
Did I tell you all the story of Lyla’s first school trip? Back in May, Lyla and her P1 friends took a trip to Stirling Castle. The class had been learning all about castles in their topic work and Stirling Castle is the traditional place for the P1s from the school to visit.
Her school had said previously that if there was part of the castle that Lyla couldn’t access then they would choose somewhere else that she, along with her class, could access in its entirely, which was a beautiful example of an inclusive response. In reality the class’ topic was castles and you’d struggle to find a castle, within an hour of Glasgow, which is totally wheelchair accessible and for a castle, Stirling Castle is actually incredibly accessible so it is was fine by us.
As you can imagine castles aren’t particularly accessible for wheelchair users, being built in ye olden days before building regs and all that, but actually Stirling Castle is extremely accessible with a lift in one part to access the first floor of one section. The kitchen was the only place that Lyla wasn’t able to access which out of a whole castle I was pretty impressed with.

Months beforehand the school had checked that the bus company could supply a wheelchair accessible bus and it was agreed that I would go along with Lyla as a parent helper given that it was her first school trip. I had called Stirling Castle customer service to find out about changing facilities and was told that they don’t have a Changing Place toilet with a bench and hoist but they do have a bench table for changing which the lady said was specifically put in after feedback from parents like me.
Just as well that I was already going with Lyla because her two assistants aren’t allowed to lift her manually meaning they couldn’t have changed her without a hoist so I needed to be there to lift her otherwise she would have either missed out on the trip altogether or she would have had to sit in a soiled nappy all day. Neither option would have been ideal to say the least.

The day came and putting Lyla’s wheelchair on the bus was a great success, she was even able to hold hands with her friend who was sitting opposite her. This is the thing about inclusion and the next generation, Lyla’s friends now expect her to be on the bus with them for school trips not travelling on her own with me in a WAV or a taxi. They expect her to be on their school trips and they expect her to be able to do what they are doing.
Midway through our day at Stirling Castle the inevitable nappy change time came around and I found a member of staff to ask for directions to the changing bench. As it turned out the changing bench was down a flight of three steep steps. Yep, three steep steps which there was no way to get a wheelchair down. To the changing bench which was the only place suitable for changing Lyla’s nappy. I can only think that the parents who had given the feedback which resulted in the changing bench had children who could walk at least a few steps. The staff member was mortified. After discussions with other members of staff we were directed to an ‘accessible’ toilet which had a very large and high window sill which I could lift Lyla onto and change her. Not in any way ideal but a little better than a toilet floor.

We loved our day but I can’t lie, the lack of a place to change Lyla put a real downer on the day for me. I didn’t let Lyla see that it was a big deal but it really was. I emailed Stirling Castle about our experience and asked them to install a Changing Places toilet and I received a well thought out response saying that it was something that they are seriously looking at installing in the future.
I can already hear the voices saying, ‘But it’s a castle? how can you expect them to install a Changing Places in an old castle?’
They purpose built a cafe and toilet unit and a large shop and ticketing office so I’m pretty sure they can install a Changing Places toilet with a bench and hoist.
‘But the money? how can you expect them to pay for it’
Erm the same way they pay for their other facilities like their shops, cafe and toilets? They charge an entry fee for visitors and provide facilities for all their visitors except for severely disabled visitors.
‘Well you can’t have everything’
Seriously. It’s a toilet. Would you visit if they didn’t have a toilet you could use? If they requested that you lie on a toilet floor? A toilet is basic essential, it’s not everything, it’s something able bodied people EXPECT not as an added extra but as an ESSENTIAL requirement. Why are able-bodied people’s needs so much more important than everyone elses?
We come up against this every single time we go somewhere with Lyla. Does the place have somewhere to change her or will she have to be changed on a toilet floor or sit in a soiled nappy until we get home or do we just not go? This is going to be something Lyla and over 250,000 people in the UK have to think about everyday. Stop and imagine that being your loved one then tell me whether you think it’s too much to ask for.

Lyla’s school trip next year is to Five Sisters Zoo near Edinburgh and I have already started the conversation with them about our visit and the need for a Changing Places toilet. As I keep hearing its something they are planning on installing *in the future*. What a perfect answer for companies to get campaigners out of their inbox. That response has bought so many organisations and venues years of time not to install Changing Places.
If the next 10 months doesn’t bring a Changing Places toilet for Five Sisters Zoo then for her P2 trip we’ll have to hire a Mobiloo, which is a mobile Changing Places toilet, at a cost of £300 for the day. That’s a pretty expensive school trip.
Cara x