One In Five for 27 July 2014

It you have parked in a disabled carparking space in Whangarei by mistake, you may have heard from the Tiaho Trust. It’s been battling to up the number of accessible parks in the city and has had the council on side to deal with those who misuse them. It’s even had its own notes printed to leave on the windscreen of miscreant parkers. The Trust, which celebrates the contributions disabled people make to society, also has plans to promote Northland as an accessible tourism destination, appealing to the 20 percent of people who identify with having a disability and also to older tourists many of whom also have impairments. Tiaho’s latest project has a nation-wide focus. It has launched a social media campaign to encourage people with disabilities to vote September’s general election. It’s using Facebook and twitter to start conversations about disability policies.