Hi there, my name's Will. I was injured during the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai; and as result, I am now paralysed below the waist. 

I made this film because too many shops and restaurants are effectively off limits to wheelchair users like myself. The Paralympics have been incredibly inspiring to all of us. But for too many disabled people, everyday activities can be a Paralympic event simply because of lack of thought or investment in disabled access. We simply want to live our lives as everyone else does, but it often feels as if we are segregated.

Please sign the petition demanding that the two major high street chains featured in this film (Café Nero and American Apparel) install better disabled access into their outlets. A copy of the petition will also be sent to The Equality and Human Rights Commission to ask them to pursue the issue with these companies.

The law protecting disabled people from discrimination when accessing goods and services has existed for 10 years and is supposed to be enforced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Equality Act requires that service providers make reasonable adjustments to make sure disabled people are not disadvantaged when accessing their services. However, there are significant flaws with the enforcement of the act. In the majority of cases it is left to disabled people to sue service providers for discrimination. Moreover changes to legal aid have made it much harder to start legal action. Court proceedings can be very time consuming and costly. They are not accessible to all disabled people, many of whom just want to get on with their life.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has the power to investigate service providers, to require them to take specific actions or apply to a court for an injunction which will require a company to take actions to eliminate discriminatory practices. However, it rarely if ever does this.

We, the film-makers, insist that the companies in our film install full disabled access as soon as possible. If they do not install disabled access we ask that EHRC investigates the companies and uses its enforcement powers, including taking them to court if necessary, to ensure they make their buildings as accessible as possible. We also demand more generally that the EHRC plays a much more active role in enforcing the compliance with the Equality Act.

Thank you for taking the time to watch the film and consider the issues affecting the lives of disabled people everywhere. We genuinely need your support in order to change the face of the high street and make it a more welcoming place for everyone.

 Please sign the petition,

 Will Pike