28 November
Employers' Forum on Disability issues response to DEFRA consultation
The Employers' Forum on Disability has issued its response to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) consultation, Outdoors for All? - Draft Diversity Action Plan.
The outcome of the consultation, which came out of the Government's Rural White Paper 2000, hopes to extend outdoor recreation to under-represented groups.
The Employers' Forum on Disability believes the aims of DEFRA are realistic and achievable. However, the success of DEFRA in achieving these aims will be dependant on providing adequate support to groups representing disadvantaged groups and service providers to ensure that adequate information and resources are provided to build mutual knowledge and understanding.
We particularly welcome DEFRA's decision to build accessible transport into its strategy as part of a comprehensive barrier-analysis. However, we would also recommend that DEFRA considers the accommodation needs of disabled people.
At present only 2 per cent of holiday accommodation in the UK has been assessed as being accessible. The lack of appropriate accommodation facilities near outdoor spaces and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a major barrier for disabled people and their families seeking to take short breaks in the countryside.
The Employers' Forum on Disability mission is to mobilise the power of our members to promote the economic and social inclusion of disabled people and this includes promoting access and inclusion to outdoor recreation. The Forum welcomes DEFRA's Draft Diversity Action Plan and hopes this response will help to inform the Plan's ongoing development and implementation.
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For the full Employers' Forum on Disability response to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs' Outdoors for All?: Draft Diversity Action Plan, please see the Legal and Policy section of the Employers' Forum on Disability web site (requires member login).Full details of the DEFRA 'Outdoors for all?' consultation can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/outdoorsdiversity/