“Approximately 270 babies with SCD are born in the UK every year.” – Sickle Cell Society

–

World Sickle Cell Day is a day in which people come together to raise awareness around Sickle Cell and the impacts the condition can have on both a person’s mental & physical health.

“People with sickle cell disorder are born with the condition, it is not contagious. It can only be inherited from both parents each having passed on the gene for sickle cell.

The main symptoms of sickle cell disorder are anaemia and episodes of severe pain. The pain occurs when the cells change shape after oxygen has been released. The red blood cells then stick together, causing blockages in the small blood vessels.”

~ Sickle Cell Society

–

Sickle Cell & 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 their own ways of accommodating 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.”

–

–

Level Access

The ‘Level Access’ symbol is not just available to wheelchair users, but also to people who find accessing stairs impossible or require additional space in order to feel more comfortable in a venue’s environment.

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

For example, Kew The Music has a dedicated wheelchair user platform at the concert. Please note that space within this area is limited to one disabled guest and one personal assistant and chairs will be provided for personal assistants.

–

–

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.

–

–

Distances

For people who would have significant difficulty with walking/ self-propelling a wheelchair for more than a short distance, we have the ‘distances’ symbol to communicate this access requirement with different providers. 

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

For example, the Port Eliot Festival offers a designated accessibility buggy to help you around the site, it will be based in the accessible carpark on Thursday and Friday but can be contacted via the info point on the HAHA and the Bowling green. Accessible parking is also available. For more information, please visit the festival’s website.

–

–

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, Cadbury World accepts Access Cards with the ‘+1’ symbol as proof for a free essential companion ticket.

–

–

–

–

Accessing Visual Information

If you have difficulty with accessing/understanding visual information, for example, written information or signage, the Access Card has a symbol to help communicate this access requirement.

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

For example, if you would like to visit O2 City Hall Newcastle and need braille or large print material, please contact the venue prior to your visit to discuss this.

–

–

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. Please refer to each venue’s website for this information.

–

–

Face Mask Exemptions

More recently, throughout COVID, we have had a number of people whose needs mean that they are either unable to put on, wear or remove a face covering, or that they can feel distressed when wearing a face covering and as a response to feedback from our members we now have an additional face mask symbol for those that need it.

There are a number of face mask exemption cards and certificates available in the UK, but we are the only face mask exemption card that offers verification of your exemption.

–

–

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 Sickle Cell during World Sickle Cell Day 2021 (19th June 2021) can use the discount code ‘SCDay21’ to get £5 off a three-year Access Card.

–

–

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.

–

–

Sickle Cell Society

–

“The Sickle Cell Society is the only national charity in the UK that supports and represents people affected by a sickle cell disorder to improve their overall quality of life.”

Sickle Cell Society

–

Tel: 020 8961 7795

Web: www.sicklecellsociety.org

Email: info@sicklecellsociety.org

–