Elderly and disabled Farsley folk caught short on their travels will soon benefit from a new accessible toilet at St John’s Church.
Staff at Farsley’s Co-op have handed over £1,000 to Changing Places, a national organisation which aims to provide disabled friendly toilets for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and the elderly.
The money will go towards the project to ensure everyone – irrespective of disability – has access to specially adapted local toilets.
Rosie Tudge, Farsley’s local Changing Places fundraiser, said:
“Disabled adults and children often need more than a simple toilet – changing a severely disabled person on the floor of a public toilet is a desperate measure but sometimes the only option for someone who would like to go out and enjoy normal social activities.
“In some areas disabled people simply have to stay at home for lack of an appropriate facility. St John’s Church is immensely grateful for the support of Farsley Co-op not only for raising a very generous cheque but also in highlighting the project.”
Reverend Paul Tudge, of St John’s, added:
“The Co-op is helping us to install the first Changing Places toilet in a Church of England Church which will be open to the public and on the national register. With the help of Co-op customers the new facility will be opening soon but we do still have some way to go to complete our fundraising for the project. There is a small team working on it and any support from other local businesses or individuals will be very welcome.”
The Co-op’s fundraising campaign, which has been spearheaded by team member Kathryn Brown, has involved a variety of activities over the past eight months including cake and bake sales, bucket shakes and a Three Peaks sponsored walk.
Carol Gray, store manager of Farsley Co-op, said:
“Being able to use a public toilet is something that many of us don’t give a second thought to but when Kathryn pointed out that these facilities don’t always cater to the needs of every member of society we knew we had to get involved.
“It’s absolutely wonderful to be able to contribute to this cause and we hope that Farsley can soon be added to the list of places across Yorkshire that can enable disabled people or those with limited mobility the ability to go to the toilet with dignity.”
Pictured above, from left: Co-Op store manager Carol Gray, Changing Places fundraiser Rosie Tudge, and customer team members Jackie Sigsworth and Kathryn Brown.