Purple Reach

Purple Reach Purple Reach is a Norfolk based disability consultancy that believes in the social model of disability.

Purple Reach is a disability consultancy service working with businesses and the community to make the world more inclusive and to enable disabled people to achieve their potential. We are here to work with businesses and third sector organisations to help them better their understanding of disability. Purple Reach is here to help you through services including: Consultancy, Training, Mystery Shopping and Access Auditing.

Young disabled people should have the same opportunities to learn, work and take part in their communities as their non-...
12/08/2026

Young disabled people should have the same opportunities to learn, work and take part in their communities as their non-disabled peers.

However, inaccessible environments, assumptions about ability and a lack of suitable adjustments can limit those opportunities before a young person has had the chance to show what they can do.

Schools, colleges, employers and community organisations all have a part to play.
Inclusion means asking what someone needs, listening to their answer and making sure unnecessary barriers are not standing in their way.

Image: An illustrated graphic celebrating International Youth Day. Colourful hands in blue, purple, yellow and red reach down from the top of a soft purple background, while a group of young people stand together below with their arms raised in the air, they are also all smiling. White text in the centre reads "International Youth Day".

Today marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.Indigenous communities are not one single group, and...
09/08/2026

Today marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous communities are not one single group, and neither are disabled people.

Disabled Indigenous people may experience barriers connected to disability alongside barriers affecting their culture, identity, healthcare and participation in their communities.

When organisations talk about inclusion, it is important to remember that people’s experiences are shaped by more than one part of their identity.

Listening to the people affected and including their voices in decisions is an essential part of creating services that work for the communities they are intended to support.

Image: Hand-spun wool on traditional wooden spindles displayed on woven textiles, representing Indigenous textile craftsmanship. Text reads "International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples" with Purple Reach branding.

A disabled customer arrives and needs an adjustment.Would your staff know what to do?Would they feel confident asking th...
06/08/2026

A disabled customer arrives and needs an adjustment.

Would your staff know what to do?

Would they feel confident asking the right questions?

Or would they need to find a manager while the customer waits?

Accessibility policies are important, but staff also need to understand how to put them into practice.

Purple Reach delivers disability awareness and accessibility training shaped by professional knowledge and lived experience. We help organisations give their teams the understanding and confidence to respond appropriately.

Visit www.purplereach.co.uk to find out more about our training.

Image: Purple background on the left hand side of the graphic with the words " would your staff know what to do?" in white writing. On the right hand side of the graphic is an image of a hand writing with a gold fountain pen on a piece of paper.

This week is International Assistance Dog Week.Did you know “assistance dog” isn't just one type of dog? There are sever...
03/08/2026

This week is International Assistance Dog Week.

Did you know “assistance dog” isn't just one type of dog? There are several different types — guide dogs, hearing dogs, and dogs trained to support physical disabilities, autism, medical conditions and mental health, among others — each trained by a different accredited charity, each wearing a different coloured jacket so you can tell what they do.

A few things worth knowing if you ever meet one out and about:

- They're working, not visiting — please don't touch, feed or call them without asking their handler first.
- Speak to the handler, not the dog.
- It's not legal to turn an assistance dog away from most places open to the public.

I also want to share something personal: in 2025 I went through part of the assistance dog process myself, matched with a dog trained to support me as a wheelchair user. It didn't end up being the right fit for either of us, and he's since been matched with someone else. I still think about him.

These dogs take years and tens of thousands of pounds to train, and they give people back their independence. Worth celebrating this week 💛

Full article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-things-every-organisation-needs-know-service-dogs-purple-reach-cqoze

Image: Purple background with an image of a golden Labrador wearing a yellow and white harness. The dog is inside an oval frame. At the bottom on the right hand side is the outline of a yellow bone with the words "International Assistance Dog Week" in purple writing.

A member of station staff called Miguel changed how I think about accessibility at work.My train had been cancelled and ...
31/07/2026

A member of station staff called Miguel changed how I think about accessibility at work.

My train had been cancelled and I’d been rerouted through a London station I couldn’t now name for you — which is usually the point where things go wrong, because assistance is arranged in advance and nobody has a plan for the improvised version.

He introduced himself. He asked how I wanted to be assisted, and how he could best do it. Then he asked whether it was all right to push my chair.

What I remember most is the relief. In my working life, it was the first time someone had offered assistance without my having to talk them through it first.

Three questions. Maybe fifteen seconds. A journey that had already gone wrong stopped costing me anything.

It’s Disability Pride Month, so I’ve written about Miguel, about why the disability pride flag had to be redesigned, and about the opportunity sitting in front of organisations that get this right.

What’s one change your organisation has made that disabled colleagues or customers actually noticed? I’d like to collect a few.

