A Wrexham based organisation is campaigning for local councils and businesses to update their toilets strategies. 

TCC, Trefnu Cymunedol Cymru/Together Creating Communities, was founded in 1995 and tackles social injustice by supporting diverse communities in Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire. 

The 'Changing Places for Wales' campaign aims to highlight the need for more Changing Places facilities across North East Wales.

Jan Thomas, chief executive of the FDF Centre for Independent Living and TCC community leader, said: “Access to clean, accessible toilets is a fundamental right for everybody.

"Changing Places toilets enable all disabled people to have the same experiences as their non-disabled peers.

"We know from the people we work with and support that the biggest concern about going out into the community is the lack of accessible toilet facilities.”

The changing places facilities are specially adapted accessible toilets that have hoists, an adult-sized changing bed, and grabrails.

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According to the TCC there are only around 50 Changing Places Toilets in the whole of Wales, many of which are only accessible at certain times of the day.

In Wrexham and Flintshire there are only seven on the Changing Places Toilets map, four of which are in Wrexham. 

The TCC is asking local councils to update their toilets strategies to include Changing Places Toilets and is also raising the issue nationally with Members of the Senedd (MSs).

MS for North Wales, Mark Isherwood, said: “There is a great need for Changing Places Toilets and I am glad that TCC is highlighting this.

"As chair of the Cross-Party Group on Disability in the Senedd/Welsh Parliament, I am committed to removing the barriers which stop people in Wales who are limited in their own mobility from getting out and about and enjoying the day-to-day activities which most of us take for granted.”

The TCC met with Broughton Retail Park in Flintshire in December 2021 and said that the retailer is pressing on with plans to reconfigure the current customer toilet facilities on site to accommodate a Changing Places Toilet Facility.

Centre Manager Alan Pruden-Barker says it is a priority to “welcome more visitors to the centre, providing reassurances that we can cater for all needs”.

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The campaign has been met with positive responses from Flintshire businesses and Flintshire Council with Leader Cllr Ian Roberts confirming, in writing with TCC, that the council will consult with community members about Changing Places Toilets when they update their county-wide Toilets Strategy within the next 10 months.

Theatr Clwyd also announced that they will be looking to implement Changing Places facilities at the venue within the current £42m redevelopment. 

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They have released a campaign video which can be viewed here.