For the past 12 years, I have campaigned to improve access to Changing Places toilets across Scotland. Ahead of Changing Places Awareness Day 2026, I wanted to share my journey, why this campaign matters so much to me, and why awareness is just as important as providing more facilities.
Every year, Changing Places Awareness Day provides an opportunity to
raise awareness of the importance of accessible toilet facilities for
disabled people.
For many people, using the toilet is something they rarely have to
think about. However, for thousands of disabled people across the UK,
accessing suitable toilet facilities can be one of the biggest barriers to
travelling, socialising and living independently.
As someone with athetoid cerebral palsy, I know this challenge all
too well. I use a wheelchair and require specialist equipment,
including a hoist, to use the toilet safely and comfortably. Standard
accessible toilets do not meet my needs, which is why Changing Places toilets
are so important to me.
My passion for this issue has led many people to know me as 'The Toilet
Woman'.". For more than a decade, I have campaigned to improve access
to Changing Places toilets and raise awareness of why they
are essential. Through my campaigning, I have seen real progress, but
there is still more work to do.
As we mark Changing Places Awareness Day 2026, I want to share my
story, explain why these facilities matter, and highlight why awareness remains
just as important as providing the facilities themselves.
My Story
I started campaigning for more Changing Places toilets in 2014 because
I felt extremely limited in where I could go.
At that time, there were only two Changing Places toilets in Glasgow –
one in the city centre and one at Braehead. As someone who is
outgoing and loves visiting new places, this was incredibly frustrating.
Many people take for granted the freedom to travel, go shopping, visit
attractions or spend a day out with friends and family. However, for
me, the lack of suitable toilet facilities meant that many places were
simply inaccessible.
Because I require a hoist to use the toilet safely and comfortably,
standard accessible toilets do not meet my needs. Without access to a
Changing Places toilet, I often had to think carefully about where I was going
and how long I could stay there.
I remember feeling that my world was becoming very small. I
wanted to visit different places and enjoy new experiences, but the lack of
Changing Places toilets often made this impossible.
That was when I decided something needed to change. Rather
than accepting the situation, I chose to start campaigning for more Changing
Places toilets so that disabled people like me could have the same freedom and
opportunities as everyone else.
The Beginning of My Campaign
Once I decided that something needed to change, I began looking for
ways to make my voice heard.
One of the first things I did was start a petition, which I shared
on Facebook. To my delight, it received more than
100 signatures. It may not sound like a huge number, but for me it
showed that other people understood the importance of the issue and supported
the campaign.
Around the same time, I joined The
Advisory Group (TAG). I remember raising the issue of Changing
Places toilets at one of my first meetings. The response was
incredibly encouraging, with people telling me that I should take the
campaign further.
Later that year, I attended the opening of the 100th Changing Places
toilet at a rugby stadium. It was an inspiring event and showed me
that progress was possible.
I also remember speaking to the manager of TAG, who has since become a
very good friend. We talked about the possibility of really
developing the campaign and taking it forward.
The following February, I gave a presentation to Glasgow TAG about
Changing Places toilets and why they were needed. Looking back, I
think that evening was the true beginning of what would become many years of
campaigning as "The Toilet Woman".
At the time, I had no idea where the campaign would lead. I
simply wanted to make a difference. Little did I know that it would
become such an important part of my life.
The Campaign Grows
With the support of TAG, one of the first things I did was make a video
explaining my situation and why Changing Places toilets were so important.
In the video, I talked about the barriers I faced because of the lack
of suitable toilet facilities and explained what a Changing Places
toilet is. The video received a lot of views on social media and, for
the first time, I realised how many people were willing to listen and learn
about the issue
As the campaign grew, I began to see more Changing Places toilets being
installed in places such as Glasgow Central Station and the
OVO Hydro. I don't know how much of this was directly down to my
campaign, but I like to think that I played a small part in helping to raise
awareness and encourage change.
One year, during Changing Places Awareness Day, I shared information
about the campaign on social media and received a
fantastic response. The feedback encouraged me to take things
further, so I contacted STV to tell them about the issue.
STV covered my story, and the response was incredible. The
publicity helped raise awareness of Changing Places toilets and introduced many
more people to the campaign.
It was around this time that I created my Facebook page, "The
Toilet Woman". What started as a campaign about accessible
toilets was beginning to develop into something much bigger. More
people were hearing about the issue, joining the conversation and helping to
spread awareness.
For the first time, I felt that the campaign was making a
real difference.
My Greatest Achievement
Over the years, the campaign has given me many opportunities that I
never imagined would happen. I have appeared on STV and BBC News,
been featured in the Glasgow Times and even appeared on the television
programme *Inside Central Station*.
I am proud of all these achievements because they helped raise
awareness of Changing Places toilets and the barriers faced by
disabled people.
However, if I had to choose the achievement, I am most proud of, it
would be the installation of a Changing Places toilet at Clydebank
Shopping Centre.
I truly believe that if I had not approached the shopping centre and
spoken to them about the importance of Changing Places toilets, the facility
might never have been installed.
I remember one meeting where staff told me that they knew about
Changing Places toilets, but they did not fully realise how important they were
to disabled people and their families.
The campaign to get the facility installed was not quick. In
fact, it took six years from my first conversations until the toilet was
finally opened. There were times
when I wondered if it would ever happen.
