Schoolgirl's campaign pays off at Cardwell Garden Centre
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An 11-year-old girl who launched a campaign to help people with “invisible illnesses” get better bathroom facilities, visited Cardwell Garden Centre in Scotland to see the notices she designed displayed on their toilet doors.
Grace Warnock suffers from Crohn’s Disease and decided to do something to stop people who have an illness being refused access, or questioned about why they are using a disabled toilet facility.
So, she designed a new accessible toilet sign that included people standing with a red heart on their bodies alongside the traditional image of someone in a wheelchair.
Then Grace launched a Facebook Page to campaign for these signs to be widely used in shops, leisure centres and public buildings.
Bosses at Cardwell, near Gourock, decided to back Grace’s Sign campaign, which is supported by the Crohn’s and Colitis UK charity.
 The garden centre now displays Grace’s signs on their accessible toilet to make it clear that people suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases or other illnesses are welcome to use these facilities.
Other places that also display Grace’s signs are the Scottish Parliament building, at Holyrood, along with shopping centres, offices, museums, cinemas, care centres and schools all over the country.
Grace, from Prestonpans, in East Lothian said: “I get really excited when I see one of my signs going up somewhere.
“I want to change people’s attitude towards those of us who have an invisible illness.
“Lots of people have the idea that you have to be in a wheelchair to be allowed to use an accessible toilet and that’s just not right because people with inflammatory bowel diseases sometimes need to make a lot of bathroom stops.
“I used a heart in the design to show that someone’s illness might not be visible and for people to have a heart and not judge what they can’t see.”
Cardwell retail general manager, Paul Carmichael said: “Not only did Grace recognise there was a problem for people with illnesses like hers who need to use an accessible toilet, but she did something practical to find a solution. She’s done a fantastic job and lots of people will benefit from her campaign.
“We’ve done our bit for her campaign and I hope lots of other places start displaying Grace’s signs.”
Pictured: Grace Warnock and Cardwell’s retail general manager, Paul Carmichael.
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