spend the money!

3. Warrior Mums

If your business is not accessible to a family with a disabled child you can be sure that will result in some seriously bad publicity for you.

Warrior Mums are fierce.

They are not afraid to name and shame somewhere that has not thought to provide access for their children, they are used to fighting for things for their disabled children every day and adding you to that list is really no big deal for them!

Warrior Mums hunt in packs and they have been known to ‘destroy’ businesses with their social media campaigns.

BUT… get it right and they will shout your names from the rooftops and get you in every newspaper and on every blog out there.

They are also the most loyal customers you will find, so treat them well and they will spend all their money with you!

4. Awards

All businesses love being rewarded, don’t they?

It’s not only great for the ego but is another effortless way to get great media coverage (aka advertising) and there are numerous awards out there for accessibility.

Get it right and your business will be winning awards throughout the year.

I hope more and more businesses will start to understand the benefits of better accessibility and will start to make changes so that everyone can benefit.

Special Needs Campaigns: 11 Reasons not to Provide an Adult-Sized Bench and Hoist

There are many reasons to provide this equipment, too many to list here, but only a few reasons not to.

Here are some of the ~~excuses~~ reasons you may hear from businesses and some replies you can give if you are campaigning in your area:

1. Cost

Of course, cost is a key factor for a small business, however these two pieces of equipment can be purchased for less than £7000 so most large businesses can easily afford to cover the expense.

If they need a little help to pay for it the local community will certainly support them and rally round to fundraise.

Concerns about ongoing costs to maintain and service the equipment are unwarranted as a service charge of approx. £200 a year will cover that.

2. Insurance

Many businesses think that this extra equipment will mean extra insurance. However, that isn’t the case.

This equipment is provided for the customers to use at their own risk, and all businesses should already have public liability insurance which would cover this.

3. Training

Training is essential, how else will staff be able to advise customers where they can find the toilet that houses the bench and hoist?

Without training how will the cleaners be able to ensure it is clean for customers to use?

That’s it… no other training is needed!

Although it would be handy if some staff members knew how to check the hoist is on charge!

4. Not Enough Demand for One

If one person asks, that is enough demand under the Equality Act 2010, and in fact businesses have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments anyway so it doesn’t matter if no one has asked yet!

5. Already Provide a Disabled Toilet

Great, could you pop a changing bench and a hoist in it then so it’s suitable for all disabled people? Thanks!

6. “Not Required Under Building Regulations”

We know, and we aren’t happy about that either.

However even if you are meeting all the requirements of building regulations, you aren’t necessarily compliant under the Equality Act 2010 which requires reasonable adjustments for disabled people.

Changing places are also recommended in large buildings under BS8300

7. “Will consider it the next time we have a reason to refurbish.”

Why is this not reason in itself?

Providing a facility for a customer is a justified business reason to make adjustments to a venue, a changing places toilet is a facility that is essential for many customers and therefore should be considered on its own merits rather than waiting for it to fit in with another project.

8. “There’s one a mile away.” (This isn’t even a joke – this has been suggested to someone!)

If you wouldn’t expect any of your other customers to leave your premises to use a toilet, it is unreasonable to expect a disabled person to travel a mile to use one.

Unless you don’t want them to stay long or return to spend money with you?

9. “It is not appropriate for us to provide one.”

If you provide a toilet for other customers, it is entirely appropriate.

10. The Council / Shopping mall / Leisure Centre should be providing one

Yes, they should be providing them as well.

However, as you don’t expect them to provide a toilet for your other customers, it is not appropriate to expect them to provide facilities solely for disabled customers.

People who require a bench and a hoist are customers first and foremost, they have money they wish to spend with you.

11. “We have a baby changing facility.”

*bangs head against wall*

We’ve heard every excuse under the sun, but all over the UK, businesses are making a difference by providing these facilities and they are reaping the rewards.

They are seeing customers return time and again, stay longer in their venues and spend more money with them.

They didn’t make excuses, they’ve done it not just because of the obvious financial gain, but because it’s the right thing to do.

The Things We Resort to When There has been No Bench and Hoist

But with less than 1000 facilities in the UK providing this vital equipment, what happens when it isn’t available?

The consequences of not having this equipment is that people are usually faced with 4 options:

1) Lay on the toilet floor – only possible if they are not too heavy to lift.

2) Sit in their mess until they can go home to be changed – not always an option.

3) Medicate or with-hold fluids to ensure they won’t need the toilet – has dangerous health implications.

4) Don’t go out at all – this is becoming more and more common and families are becoming housebound.

We asked some families to tell us the worst places they’ve resorted to changing their children and young people when a space to change toilet hasn’t been available.

Kay “On the beach with my male cousin trying to shield her with a towel!! Not ideal as she was about 15 at the time”

Miriam “I took my son to an autism support group and was instructed to change my son in the changing room of the football park on a wooden bench littered with belongings from the football team!”

Kelly “On a table in first class on a train. Gave the business folk something to stare at over their sausages…”

Kirsty “My scariest experience was having to use a baby change because the floor was nasty – only to find that it was really wobbly/pulling down (probably worse because he was so long & not a baby – was within weight limit though – he 5years old & under 15kg!)

It came out lengthwise from the wall, not alongside it, so once he was on it, I had to stand on one leg, like a flamingo, & hold it up with my bent up leg, doing the fastest change ever!

Thank goodness it was only wet! I regretted starting it once I was almost done, but the only other option would have been outside somewhere in the cold!”

Wendy “On an office desk at our local NHS walk in centre!!”

Anon – “His old school changed him on a trampoline as there was nowhere else when they were at a local farm!”

Laura “On a shelf about12” wide in the baby changing area at Walt Disney World, possibly would have been suitable for a baby but my son was 7 at the time.

This shelf was offered to us by their staff and was in an open area with other families walking through so no privacy at all.

I had to hold him on the shelf so he didn’t fall off while my husband changed him”

Dougal “Back seat of hatchback (before we got WAV) in carpark of motorway services. Door open for access and snow on the ground, heater on full. Poor little guy was chattering his teeth.”

Jackie “On a stage in a village hall with me holding up a coat!”

Sam “In a plane seat somewhere over the Atlantic with 4 of us trying to hide him behind virgin blankets and two of us trying to heave him up to change him”

Jo “On a bench in Hyde park when my daughter was about 16, I was on my own so I couldn’t even offer her any privacy.

I cried throughout as people were walking by and staring.

I’ve never resorted to that since but that day I had no choice as I couldn’t leave her in an explosive nappy”

The saddest thing about these responses is that they are not surprising or rare, people across the UK are doing the same every day.

Sometimes even when the facilities are available, staff disability training is lacking and has resulted in people still resorting to the toilet floor.

Emma “On the floor of a baby changing room in a hospital because although they had a changing places toilet, I wasn’t allowed to use room with hoist as my son didn’t need the hoist”