Pembrokeshire businesses celebrate accessibility & inclusion with ‘Open To All’ Resource Hub

Pembrokeshire businesses celebrate accessibility & inclusion with ‘Open To All’ Resource Hub

A growing community of Pembrokeshire organisations who have been collaborating to excel in accessibility and inclusion came together on 14th November to celebrate their impact to date, learn from field experts and preview a new resource hub which will help Pembrokeshire evolve into a county that is truly ‘open to all’.

The Open To All conference was held by project co-hosts Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Visit Pembrokeshire at Llys Y Fran Lake. It welcomed individuals and businesses from across the county who are passionate about making reasonable adjustments so they can welcome people who usually face barriers, with open arms regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality or physical/mental ability.

Attendees discussed vital topics during a series of talks and workshops including; understanding neurodiversity, exploring identity, inclusive marketing, creating a community hub, engaging with an anti-racist Wales and disability inclusion.

Delegates were also treated to an exclusive preview of the Open To All Resource Hub, Pembrokeshire’s first accessibility & inclusion portal, enabling businesses and residents to self-educate and make the changes needed to embrace all. Hub visitors can find examples of training materials, toolkits & templates, accessible business case studies and people to connect with for specialist advice. The hub will also house an ‘inclusive’ media library to enrich public promotional materials.

The conference is a culmination of months of work delivered by the Open To All team in 2024, who have hosted over 20 events & training sessions for over 600 attendees whilst providing specialist advice to business owners, venues and enterprises county wide. Participants have learned about physical disability, sight loss awareness, deaf awareness, racial diversity, adaptive equipment, learning disabilities, website accessibility and mental health. And the results are being embedded within local organisations, such as Picton Castle installing new signage in their grounds and sensory items in their family room, Dyffryn Conin holiday accommodation learning how to cater for neurodiverse guests and make their website accessible, and Pembrokeshire Action for Public Transport (PACTO) learning the basics of British Sign Language.

Keynote speaker, disability inclusion advocate & consultant Michael Grimmett shared,

“I have an optimistic view of the future, where inclusion is the norm, not an exception and where we make a commitment to building a world that values every individual.

Disability inclusion and accessibility go beyond obligations, they are human rights.”

Abi Marriott, Project Manager for the Open To All project is delighted to see the results come to fruition,

“The Open To All team has made a significant impact in Pembrokeshire this year and will continue to do so as we watch fantastic results emerge from our work, and from a county inspired to make positive change.

In addition to the wider agenda, we’ve watched a Mum who attended our accessible beach day see her son surf for the first time, people previously unable to access the beach rediscover their childhood using all-terrain wheelchairs, plus disabled and neurodiverse visitors book accessible accommodation so they can enjoy Pembrokeshire in the same comfort as everyone else.

Let’s continue to do the right thing so that, before too long, every shop, restaurant, hotel and activity we frequent in Pembrokeshire is truly ‘Open To All’ ”.

To be the first to hear when the Open To All Resource Hub goes live and receive future project updates, subscribe via the temporary web page at www.visitpembrokeshire.com/open-to-all

The Open to all Project has been awarded funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.