The Mancunian Way: The 2,000 'hidden'

We’re officially into December now, and the Christmas countdown is on. There’s a frost in the air, the shopping centres are jam-packed, and I had my first mulled wine of the year at the weekend. ‘Tis the season, after all.

In today’s Mancunian Way, we’ll be looking at Manchester’s Christmas markets in a new light. December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), an annual event that promotes awareness and support for the "dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities'.

We all know Manchester’s Christmas markets are renowned across the country - but how do they measure up for accessibility? Greta Simpson joined three members of the Manchester Disabled People Access Group (MDPAG) to put claims they are ‘one of the most accessible’ to the test.

The markets earned top marks for their provision of wider walkways, a number of ramps and quieter areas - and nearly did for the provision of the ‘Mobiloo’ flagship accessible toilet, except unfortunately it was out of order.

But bumpy cobbles, enormous puddles and wobbly flagstones were just some of the more obvious hazards the group encountered. Others, including lights, music, and loud and colourful signs, were barriers to accessibility many wouldn’t even register.

All in all, the group agreed that while there were areas due for improvement, access at the market was better than it had been previously. You can read Greta’s full piece here.

This IDPD the Manchester Evening News are also launching the Represent the 24 per cent campaign. Government data suggests that 24 per cent of the UK population are living with a disability.

We’ve also taken a look at the nearly 200,000 'hidden' disabled people in Greater Manchester. New data shows the