Full article here → https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-redesigned-flag-taught-me-inclusion-work-purple-reach-c2ene

Image description
New updated disability pride flag
The 2021 disability pride flag. A charcoal grey background crossed by a band of five parallel diagonal stripes running from the top left corner to the bottom right. From left to right, the stripe colours are muted red, gold, off-white, pale blue and green.

As July comes to a close, we’re reflecting on some important conversations from this month.This month we’ve talked about...
31/07/2026

As July comes to a close, we’re reflecting on some important conversations from this month.

This month we’ve talked about:

- disability admin
- workplace accessibility
- reasonable adjustments
- accessible events
- wellbeing and energy management

One thing continues to stand out.
Accessibility isn’t a one-off action.
It isn’t a box to tick.

It’s an ongoing commitment.
It’s about recognising barriers.

Asking better questions.
And making meaningful changes.

Because good accessibility improves experiences for everyone.

Thank you to everyone who engaged with our content this month.

Whether you’re here to learn, improve, advocate or create change - we’re glad you’re here.

Here’s to continuing the conversation in August.

Image: Tom is a man who is looking directly at the camera and smiling. Tom also has a beard, is wearing glasses and a blue shirt.

There have been many improvements over the years which have had a positive impact on the lives of disabled people. Howe...
30/07/2026

There have been many improvements over the years which have had a positive impact on the lives of disabled people. However, there is still a long way to go.

What would you say that organisations could still improve with accessibility?

It could be:

- workplaces
- events
- transport
- digital services
- Communication

Or something else entirely.

Maybe they make assumptions.
Maybe access is considered too late.
Maybe people are expected to keep asking for the same support.

We’d love to hear your thoughts.

What would you like to see changed?

Image: purple background with 4 questions marks outlined in the yellow that vary in size. Just underneath the question marks are the words " what do organisations still get wrong about accessibility?"

Not sure if your workplace, service or event is as accessible as it could be?You’re not alone.Many organisations want to...
27/07/2026

Not sure if your workplace, service or event is as accessible as it could be?

You’re not alone.

Many organisations want to improve accessibility.

They just don’t always know where the gaps are or what to prioritise first.

That’s where we can help.

Purple Reach works with organisations to identify barriers, improve accessibility and create more inclusive experiences.

Whether you need support with:

🔹 accessibility reviews
🔹 events and venues
🔹 inclusive recruitment
🔹 training
🔹 access planning

We’re here to help.

Good accessibility doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens through awareness, action and accountability.

Get in touch to start the conversation.

Image: At the top of the graphic is a picture of 2 women, one has long blonde hair and the other has short dark hair, is wearing glasses and has a scarf, there is also the side profile of a man wearing glasses and they are all looking at something on a table top, just in shot is also another person's hand. Above the picture is a purple background with the words "could your orgnaisation have accessibility gaps?" in white writing.

Self-care looks different for everyone.For disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions, self-care ...
24/07/2026

Self-care looks different for everyone.

For disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions, self-care can involve far more than bubble baths and early nights.

It can look like:

- managing energy
- medication routines
- balancing appointments
- pacing activities
- navigating access needs

And often, this happens alongside work, family life and everyday responsibilities.
But self-care isn’t just an individual responsibility.

Workplaces, services and community spaces all play a role in making life easier or harder.

Creating accessible environments helps reduce unnecessary barriers and supports wellbeing.

Because inclusion and wellbeing go hand in hand.

Image: photo frame style image with a white rectangle sign that says " # take care of yourself" there is a green leaf laying just to the side of the sign. underneath the image are the words "international self-care day"

Reasonable adjustments look different for everyone.There’s no single list that works for every person, because accessibi...
21/07/2026

Reasonable adjustments look different for everyone.

There’s no single list that works for every person, because accessibility needs vary.
What matters is understanding barriers and making changes that help reduce or remove them.

Examples might include:

🧠 For neurodivergent individuals
• Clear written follow-up after meetings
• Extra processing time
• Predictable routines
• Reduced sensory distractions

📖 For people with dyslexia
• Accessible fonts
• Clear formatting
• Coloured overlays
• Breaking information into manageable sections

♿ For wheelchair users or people with mobility needs
• Step-free access
• Accessible toilets
• Parking close to entrances
• Suitable workspace setup

🔋 For fatigue or chronic illness
• Flexible working
• Regular breaks
• Remote access options
• Adjusted schedules

Reasonable adjustments aren’t about giving unfair advantage.

They’re about removing barriers.

Accessibility starts with asking:
“What would help?”

Image: 2 people sitting at a white desk looking at a tablet. One person is wearing a blue shirt and the other person is wearing an orange top. In front of the 2 people is a computer monitor and a black keyboard. There is also an open notebook infront of them. Underneath the image are the words "there's no one-size-fits all approach to accessibility"

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