22 December 2010 Trailblazer's campaign highlighted in Parliament
Trailblazers Ambassador, Jagdeep (Jagz) Kaur Sehmbi's campaign to improve access at her local branch of the clothing shop Next Clearance, was highlighted in Parliament this week by Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, Jack Dromey MP.
Jagz first exposed the lack of access for many disabled people at the Birmingham Corporation Street shop during the Trailblazers' Calling Time report and investigation into access in the leisure industry in December 2009.
Since then she has led other Trailblazers in the West Midlands in a campaign to get Next to install a lift into the building which would allow Jagz and other wheelchair users access to the shop.
Jagz met her MP, Jack Dromey, at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign national conference at NEC in September. Mr Dromey discussed the issue with Jagz and has now raised the issue in a debate in the Houses of Parliament.
Jagz has been in regular corrrespondence with Next and was informed in the summer that the company is committed to making the store accessible for all of its customers. Next also said that the earliest work would start on a lift would be early 2011.
With her MP on her side and Next's commitment to making their shops accessible to disabled customers Jagz expects to see the new lift installed soon.
Jagz said:
Since I launched the campaign last year, I've had lots of support from across the Trailblazers network. With Jack Dromey MP backing me now, I hope Next will live up to their commitment to their customers and make their shop accessible to everyone.
Bobby Ancil, Trailblazers Project Manager said:
It's great to see Jagz's campaign raised in Parliament. Trailblazers want all businesses to take access seriously and to work with disabled people to overcome these barriers. We now look forward to seeing the new lift installed in 2011.
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