Co-operative stores join the Fair4All Card Scheme

Co-operative staff and BuDS volunteers hold the Partner banner

Co-operative stores join the Fair4All Card Scheme

More Co-operative stores around Aylesbury Vale join the Fair4All Card scheme to make shopping easier for disabled people  

Gavin Pledge, Co-op Stores Regional Manager and staff from Co-op stores in Mandeville Road & Orwell Drive, Aylesbury, Fairford Leys and Stone joined BuDS staff and volunteers (Andrew Clark, Janneke Elford, Freya Clark & Chris Rowan) to mark the occasion.  

The Fair4All Card is a new photocard for disabled people in Buckinghamshire to make shopping easier and help shops understand how best to help their disabled customers. Charity Buckinghamshire Disability Service, who are behind the scheme, say that disabled people face barriers to being able to shop like everyone else, such as stores run or designed in ways that don’t suit disabled people and store staff not understanding how best to help disabled shoppers.  

The Fair4All Card is designed to make life easier for genuine disabled people and store staff. If a person presents the Fair4All photocard in a shop, staff can be sure the holder is a genuine disabled person and one look at the back of the card will show how best to help the disabled shopper. No medical details are shown on the Card to protect people’s privacy. (See images of Card below) 

Gavin Pledge, Regional Manager for Co-op Stores, said:  

“Midcounties Co-operative are very proud to be able to support the BuDS Fair4All Card scheme, which we hope will improve the lives of our disabled customers by giving them confidence that their disability will not be a factor in stopping them from having a pleasant shopping experience in our stores. In turn, the training that BuDS have given us has been educational and has given our colleagues confidence in ensuring we can offer the best service possible at all times. We look forward to a long and healthy partnership with BuDS.” 

Andrew Clark, Chair of Trustees at BuDS, said: 

“The Fair4All Card is a simple, easy way for disabled people to get the support they need from shops and services and for shops and services to know how best to help. All the disabled person has to do is show the Card and all the shop or service has to do is look at the back of the Card to know how best to help. No fuss, no drama, just a happy customer and a happy store” 

“Because the Fair4All Card is a photocard issued only to disabled people who can show evidence to prove that they meet the legal test of disability, shops and services can be sure that anyone presenting the Card is genuinely in need of support”.  

BuDS says that working with supermarkets, businesses and services to help them recognise the Card and understand how to help disabled customers will be a key part of the scheme. Free training, support and accessibility advice is available for every business who joins the scheme, and free window stickers, posters and other material is also supplied.  

Cary Hobbs, the Fair4All Card Coordinator, said:  

“We have had a great positive response from stores across Bucks with Waitrose, ASDA, and Co-op stores already part of the scheme and others including Tesco looking to join soon. But people can use their Fair4All Card anywhere – they are already being used as far afield as London and Wales!” 

Janneke Elford, the Fair4All Card project manager, added: 

“We invite all disabled people in Bucks to now apply for the Fair4All Card. You can do this by visiting https://fair4all.org.uk/ or leave a message at 01494 211179”.  

The Fair4All Card is supported by Philippa Batting, Managing Director of Bucks Business First, Aylesbury Town Centre manager, Diana Fawcett, and the former Mayor of Aylesbury, Cllr Mike Smith, who have all recorded videos backing the scheme. Funding has generously been provided by grants from Aylesbury Town Council, the National Lottery Community Fund and the Rothschild Foundation.