Trinity Leeds and White Rose champion accessibility, inclusion, and wellbeing for Purple Tuesday
Two Leeds shopping destinations are highlighting the importance of accessibility on Purple Tuesday, 3rd November, with a day of events with charities, community organisations, and health professionals.
Taking place between 10am and 4pm, the activities offer centre visitors and colleagues the opportunity to learn more about disability support, health and wellbeing services, and accessibility and inclusion.
At Trinity Leeds, organisations Scope, Guide Dogs, Convo, and Pyramid will be sharing advice and support, while Superdrug nursing staff, M&S Opticians, Guide Dogs, and the centre Mall Walking group will be engaging with guests at White Rose.
Both centres champion accessibility and inclusion for all guests, all year round. Facilities include:
- Every Tuesday, both centres host quiet mornings (9am – 11am at Trinity Leeds and 9am – 12pm at White Rose), where retailers lower noise levels and pause music, product demonstrations, and mall activity to create a calmer shopping environment.
- Both centres feature stoma-friendly toilet facilities, providing a clean, private, and fully equipped space to support guests who need to change their stoma bags which follows the Colostomy UK guidelines and includes wall hooks, colostomy bag shelf and disposal facilities.
- Changing Places toilets are available for people with profound and multiple disabilities, fitted with specialist equipment such as a hoist and adult-sized changing bench, along with ample space for up to two carers to assist comfortably.
- Free wheelchair and mobility scooter hire is available, helping guests with mobility needs move around and enjoy their visit.
- All toilets feature sanitary facilities, including the men’s bathrooms. A survey of men living with incontinence found that 95% feel anxiety around a lack of sanitary bins in men’s toilets, leading to many reducing time spent out of the home.
- Guests can also make use of free water refill taps, to stay hydrated while shopping sustainably.
- To create a more welcoming environment for neurodivergent visitors, free sensory toys, hidden disability lanyards, and an Autism Friendly Guide are available from Guest Services, offering additional comfort and support for those who may need it.
- Both Trinity Leeds and White Rose are also proud to offer services where deaf and hard of hearing guests can easily communicate with staff via BSL interpreters using Convo.
- White Rose offers a dedicated Quiet Room, a safe and calm space for visitors who may need a break from a busy mall.
Steven Foster, Centre Director at both Trinity Leeds and White Rose, said: “Making our centres welcoming and inclusive for all guests continues to be one of our top priorities. More than 16 million people in the UK are living with a disability of some kind, and improved accessibility creates a positive experience for all of us.
“We welcome feedback from our visitors about the measures we’ve implemented so far, as well as suggestions to further enhance the guest experience in the future.”
To learn more about accessibility at the centres, visit https://www.trinityleeds.com/en or https://www.white-rose.co.uk/en