What are your plans for Saturday, 17^th January? Why not go somewhere new— and be part of a movement?

Going somewhere new when you have special access needs can, frankly, be a pain. Even after checking websites and phoning ahead, it’s still not unheard of to turn up at a venue to be greeted by a narrow staircase and clueless staff. Some people, understandably, can’t be bothered, sticking to the places they know. But Euan MacDonald (recently voted one of the top 100 influential disabled people in the UK) , who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2003, hasn’t let anything stop him getting out in his native Edinburgh. Through trial and error, he has built up a list of accessible venues, which formed the seed of Euansguide.com. Disabled Access Day expands this idea of testing unfamiliar places to the 11.6 million disabled people in the UK.

The key idea of Disabled Access Day is simple. To participate, if you have a disability, just go out to a venue you’ve never been to before. It can be anything: a cinema, club, museum, or whatever takes your fancy. Take your friends and family along too. As well as having a nice day out, the critical mass of disabled attendance will demonstrate the economic power of the disabled population, and draw attention to the most accessible businesses in Britain and beyond.

Will you be taking part in Disabled Access Day? How do you prepare for visiting a new venue?

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