Access – or the lack of it – is a topic that just keeps coming back. Every time you think that the battle for reasonable access to the facilities that everybody wants or needs to use has been won, you hear another story where it’s been missed by a mile. 

These frustrating situations seem to be an everyday part of life, not just in London, but in towns and cities across the country. Exactly the sort of routine access problems that the DDA, and then the Equality Act, were supposed to solve. Any business that doesn’t make “reasonable adjustments” so that people with a disability can use their services are breaking the law, which you would think might make them pause for reflection, even if they aren’t bothered about all the business they are losing by turning away so many potential customers. But apparently, high profile chains including Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero, Eat, Itsu, Chipotle and the Post Office think that a bland apology, and a statement that they are rectifying things now, is sufficient.

To read the rest of this article click here 

In the first case of its kind an overweight British man has won a landmark discrimination case against his employers. This is after a High Court judge ruled the effects of obesity can be classed as a disability. 

John Walker, 49, weighed more than 21 stone when he was dismissed from his post as an IT manager at Sita Information Networking Computing UK. 

He was sacked after spending seven years off work with health problems linked to his size such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue and knee problems.

For the full story and more information on the impact that this will have click here. 

Last Week at the Footwear Health Tech Conference in Eindhoven, the Netherlands a very exciting product was introduced to the world. 

A new mobility aid named Path which helps people who have trouble walking – simply by being fitted to their shoes.

Lise Pape, an engineer at InnovationRCA at the Royal College of Art in London, was inspired to build the system by her father, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than 10 years ago. Like many people with Parkinson's, he falls occasionally and experiences freezing of gait, the temporary impression that his feet are glued to the ground.

For more information on this upcoming product, read the full article here. 

Ben Holt who has cerebral palsy, bids to visit all 270 London Underground stations to highlight system’s accessibility problems and set new world record. This challenge is made all that harder with only 24% of the underground stations being fully accessible. Ben is attempting to break the current record of 16 hours and 20 minutes, however he would become the first disabled person to complete this challenge should he find his way to his final stop at Epping Station. Read more here and good luck Ben!

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. This article by the International Business Times outlines some of the most recent technological breakthroughs aimed at improving the living standards of those affected by a disability.