A Glasgow cerebral palsy fighter is campaigning to have more toilets for severely disabled people installed across the city.
Jill Clark, from Knightswood, is often unable to go the toilet when she's away from home due to a lack of Changing Places facilities. Unlike standard bathrooms, Changing Places are larger accessible toilets for severely disabled people, with equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches, and space for carers.
Without the extra equipment and space, people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, or with physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis, are unable to use public bathrooms.
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Wheelchair-bound Jill, who talks through a communication device, is now fighting to have more installed across the city to ensure everyone, regardless of disability, is able to go to the shops, socialise and travel.
The 30-year-old told Glasgow Live: "Because of lack of changing places sometimes when I'm out especially if it's far way, I can’t get to the toilet so I need to wait until I get home but it's just uncomfortable. Everybody knows when you need to go, you need to go.
"But sometimes for me, when I need, I can’t go because of lack of Changing Places toilets. I started campaigning eight years ago now.
"It's really important to me because going to the toilet is a human right. Disabled people should have access to a toilet that meets their needs everywhere. My favourite saying is, 'My disability has given me the ability to do something' - so that is campaigning."
There are currently only around 1,730 Changing Places installed in the UK with ongoing campaigns to have them put in big public spaces.
Jill believes those who aren't disabled often take being able to go to the toilet for granted and hopes, with the upcoming Changing Places Awareness Day, to spread the word and get more suitable loos in and around Glasgow. She hopes this will open up more doors for disabled people whether for work for leisure.
Jill added: "I'd like to see disabled people included in everything like having all of the facilities everywhere and in employment. At moment I'm looking for a paid job but I am limited in how many hours I work so I find it difficult to get a job.
"It may be daft talking about toilets but a lot of people take for granted just being able to go to the toilet."
Changing Places Awareness Day is on July 19. Find out more here.
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