O2 Centre is celebrating Purple Tuesday on 7th November with events to raise awareness of sensory and accessibility issues.
Purple Tuesday is a global initiative which looks to improve the customer experience for disabled people and their families year-round, with a day of celebration on the first Tuesday in November each year. Participating organisations must make a commitment to greater inclusion and accessibility, to ensure a positive experience for all guests.
The centre will be hosting a variety of events on Tuesday 7th November to increase awareness of the day, as well as the facilities available for guests.
The choir from Frank Barnes School of Deaf Children will be attending and performing songs in sign language between 11-11:30am, meanwhile, the Royal Free Hospital will have a stand to promote awareness of their A&E department.
Quiet hours will be held throughout the day, reducing the amount of background noise and music, making the shopping experience more comfortable for neurodivergent guests. The shopping centre’s ‘Sensory and Quiet Space’ will also be open, with a variety of sensory aids available such as sensory touch walls, soft textured seating and coloured fibre optic lighting.
‘Hidden disability’ sunflower lanyards will be available for guests to pick up from the centre’s team members, and they will also be able to borrow sensory rucksacks which contain a range of sensory toys, a hidden disability lanyard and an autism guide.
O2 Centre is dedicated to continuously improving inclusivity and accessibility for all visitors year-round. Accessibility facilities at the centres include:
Quiet Mornings every Wednesday between 10am – 11am and every Sunday between 11am – 12pm. Between these times, the centres and their retailers reduce noise for those who prefer a calmer shopping environment without music, product demonstrations or mall activity.
Sensory and Quiet Space is located by the management suite on the 2nd floor and is a designated place of safety which can be used by people with dementia, autism or learning disabilities.
Wider accessible parking spaces are located closer to the doors for ease of access.
Free sensory toys, hidden disability lanyards and autism guides which contain information on each of the centre’s facilities as well as ways to travel to the centre, and where to find facilities such as toilets on-site. Thes can be collected from O2 Centre’s Security Control.
Rebecca Ruddle, Centre Director at O2 Centre, commented: “There are estimated to be 16 million people in the UK with some form of disability, almost a quarter of the population, and around 80% of disabled people have hidden impairments.
“It’s really important for us that anyone with additional needs feels welcome and supported at our centres, and we’re keen to understand what we can do to improve our visitors’ experience.
“A trip to the shops may seem straightforward for some of us, but can present difficulties for others in ways we might not immediately think of. It’s important that we consider and remove these barriers wherever possible.”
For further details, please visit https://o2centre.co.uk/