Our Safer Toilets Stars

It's World Toilet Day! We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who has ordered a pack of Red Cord Cards. You're the people who have helped raise awareness of making accessible toilets safer; you're our Safer Toilets Stars!

World Toilet Day takes places every year on 19th November and we highlight the common issues faced by disabled people when using accessible toilets out and about. Red emergency cords are often tied up, cut short, out of reach or missing entirely. This means somebody in an emergency might not be able to pull the cord if it doesn't hang freely to the floor and might be stuck for extended periods of time without any other way of calling for help.

Our Red Cord Cards are pocket-sized notices in easy-to-read font that raise awareness of accessible toilets and slide easily onto red emergency cords. We are hoping to make every accessible loo safer.

Order more Red Cord Cards!

Photo of: A Red Cord Card that reads: "This red emergency cord must hang freely to the floor. If it does not, it may prevent a disabled person from asking for help."

What some of our Safer Toilets Stars told us

@OiShinyThings on Twitter: "They're an excellent idea! So many people just don't think about the harm they're doing by tying them up - it's ignorance, not malice. So reminding them changes the behaviour."

Access in MK on Twitter: "We are a very small community project that has just started to improve local accessibility and promote current accessibility. We are using your Red Cord Cards, which have already started to go up in toilets."

Niamh said: "I think this is such a great idea! My dad has recently become disabled and is in a wheelchair and I’m now far more aware of how inaccessible and dangerous public spaces can be. I am always searching for ways to make a positive difference to this. I will carry some cards in my bag in case I see this issue in public!"

A manager at a leading London hospital said: “We are hoping to draw attention to the red cords, their importance and need to report any damaged or missing ones. We will slowly but surely begin to improve our accessible facilities one element at a time. I have started with the red cords, the next addition to our facilities will be waste bins which will be accessible via both foot pedals and an adaptation on the top which allows you to lift the lid. Thank you once again for inspiring me and opening my eyes to the everyday obstacles and challenges faced by so many people”

Karine and Sarah, Euan's Guide Ambassadors in Edinburgh, said: "We get competitive when we find toilets that have already been tagged!"

Nikki said: "I have spent 20 mins collapsed on the floor unable to get help because of the red cord being tied up in a hospital outpatient toilet and it’s just awful being unable to get help. Having this card and being able to display them will hopefully prevent others from experiencing the same as I have. Thank you for providing these cards."

Baldwin Boxall, a manufacturer of alarm systems, is supporting Euan's Guide to make accessible toilets safer: "Baldwin Boxall is proud to support Euan’s Guide and the important work that they continue to do. By supporting this very worthwhile cause, we are able provide a card with our disabled toilet alarm kits to help to spread the word about the importance of a free-hanging disabled toilet alarm cord, which enables a disabled person to call for help, should they need to."

Our Red Cord Cards in action!

The first red cord I see after receiving my @EuansGuide cards was very much in need! #SetTheCordsFree #RedCordCards pic.twitter.com/KOc4Lhnux1

— Chip (@_ChippyChoppy) October 2, 2021

My new favourite hobby is putting @EuansGuide red cord cards in disabled loos across Manchester 😊 Disabled people need the red cord to hang freely so that they can get help. Order some for free here: https://t.co/OojABCOnBR pic.twitter.com/fGxTDlCczb

— Lizzie Northcote-Smith (She/Her) (@LNorthcoteSmith) October 6, 2021

First card placed! #RedCordCards 🧑‍🦽 pic.twitter.com/PlaQoKe0Wh

— Kieran Barker (@KieranJB) October 17, 2021

Raising awareness of safer accessible toilets

@disabled_eliza on TikTok: "They are often tied up and need to dangle to the ground because if somebody needs to call for help, they can get it if they have fallen. I showed you these cards from Euan's Guide, you can place them on the red emergency cord if you see them tied up to remind businesses to ensure they dangle to the ground. You are making small changes to make the world much more accessible."

@sticking.with.it on TikTok: "I've ordered some of these and will carry them around in my handbag. If I see one that's tied up or done wrong, I'll hook one of these on. Let's hope these make a difference and thank you to everyone for telling me about this and to Euan's Guide."

@wheeliedeaf on TikTok: "I've found most of the time that the red cords have been tied up when I've needed them, which could potentially be extremely dangerous for myself and many others. What I've done for over two years now is carry these: Red Cord Cards! And these are from EuansGuide.com. Just put them on every red cord, just do it."

Tell us how you're supporting World Toilet Day

Whether you're pulling the red emergency cord to test it and make sure it is working or sharing your experiences of using accessible toilets at venues, let us know how you're raising awareness of safer accessible loos!

Tag us in on social media @EuansGuide and #SetTheCordsFree!

Tags: World Toilet Day, accessible toilets, Safer Toilets, toilets