A website promoting accessibility for wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility has been launched by a University of Wolverhampton graduate in partnership with a Paralympics gold medal winner.
Scott Smith and Robin Surgeoner – theaccessibleplanet.com
Scott Smith, who graduated from the University in July 2011 with a BA (Hons) Business & Marketing degree, has teamed up with Robin Surgeoner MBE to create ‘The Accessible Planet.com’, a guide to disabled access, based on their own experiences as wheelchair users.
The Accessible Planet.com lists the options available to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility in different categories such as Days Out, Taxis & Holidays before giving the user the chance to click through to their preferred option.
For the project Scott has been joined by Robin Surgeoner MBE. Robin competed in the three Paralympic Games between 1984 and 1992, winning nine gold medals in the swimming pool in the process. Since retiring from competitive sport, Robin has continued to seek to empower and train others to do their best and to make the planet more accessible for the disabled.
The inspiration for the idea came when Scott entered a wheelchair tennis tournament in Cardiff and found information about disabled access in the city difficult to come by.
Speaking about the website, Scott Smith said: “It was the trip to Cardiff that convinced me that The Accessible Planet.com was an important idea. Trying to find a hotel to book, a taxi into town, a pub or restaurant with good wheelchair access – it was so difficult, hence the idea of a website which could bring all of this information together.
“My degree at the University of Wolverhampton gave me the background knowledge and the confidence to go ahead and set up ‘The Accessible Planet.com’ after I had finished my course. My experience in web design combined with Robin’s connections meant that we could set the site up on a strong footing and since then we’ve grown bigger and bigger.”
Robin Surgeoner MBE, Co-Director of The Accessible Planet.com, said: “I have known Scott since he was 15, and have always admired his tenacity to achieve his goals. He has a fantastic understanding of the concepts and application of digital marketing and information dissemination, and a fantastic work ethic to go with it. I look forward to continuing to work with him for a long time.”
For more information about The Accessible Planet.com visit the website: http://www.theaccessibleplanet.com