Newbridge Access Group Bring Home the Silver
It may be a Nagging matter but it is one that is bringing better access to Co. Kildare.
Anne and Martin Kelly, are both registered as blind. Since 1998 they have been involved with the Newbridge Access Group (NAG) who work to improve access, in its broadest sense, in Newbridge. It had been a slow process but they have been gratified to be involved in the necessary changes which have come about. “Each small improvement enables a person with a disability to access the town with more ease”, says Anne, “and in fact, makes visiting Newbridge more enjoyable for people with baby buggies, for older people and even people with wheeled suitcases— access for people with disabilities is really ‘Access for All’”.
Anne and Martin are also members of the Kildare Network PwDI committee which works to improve conditions for people with disabilities countywide. PwDI has a broader remit and lobbies on issues such as access to work, education, health services, as well a physical access. They work closely with Kildare County Council on the access changes which they must provide as a result of the Disability Act 2005. Again, this is access in its broadest sense: to the environment, to information, including leaflets and signage.
A few years ago, NAG received a grant to develop an access exhibition and they produced a portfolio of black and white cartoon images showing various “real life” scenarios. “This was exhibited at various events around Co Kildare and proved to be a useful a tool for improving awareness”, says Martin, “that early in 2008, we decided to use the remainder of the grant to devise a coloured version and develop some new images. We held a colouring competition for primary schools in and around Newbridge — getting the children involved was a good educational process for them and their parents. Each school was sent a pack of black and white versions of the images with their captions, and a large coloured poster which contained all of them. The images were assembled to represent the difficulties that people with disabilities need to overcome on a daily basis”.
By this, NAG endeavour to inform the public on access issues in the broadest sense while attempting to remove some of the common misconceptions around disability. The project concluded on June 17th when 23 children were presented with their prizes in the Council Chamber in Aras Chill Dara, Naas. “We took advantage of this event to include an exhibition of not just the prize-winning images, but the large version of the poster, a “speed screen” showing the need for ‘Access All Areas’, says Anne. “This exhibit sent a clear message about the importance of good planning to ensure inclusion in community life of all people with disabilities. The purpose of the latest images is to enlighten the public about the necessity to think beyond getting someone with a disability merely inside the front door. It must encompass housing, access to information, transport and terminals, banking, parking, approach to buildings, particularly entrances, reception and all staff waiting areas, public counters, and other facilities. Key in this last regard are communication and circulation through buildings, with accessible and level emergency exits”.
NAG have also held a photographic exhibition of some of the improvements which have been made in Newbridge over the past 5 years, and illustrating some of the work still needed to make Newbridge fully accessible. The pictures included a former Mayor who bravely crossed the main road through Newbridge with his eyes tightly closed, (using the audible crossing of course). Again this former Mayor, along with the retiring Mayor and the incoming Mayor (the retiring Mayor using a powered wheelchair) virtually covering the same route. On this occasion, Martin led the incoming Mayor, and Anne led the former Mayor across the main road, they were left to ‘go it alone’ for a short time. They got a taste of many of the obstacles people with disabilities have to tolerate, such as poles, outdoor dining areas and barriered smoking areas outside pubs and badly dished footpaths. Later, at the town council meeting, the councellors said that they “didn’t know how any of us manage at all”.
“We hope that this event went some way towards melting the “attitudinal iceberg” that President Mary McAleese talked about on her visit to Newbridge to open the Bridge Community development project building, Charlotte House, and to launch the new office of the Kildare Network PwDI in December 2007”, says Anne and Martin.
The exhibition and its associated posters were created to support the development of the access movement in County Kildare and more importantly to agitate for improvements with local authorities. A local partnership group, Kildare Community Partnership have supported the Access Movement through facilitated meetings and background supports. The NAG Committee would like to see this project rolled out across the county and plans are afoot to locate the exhibition in prime venues where it can influence that “melting of attitudinal icebergs”.
“If people with impaired vision, or any other disability want to ensure that their needs are considered, they should join their local access group and help educate the public about the requirements of people who have different disabilities. NAG has a mix of disabilities among its members, but we always consider the needs of disabled people who are not represented”, said Anne and Martin, ‘as in most aspects of life, the broader the mix, the better the pudding”.