White Rose hosts events for Purple Tuesday

White Rose Shopping Centre is supporting Purple Tuesday, the UK’s accessible shopping day, with drop-in sessions and the launch of ‘hidden disability’ Sunflower Lanyards on 12 November 2019.

The centre team will be hosting a drop-in area in the Central Atrium from 9am – 5pm on Purple Tuesday, and invite visitors to stop in and provide their feedback and thoughts on accessibility at White Rose.

The Sunflower Lanyard has been introduced by various organisations to signify that additional help may be required by the wearer. Help could include extra time when checking out, assistance reading signage, or physical assistance if requested by the wearer. Anyone with a ‘hidden disability’ is invited to wear the lanyards, which can be picked up free of charge during White Rose’s drop in session or from Customer Services. The scheme has been successfully introduced by White Rose retailers Sainsbury’s, and is supported by charities including Action on Hearing Loss, RNIB, Alzheimer’s Society, and The National Autistic Society.

West Yorkshire Police will also be launching the Herbert Protocol at White Rose on Tuesday. The Protocol is a national risk reduction scheme which encourages carers, family members, and friends of vulnerable people to complete a form detailing their vital details – including favourite places. The information can be handed to the police in the event of a person going missing, helping to reduce time taken to gather details.

Guide Dogs UK will also be on site providing information and accepting donations.

The White Rose team endeavour to make the centre as welcoming and accessible as possible. The centre hosts Quiet Tuesday, welcoming visitors to browse music and demonstration-free from 10am – 12pm on the first Tuesday of each month, and recently introduced an Autism-Friendly Guide to the centre in association with Specialist Autism Services. Its Cineworld also hosts regular sensory-friendly screenings.

In 2017, White Rose also introduced a Changing Places space to meet the need of those with profound and multiple learning or physical disabilities.

White Rose Shopping Centre’s Purple Tuesday drop-in takes place in the Central Atrium from 9am – 5pm on Tuesday 12 November.

 

This post is based on a press release issued on behalf of White Rose Shopping Centre