Zack Kerr

Here, Zack, 27 – a passionate Changing Places campaigner – shares more about the issue and why he’s spearheading the #RiseForSport campaign:

I’m a very sociable person and live life to the full. I enjoy lots of sports, especially football. I am a keen supporter of Manchester United and a member of their disabled supporters’ association. I love getting out and about to lots of events, as often as I can.

However, unfortunately, going to football matches or other sporting events, is either a huge gamble or not possible at all, due to the lack of accessible toilet facilities for people like me.

Sports venues are also used for lots of other events these days. I really enjoy going to pop concerts, festivals and Superhero, TV and Comic Conventions which are often held in sports stadiums.

And these days, while sports venues are usually far more accessible for wheelchair users like me, they are not always fully inclusive of everyone’s basic needs.

“It really restricts our ability to experience these events”

For many disabled people, enjoying sport as a supporter, spectator or participant is almost impossible without Changing Places Toilets.

It really restricts our ability to experience these events and the chance to spend quality time with family, friends and personal assistants on days out. We can spend so much time worrying about where the nearest facilities are, instead of enjoying quality time together.

I simply cannot use a standard public toilet. Even the so-called Accessible toilets usually do not even have enough room for my wheelchair. When I was much younger, my mum or dad used to lift me out of my wheelchair and put me on a roll mat on the toilet floor, or on a baby change bench. This was very uncomfortable, unhygienic, unsafe and undignified. We had to carry a roll mat, wipes and anti-bacterial cleaner with us everywhere we went.

But now I’m an adult and I’m much bigger. I live independently in my own bungalow with 24-hour support from my team of personal assistants. They are not allowed to lift me without a hoist, as this would be unsafe for them and for me. So unless a room with a hoist and an adult sized changing bench is available, I just can’t be changed safely or hygienically.