We’re sharing your Red Cord Card stories for World Toilet Day 2023

This World Toilet Day we’re sharing, directly from our community, the importance of safe emergency red cords in accessible toilets. We’re so proud of our volunteers, who have helped us distribute tens of thousands of Red Cord Cards making accessible toilets safer for disabled people.

Today, we want you to hear directly from our Toilet Warriors about how important our Red Cord Cards are, and what sort of impact our Safer Toilets campaign has had.

If you have a Red Cord Card story to tell, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us hello@euansguide.com if you’d like to share your experiences with us. Meantime, place your Red Cord Card orders this World Toilet Day to show your continued support!

“I love this idea. I was at the hospital with my daughter on Sunday. When I popped to the toilet the cord was wrapped around a pole. Had I have fallen I wouldn't have been able to reach the cord. I had to undo the cord to pull the bar down, so I could transfer from my wheelchair. I have noticed lots of places have the same problem. Hopefully placing these cards will make people think!”

“Thanks Euan, I put the cord back when I see it move. One I saw was tied up nowhere
near the floor. As someone at risk for falling red cords do make it safe for us. Thank you for your guide. I met Euan at events in Leeds, you’re a great person, thanks for all you do.”

"Taking red cards to places gives me the confidence to ask for the manager and give them constructive feedback on their facilities."

“These would have helped my mum, who was able bodied but slipped on a wet floor and was trapped for six hours with a broken leg.”

“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. Reminding them changes the behaviour.”

“Thanks for making these! My learning disabled daughter is absolutely terrified of the emergency cords in case she pulls them by mistake, but she understands why they need to hang to floor level. We're forever having to untie them when "helpful" people have looped them up nearly to ceiling height...”

“I’m a wheelchair user and the thought of not being able to access the cord in an emergency frightens the life out of me - thank you for all the work that you are doing to try and change this!”

“I have learnt about the importance of red cords and have been able to do something to help people that need them. I've also gained the confidence to use accessible toilets myself, which has made a big difference to my life.”

“Because of the Red Cord Cards, I have been more confident when informing staff at a venue about the misuse of a red cord and made them aware of the reasons behind the red cords and their purpose, and the fact that their venue can receive a review in Euan's Guide for their attention to accessible facilities.”

“I use disabled toilets as I'm disabled and use a radar key. I often see red cords tied up in disabled toilets in many places and try to untie them if I can. These cards are a great idea and will be very useful.”

“Thank you for these cards! I have had to post these on most of the public toilets I've been to. Staff have left them on and these cords have not been tied up since, or staff have noticed when someone ties them and release them. Thank you, you are amazing. You have potentially saved so many people.”

We hope you’ll continue to support our Safer Toilets Campaign on World Toilet Day and beyond – thank you!

Order your Red Cord Cards.

Share your Red Cord Card story with us by emailing hello@euansguide.com.

Tags: blog, World Toilet Day, 2023, accessible toilets