Angus Council is to look at enhancing its provision of disabled public toilets in the county after hearing of the difficulties faced by an Arbroath woman’s family.
A council meeting heard from Lois Speed, from Arbroath, who has two teenage children with muscular dystrophy.
Her brother Grant Speed completed a charity cycle from Leeds to Arbroath to raise funds and awareness of Changing Places toilets in July.
His Loo Tour De Britain raised around £10,000 with the hope that the accessible toilet can be constructed in Arbroath.
Lois outlined to the council the restrictions the lack of disabled toilets in Angus places on her family.
She said: “My son Kein and daughter Kelsey are 14-year-old teenage twins who both have muscular dystrophy, a degenerative muscle-wasting condition.
“They lost the ability to walk during their primary school years and continue to have muscle weakness in their upper body.
“It affects all their muscle functions.
“As a parent I am constantly supporting my children to face the daily challenges and barriers that having a disability brings whether it is physical, environmental or attitudinal.
“We, at times, experience discrimination, inequality and a real lack of understanding from others.
“However, over the last couple years, as Kein and Kelsey have grown into young adults, we have been faced with the biggest obstacle yet which is finding suitable toilet facilities whilst out and about in and around Angus.
“Kein and Kelsey both require the use of a hoist and changing table for every toilet manoeuvre.
“As a result of this my brother and I set up Loo Tour de Britain for Changing Places which has raised almost £10,000.
“I would like to now ask that members of the council support us to install a Changing Places toilet in our home town of Arbroath where a potential location has already been identified and also throughout the rest of the Angus towns.”
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather led a motion which congratulated Mr Speed’s fundraising efforts and the fact his cycle raised awareness to the issue.
He asked that the council’s communities director submit a report which identified the existing provisions of toilets in Angus and what steps could be taken to enhance this provision in terms of location and standards.
He said: “I hope we can be supportive and look forward as a council and provide these facilities.”
The motion was universally backed by the other councillors.
Changing Places is a national campaign started by Pamis, the Dundee University-based charity, and now supported by more than 170 organisations and agencies in the United Kingdom.
The toilets are wheelchair-accessible and include a height-adjustable changing bench, a hoist, centrally placed toilet, privacy screen, non-slip floor and alarm.