Aylesbury-based Framework Digital’s Director, Tomas Pukalski, and Project Manager, Michael Gulliver, took to wheelchairs on Friday (29^th September) in a bid to highlight the importance of accessibility and some of the daily challenges faced by wheelchair users as part of a 10^th anniversary partnership with Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research.

Commenting on the day, Tomas, said: “Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research is doing incredible work to support people with spinal cord injuries by funding vital research over the past decade. Accessibility is one of our core values, and we believe that everyone should have access to the internet. We ensure our websites are accessible to all.”

Framework Digital had a number of tasks planned to assess everyday tasks in a wheelchair, but a couple of unexpected challenges came up: “We had thought making a cup of coffee would be harder – reaching the mugs for example,” commented Michael Gulliver, Project Manager. “Reaching them was fine actually, but we didn’t expect the light signalling the coffee machine was ready to be out of sight, and we needed a reusable cup with a lid to transport them back to our desks.

“The automatic doors to the entrance and exit were perfect, but the glass doors to the actual shared working hub were a lot harder to operate than we anticipated,” he added.

Mayor of Aylesbury, Cllr Steven Lambert, was in attendance on the day, and was invited to experience first-hand moving around an office in a wheelchair, as well as learning about website accessibility and accessibility in the workplace.

“On behalf of everyone involved with Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the Framework Digital team and “Mayor Steve” for coming along today, and to our logistical partner, Gerald Simonds Healthcare,” said SMSR’S Charlotte Minoprio. “It has been a fantastic 10^th Anniversary year celebration so far with so many businesses, schools, community groups, and individuals, getting involved, so we’re hoping to finish it off in style by reaching our £100,000 fundraising target which we set in January by the end of December. It’s another £30,000 to raise but we feel we can do it, thanks to the continued enthusiasm, commitment, dedication, and generosity of our supporters and the local community.”

To sponsor Framework Digital, please visit their fundraising page here. 

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