WelcoMe Community

30/09/2026

Is that an assistance dog? Can you prove it?

When a high-profile legal dispute erupted after an individual was refused entry with a dog at the remote Bernera Community Café in the Outer Hebrides, it captured national headlines. The incident exposed a deep, simmering conflict that businesses and disabled individuals face every day.

30/09/2026

So many amazing things happening at WelcoMe. We only wish we could tell you about them all..

We will very soon, we promise.

In the meantime:
We are now full steam ahead (see what I did there) with our NorthLink Ferries / National Centre of Accessible Travel project with Matthew Clark leading the project. If you’d like to be involved AND PAID get in touch.

The new WelcoMe Key is alive and getting increased use across the UK. Set yours up at Key.Wel-co.me. Link below. Come on Join us.. it’s free.

Due to popular demand we have added venue auditing, “sticky” staff training and seriously improved analytics to the platform.

We now have five folks working at WelcoMe with three with personal lived experience of disability, that’s 60%. totally outperforming our own aspirations of 20%.
.and here are some hints of what’s coming before the end of 2026:
Launching in another country.
A new collaborative partnership with a disability service provider.
A major retailer launch.

Woo hoo

Sign up, for free forever here ⬇️

WelcoMe supports your staff with clear access information so every visitor gets a smoother experience.

28/09/2026

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

Some of you will have already heard, Team WelcoMe are working with our long term partner NorthLink ferries on an exciting Connected Places Catapult and Motability funded innovation project, improving the service WelcoMe can provide during a multi-stage journey. We plan that this improved WelcoMe service can go on to work with other transport providers.

There are two ways you can help.

First, we are running an anonymous survey asking how ferry travel currently works for people with disabilities. Your answers shape what we build, and you can enter into a prize draw as a thank you for taking part.

Second, we are organising user testing days in person to test the improved system – one visiting a ferry while moored in Aberdeen, planned for Thursday 5 November; and another, travelling to Orkney, over Thursday and Friday 3 and 4 December.

User testers will have travel paid and will be paid for their time working with us.

You can sign up for user testing at the end of the ferry travel survey.

If you have any questions, would rather answer the survey via telephone or an alternative format, or want help signing up for user testing, just comment below or email [email protected] and we’ll get in touch.

We’d love for you to share the survey and opportunity to take part in user testing with any other people or organisations you think might be interested.

Thank you 🙂

Link to survey here ⬇️ and in comments.

https://forms.gle/V11Tfe9rdnTtbnoN6

Picture. NorthLink Ferries Aberdeen Terminal entrance.

11/09/2026

Do you have a favorite most accessible venue or experience, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD?

Your top three please.. and let’s big up the folks who are TRULY making the world and what it has to offer more accessible for all.

This is of course about rewarding but it also about making sure that others have a chance to copy the blue print.

So, info@AccessibleTravelOnline with your top three and let’s give those who do the best for you a massive round of applause.

WelcoMe Team.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DKd1DpwH7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

10/09/2026

What an awesome day David and I had yesterday at the Byres Community Hub Health and Wellbeing event.

We had an awesome stand (with a touchscreen tv (I had no idea how to use) and had some super conversations with remarkable people.

I was never in doubt that disabled people wanted more from society, but folks, never let yourself be gaslit into thinking that disabled people don’t have ambition and don’t want to help make a difference to their own lives and the live of others.
It’s blatantly not true.

Even better - every conversation I had about WelcoMe led to a,

“WOW, this is amazing”
.and then slightly more frustratingly.

“Why didn’t I know about this already”

More face to face in future is needed and please more word of mouth after you have set up your ‘WelcoMe Key’

Key.Wel-co.me

Picture - gavin on the left David on the right standing in front of a rather swish tv showing the WelcoMe banner.

09/09/2026

We don’t get many opportunities to meet folks in person these days, so it’s all the more exciting when we do.

Today we are attending the “Health and Wellbeing
COMMUNITY HUB
for All” event in Glasgow.

FREE EVENT, OPEN TO ALL at Byres Community Hub, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow

1200 til 1600

If you are able to attend you can reflgister via the QR code in the main image.

Many thanks David Weir for arranging.

07/09/2026

Key.Wel-co.me

04/09/2026

I met Matthew Clark at an RNIB conference a number of years ago. I remember thinking at the time, "this fella is going to make a difference. Someone is going to get lucky having him on their team!"

Doing a little dance. I got lucky. The stars came into alignment and my meeting up with him on a regular basis for coffee and the occasional pint paid off. I had a role he was beautifully suited for and he had some time in his diary that could be filled up.

So why Matthew and why now:

You'd know this yourself if you met him but as you might not have: Matthew is intelligent, eloquent and above all passionate about using his skills and lived experience of disability to improve processes and ultimately the lives of others. HIs work with RNIB on a recent CalMac Ferries Limited project had also positioned him perfectly for our own Motability Foundation funded National Centre of Accessible Travel NCAT project with NorthLink Ferries. I must admit I had my fingers crossed when I asked him to join us as Project Manager.

Lucky us.

A word on disability. Not long ago employing disabled people was seen as 'doing them a favour' or more recently, fulfilling some DE&I quota. If those days aren't behind you yet, they should be. Indeed, when your business sells to or provides services for people with disabilities, (and who doesn't?), professionals with real lived experience should be core to your operational team. They know what they are talking about.

So, welcome to 'WelcoMe', Matthew. We are over the moon to have you on board.
gaivn.







pic. Gavin on the left Matthew on the right.. In cartoon form standing in front of the Scott Monument. along the bottom are the words Welcome to WelcoMe, Matthew.