There were no big opening ceremony and no
huge celebration. However, that does not matter to me. Every time I
visit Clydebank Shopping Centre and see the large blue Changing Places sign, I
feel incredibly proud.
For me, that sign represents of
determination, persistence and campaigning. More importantly, it
represents greater freedom, dignity and independence for disabled people who
need these facilities.
That is why I consider it the greatest success of my campaign.
Why Changing Places Toilets Matter
To some people, it might seem strange that I spend so much time talking
about toilets. However, for me and many other disabled people,
Changing Places toilets are one of the most important facilities we
can have.
I cannot simply use a standard accessible toilet because I require a
hoist to transfer safely from my wheelchair. Without a hoist, getting
out of my wheelchair is not safe and, in many cases, would be impossible.
That is why a hoist is one of the most important pieces of equipment in
my life. It gives me access to places that I would otherwise be
unable to visit and allows me to use the toilet safely and comfortably.
Another important feature of a Changing Places toilet is the
changing bench. Although I do not use a changing bench very often
myself, I know how important they are for many disabled people and
their families.
Before Changing Places toilets became more widely available, some
people had no choice but to be changed on the floor of a toilet. No
one should have to face that situation.
Changing Places toilets provide people with dignity, safety
and comfort. More importantly, they provide freedom.
For disabled people like me, access to a Changing Places toilet means
being able to travel, visit new places, spend time with family and friends and
enjoy life without constantly worrying about where the nearest suitable
toilet is.
That is why these facilities matter so much. They are not
simply toilets; they are a gateway to greater
independence and inclusion.
How Far We've Come
When I first started campaigning in 2014, my choices were
extremely limited. Going somewhere new often depended on whether
there was a suitable toilet available. It was frustrating to feel
that something as basic as access to a toilet could determine where I could and
could not go.
However, over the years, things have slowly started to improve.
More venues began installing Changing Places toilets, including
Glasgow Central Station, Queen Street Station, Kelvin Hall, Riverside Museum,
the Burrell Collection and Glasgow Science Centre, along with many other
locations across the city and beyond. When I started campaigning there
were only two Changing Places toilets in Glasgow. Today, there are around 26
facilities across the city, showing just how much progress has been made.
One of my proudest moments was opening the Changing Places toilet at
Riverside Museum, It felt like a reminder of how far the campaign had come
since those early days when there were only two facilities available
in Glasgow." It was wonderful to see another accessible
facility being added and to know that it would make a difference to so
many people.
The growth has not been limited to Glasgow. Other places,
such as Largs, have also installed Changing Places toilets, creating more
opportunities for disabled people to travel and enjoy new experiences.
As more facilities have opened, life has become better for me and for
many other disabled people. We can meet friends for coffee, go
shopping, attend concerts and enjoy days out without constantly worrying about
where the nearest suitable toilet is.
When I look back at where things were in 2014 and compare them to where
we are today, I can see just how much progress has been made. There
is still more work to do, but there is no doubt that Changing Places toilets
have transformed the lives of many disabled people, including my own.
What Still Needs to Change
Although I am proud of the progress that has been made, there is still
more work to do.
Of course, we need more Changing Places toilets. There are
still many places where disabled people cannot travel, socialise or enjoy a day
out because suitable facilities are not available.
However, my campaign has never been just about getting more
toilets built. Awareness is just as important.
Over the years, I have realised that many people simply do not know
what a Changing Places toilet is or why it is needed. Others may see
a Changing Places toilet without understanding that it has been designed for
people who require specialist equipment such as a hoist and
changing bench.
I understand this because we do not always think about the challenges
that other people face in their daily lives. However, I believe it is
important to be aware of other people's needs. Disability can affect
anyone, and one day any of us could find ourselves relying on
accessible facilities.
That is why I make such a big effort to support Changing Places
Awareness Day every year. It is an opportunity to start
conversations, share experiences and help people understand why these
facilities matter.
Awareness can make a real difference. It can help people
understand who Changing Places toilets are designed for and encourage them to
think twice before using a facility that someone else may depend on.
For me, raising awareness is not just part of the campaign – it is at
the heart of it.
Conclusion
Looking back over the years, there is no doubt that Changing Places
toilets have come a long way.
As a campaigner, I would love to see more Changing Places toilets
installed across the country. Just as importantly, I would like to
see a greater understanding of why these facilities are needed and how
important they are to the people who rely on them.
Changing Places toilets are not a luxury. They are essential
facilities that enable many disabled people to live their lives with dignity,
safety and independence.
I would also like to recognise the work of Pamis, who have led the
Changing Places toilets campaign and played a significant role in raising
awareness and improving accessibility across the UK. Their work,
alongside the efforts of disabled people, families, organisations and
campaigners, has helped bring about positive change for thousands of people.
As we mark Changing Places Awareness Day 2026, I hope my story has
helped people better understand why these facilities matter so much.
My campaign may have started because I wanted more freedom to visit
different places, but over the years it has become about something much bigger:
ensuring that disabled people have the same opportunities as
everyone else.
That is why I will continue to support Changing Places Awareness Day
and raise awareness whenever I can.
Because everyone deserves the freedom to go wherever life
takes them.
#CPTAD2026
To find out more about Changing Places toilets and the work of Pamis,
visit their website.
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