Imagine what it would be like not to be able to go out for any length of time because you couldn’t have access to a toilet? For disabled people who use a wheelchair and need personal assistance, a hoist and a designated changing place, this is the reality.
Standard accessible toilets don't meet the needs of over 250,000 people in the UK.  Many disabled people and their families are unable to take part in community activities here in Lewes, simply because there are no suitable toilet facilities.  But wouldn't it be great if Lewes was a truly inclusive place to live?
Earlier this summer, we spent the day at Every Sort of People Festival, an incredible, inclusive event for people in Lewes and beyond.  Real efforts had been made to ensure that this event was accessible to people with disabilities.  There were ramps, blue badge parking, and low counters on stalls for wheelchair users.
The most amazing thing was that the festival hired a Migloo, a designated ‘Changing Places’ toilet facility for disabled people who are not able to use standard accessible toilets.  Designed for festivals and community events, the Migloo is a specially equipped tent with a toilet, sink and screen, that has space for wheelchairs and carers and specialist equipment including a height-adjustable changing bench and a hoist. 
It was fantastic to see.
There are only a small number of public Changing Places toilets in the UK.  The nearest Changing Places toilet is in Brighton.  This is shameful. Why should anyone be excluded from an event because there are no suitable toilet facilities?
We would love to change this culture in Lewes.
Our town has a calendar of amazing events, from the Chilli Fayre, to Proms in the Paddock and Starfish in the Park.  We would love to see a Migloo at every one of them. And to have a Migloo in Lewes that could be borrowed for functions and socials would make a real difference to people’s lives.
Let's buy that MigLoo!
For more info on MigLoo MigLoo.co.uk