Hi, I'm Harin — and I believe everyone deserves to see the world.

I'm a 26-year-old full-time wheelchair user with cerebral palsy. I use a profiling bed and ceiling hoist for my daily transfers — things most people never even think about. But I refuse to let that stop me. I'm adventurous, I love live music, and I've been to nearly 100 concerts and shows across the UK. Life is for living — and that means getting out there, not staying at home.

❌ The barrier we all face

Most of the time when we ask if somewhere is accessible, people just say "Yes, we're accessible!" — but the truth is, accessible for one person is not accessible for everyone. What works for someone might not work for me at all. I may need a ceiling hoist, a profiling bed — and I also need an airflow mattress to help prevent painful pressure sores.

💨 What Is an Airflow Mattress — and Why It Matters

An airflow mattress is a special medical mattress — completely different from an ordinary mattress. It's designed for people who can't easily move themselves in bed. Here's how it works:

• ✅ It breathes: A quiet pump sends a gentle stream of air through tiny holes in the surface. This keeps air moving against the skin, carrying away heat and moisture — so skin stays dry and healthy

• ✅ It shares the weight: Sections gently inflate and deflate on a cycle, so different parts of the body take the weight in turn. No single spot stays under pressure for too long

• ✅ It prevents harm: When someone can't shift position, constant pressure cuts off blood flow and causes painful pressure sores. An airflow mattress stops that from happening

This is not a luxury — it's a basic health need. Without it, some people simply cannot stay safely away from home.

And it's not just me. There are so many different things that people with disabilities and complex conditions may need — far more than I could ever list here. Everyone's needs are different. One person might need a shower chair with a seat belt, another might need grab rails at different heights, someone else might need visual fire alarms, wider turning spaces, or something I haven't even thought of. We're all different — and that's exactly why we need to ask every single person what they actually need, instead of guessing.

And there's something else that people rarely talk about. Some people are perfectly independent at home using the bathroom — with the help of a carer or family member, or using special equipment like a frame that goes over the toilet. But when they go on holiday or out to a concert? That suddenly isn't possible. The bathroom might be too small, or it might not have the right adaptations — like enough space or fixtures for equipment that goes over the toilet. And because they can't use the toilet safely, some people end up having to stay at home — or even worse, they feel they have to go without drinking, or use incontinence products, just to get through the day. That is not right. If you can do something safely and independently in your own home, you should be able to do the same thing when you're out in the world — whether that's on holiday, at a concert, or visiting family.

And here's something people rarely think about: can I actually get out of the building safely in an emergency? If there's a fire and the lift goes out — is there a plan for me? If I can't use stairs, then no matter how "nice" the room is — it's not truly accessible if I can't escape safely. That isn't being picky — that's basic safety.

When you do finally find somewhere that has the right equipment? The price skyrockets — way beyond what most people can afford. But that's not always just greed — that equipment genuinely costs money to buy, install, and maintain. Right now, it falls entirely on individual places — or worse, it falls on us. Too often, it's the disabled person and their family who have to source, rent, and transport their own hoist, profiling bed, airflow mattress, shower chair — just so we can stay somewhere overnight. That's yet another extra cost and extra burden — and it shouldn't be our responsibility. We shouldn't have to bring our own home equipment just to have a break from home.

✨ Realistic — But Always Trying

I also understand that not every building can be made perfectly accessible — some are simply too old, and there are limits to what can be done safely. But that doesn't mean we do nothing. Every building should be as accessible as it reasonably can be — and the best way to know what people actually need? Ask us. Instead of guessing or ticking boxes on a form, sit down with disabled people, families, and the people who actually use these spaces. Ask us: "What do you need? What would make this work for you?" Whether that's a ceiling hoist, a profiling bed, an airflow mattress, clear evacuation plans, or something else entirely — we know best what we need. Real accessibility happens when we're part of the conversation from the very beginning.

💡 Why This Matters To EVERYONE

This isn't just about disability — it's about ALL of us:

• Your parents getting older and finding stairs harder

• Someone recovering from surgery who needs a wider door and a sturdy shower

• A friend with a broken leg who suddenly can't use the bathroom in 90% of hotel rooms

• A family member with a temporary illness who just needs a safe place to rest

None of us know what our needs might be next month, next year, or in ten years' time. Accessible accommodation shouldn't be a special request — it should be standard, because one day it might be you or someone you love who needs it. And "accessible" should mean properly accessible — not just ticking a box on a form.

📢 What We Are Calling For — And Why It Matters

Right now, there is no clear national standard for what "accessible" actually means. It's left to guesswork, the costs fall unfairly on families and small businesses, and people end up paying more or being turned away entirely. That has to change.

We are calling on the Government and accommodation providers across the UK to:

1. Define what "properly accessible" actually means

• Create a clear national standard that goes beyond ramps and wide doors

• Include ceiling hoists, profiling beds, airflow mattresses, shower chairs, space and fixtures for toilet frames and adaptive equipment, emergency evacuation plans — and recognise that different people have different needs

2. Make accessibility a requirement — where it reasonably can be

• Every hotel and holiday home should have at least one properly accessible room

• Where full adaptations truly aren't possible due to a building's age, be honest about it — and signpost people to somewhere that can help

3. Support businesses so they CAN provide it

• Set up a small grant fund to help accommodation providers buy and install the right equipment

• Right now, the cost falls on small businesses — or falls back on families. Shared support means more places CAN do it without charging extra

4. No more unfair price increases

• An accessible room should cost exactly the same as any other room

• Accessibility is a basic right — not an upgrade you pay more for

5. Ask us what we need

• Involve disabled people in designing accessibility standards — not just consultants or architects

• Our lived experience is the most valuable expertise there is

🌟 My Journey — why this matters so much to me

I was born in Thailand at just 27 weeks, weighing barely more than a bag of sugar. The doctors didn't think I would survive. I wasn't even placed in an incubator. But I fought — and I've kept fighting ever since. I refuse to be defined by my diagnosis.

Since starting this campaign back in March 2022, I've heard from thousands of families saying: "Thank you — we thought we were the only ones struggling with this." That's why I keep going. Yes, there are people who say it doesn't matter. But then there are families who tell me, "Because of what you're doing, we finally feel seen." That's what keeps me going.

In July 2023, I was honoured to receive the Sparkle Award for Most Inspiring Male. That award doesn't belong just to me — it belongs to every single person who's ever signed, shared, or said, "This matters."

💛 My message to you

I'm not doing this for fame. I'm doing it because I believe in a world where:

• You book a room and know it will actually work for your needs

• You don't have to bring your own hoist, bed, airflow mattress, or shower chair just to stay somewhere

• You can use the toilet safely and independently when you're out — just like you can at home

• You know you can get out safely in an emergency — no exceptions

• You don't pay more because of how you move around the world

• A holiday is a right, not a luxury reserved for some people

Please sign — and please share. Because the world we build today is the one we all get to live in tomorrow. Together, we can make sure that when anyone says "I need somewhere I can actually stay safely," the answer isn't "sorry, we don't have anything" — it's "Yes, we do."

Thank you. You matter, and your voice matters 

Harin Ellis
Instagram: @harin_disability_campaigner
LinkedIn: Harin Ellis
harinellisdisabilitycampaigner.co.uk