“There are over 600,000 people in the UK with a known diagnosis of epilepsy” – Epilepsy Research UK
Purple Day is a day in which people come together to raise awareness around Epilepsy and offer advice and support to people living with the condition.
“Epilepsy is a common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.
“Seizures are bursts of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily affect how it works. They can cause a wide range of symptoms…” – The National Health Service (NHS)
Epilepsy & 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.
Standing & Queuing
Whether you have difficulty with physically being in a queue for a significant period of time, difficulty with the concept of queuing, or have 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 different systems in place to facilitate this access requirement.
For example, Chessington World of Adventures Resort accepts Access Cards with the ‘Standing & Queuing’ symbol as proof for a Ride Access Pass.
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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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, The 90’s Revival accepts Access Cards with the ‘+1’ symbol as proof for a disabled 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.
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.
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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Epilepsy Society
“We set out to make a difference to every person affected by epilepsy whatever their background, however seriously it affects them, and whether they have the condition themselves or are close to someone with epilepsy.
“Our mission is to enhance the quality of life of people affected by epilepsy by promoting public awareness and education, by undertaking research and by delivering specialist medical care and support services.”
Epilepsy Society
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Tel: 01494 601300
Web: https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/
Email: enquiries@epilepsysociety.org.uk
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Epilepsy Action
“Epilepsy Action is a community of people committed to a better life for everyone affected by epilepsy.
“We want high-quality, accessible epilepsy healthcare services so that people with epilepsy have the support they need to manage their condition.
“We want wider awareness and understanding of epilepsy so that people living with the condition are treated with fairness and respect.”
Epilepsy Action
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Tel: 0808 800 5050 / Text 0747 963 8071
Web: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/
Email: helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
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📷: https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/purple-day-2022/
