“One in 15 people in the UK have diabetes, including one million people who have type 2, but haven’t been diagnosed.” – Diabetes UK

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Diabetes Week (14th-20th June 2021) is a week in which people come together to raise awareness around the different types of Diabetes & to share advice to people living with the condition.

“Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.

There are 2 main types of diabetes:

• type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
• type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin”

~ The National Health Service (NHS)

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Diabetes & The Access Card

Here at The Access Card, we support many cardholders to help them discreetly communicate the barriers they might face when out and about or visiting shows, events or tourist destinations and have provided some more information about some of the typical access requirements we have processed.

Everyone is different and experiences their needs in different ways, but here are some examples based on our experience.

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Standing & Queuing

Whether you have difficulty with physically being in a queue for a significant period of time or have significant difficulty with being in a queue/ crowded spaces, the ‘Standing & Queuing’ symbol can be added to your Access Card to help communicate this access requirement. 

Different providers have their own ways of accommodating this access requirement.

For example, Thorpe Park accepts Access Cards with the ‘Standing & Queuing’ symbol as proof for a Ride Access Pass.

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What is a Ride Access Pass?

“A Ride Access Pass is a virtual queuing system designed to make reasonable adjustments to assist guests who do not understand the concept of queuing, have a physical disability that prevents them standing for extended periods of time or permanently non-ambulant guests.”

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Access to Toilets

If you require urgent access to the toilet because of your health condition, e.g. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or incontinence, we have the ‘WC’ symbol. This symbol discreetly communicates this access requirement with different providers.

Urgent access to the toilet is a different access requirement to a general need to use an accessible toilet and therefore the ‘WC’ symbol cannot be awarded for the latter. If you would like more information about this, please speak to a member of our team.

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Essential Companions

For those that require a substantial amount of support from another person when out & about, we have the ‘+1’ symbol which indicates to providers that you would need a substantial amount of support to be able to access their facilities.

Different providers have different systems in place to facilitate this access requirement.

For example, Alton Towers Resort accepts Access Cards with the ‘+1’ symbol as proof for a free essential companion ticket.

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Additional Access Requirements

The ‘Additional Access Requirements’ symbol is used to indicate that you have additional access requirements that haven’t already been covered by the other symbols & you can communicate these access requirements with different venues & attractions.

A lot of venues & attractions will include additional information about their events/services on their website. This may include information about the use of strobe lighting & smoke machines during performances, which can be an issue for people with epilepsy. Please refer to each venue’s website for this information.

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Thinking of applying for a Card?

If you think the above would be useful for you and would like to apply for your Access Card you can do so quickly and easily by completing our short online application form and uploading some supporting information confirming your needs.

All applications received from people with Diabetes during Diabetes Week (14th – 20th June 2021) can use the discount code ‘diabetesweek21’ to get £5 off a three-year Access Card.

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Further Sources of Information, Advice, and Support

Check out our full directory for how these symbols apply at over 1,000 venues in the UK and beyond.

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Diabetes UK

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“We are Diabetes UK. Our vision is a world where diabetes can do no harm.

“We’re leading the fight against the UK’s biggest and growing health crisis. And it’s a fight that involves us all – sharing knowledge and taking on diabetes together.”

Diabetes UK

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Tel: 0345 123 2399

Web: www.diabetes.org.uk

Email: helpline@diabetes.org.uk

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Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation

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“We are funding diabetes research in the UK & around the world in order to understand the causes, prevention, treatment and management – our ultimate goal is to find a cure.”

Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation

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Tel: 023 92 637808

Web: www.drwf.org.uk

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