The Accessible Guide was founded by disabled people, and the platform was designed by disabled people with lived experiences of exclusion. Our objectives are to innovatively utilise digital technology to create opportunities for inclusion and reduce the barriers to inclusion that disabled people frequently encounter. We focus on factual information that will allow users to find venues and services that meet their individual access requirements.

OUR STORY.

As the MD & Founder of the Company, Phil Peel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler. During his early teens, Phil’s condition deteriorated and by the age of 15, Phil was a full-time wheelchair user. As a teenager, Phil took in his stride. A passion for travelling took Phil to Alabama, where he worked three summers at Camp Ascca (two summers were through the Camp America programme), whilst also travelling to places such as New York, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, New Orleans, Florida, Lisbon, Berlin, Warsaw, and Krakow.

It was the barriers whilst travelling that acted as a motiviation behind the development of The Accessible Guide. The barriers encountered were similar in most places, the most popular barriers being no suitable toilet provision and physical access to buildings.

A graduate in Information Technology and Business from Liverpool Hope University. It was 2015 when Phil decided to combine his knowledge and his passion for travelling. After completing the School for Social Entrepreneurs Start Up Programme in 2016, The Accessible Guide registered as a Community Interest Company later that year.

After consulting stakeholders, the preliminary years focused on research into the competitor landscape and more importantly, how latest technology could be adapted to support inclusion. In 2019 the Company was awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, and we then appointed Cyberfrog Design as our I.T partners who would be responsible for the development and maitenance of our platform. It was a game changing moment.

Our vision is to be revolutionary, and we are always looking at ways on how we can improve our platform and the services that we provide.  In a digital revolution, technology can be utilised to not only create opportunities for inclusion but to significantly reduce the barriers to inclusion, making society and the world more disabled friendly.

Image Descriptions

Left Image:  Phil Peel speaking at the School for Social Entrepreneurs Graduation in 2016 at Blackburne House, Liverpool, England.

Right Image: Camp Ascca Summer Staff 2008, Phil Peel is pictured to the left. Picture taken at Camp Ascca, Alabama, USA.