Access awards mark disability day

MEMBERS of Ballarat’s all-access community came together on Monday, 3 December to celebrate International Day of People with Disability.

The event held by Lake Wendouree saw awards given to businesses that provide great service and facilities to all-access customers, as well as a gong for advocacy.

Mark Thompson is from the Ballarat Peer Action Group and helped organise the day.

“We’ve been running the access awards for the last couple of years and this is the first time we’ve done highrecommendations,” he said.

Mr Thompson also said the awards can have real and lasting impacts on accessibility for people who have issues with things many people might take for granted.

When it comes down to it, money talks.

“It means they have to start changing their attitude to get our business into their business,” he said.

“Otherwise their missing out on our dollars, because our dollars are just as good as anyone else’s.”

The Shane Everard/ Matt Mattson Access and Inclusion Award was won by Sebastopol Bowls Club for good access, affordable meals and friendly service.

High-commendations were also given to Sovereign Hill for ramp access and wide doorframes, The Robin Hood Hotel for good parking and an all-abilities accessible toilet, and Woolworths in Howitt Street for their quiet shopping times.

Also awarded was the Ballarat Volunteer Advocate of the Year. It went to Shirley Mitchell.

She’s a tireless campaigner for better all ability access at everything from shops and entertainment venues to transport services and community spaces. She took a humble approach to her award.

“It’s breathtaking and fantastic but I only do the same as everybody else does, when I see a need I raise it,” she said.

“If I see or have heard of something that needs to be rectified, like an inaccessible bus stop or toilet, or Ballarat Station, I just go for it and try and do what I can.”

Along with the awards the event saw a relaunch of the Easy Access Report Card, a tool where people can rate businesses on how well they are doing in the all-ability access space.

David Craig, who’s been working in disability services for 40 years, said the report cards were developed by Mr Thompson as a tool to help everyone decide where they can spend their money based on access for the whole community.

“One of the ideas we have talked about is the idea of encouraging everyone to only go to places that are accessible,” he said.

“I try and do that myself because it’s a way of encouraging businesses to be motivated by the economic reasons for being accessible.”