What is your story?

Written by Zoe Maclean, Reviewer Engagement & Outreach Coordinator

Hello everyone! How are you? I hope everyone has managed over the last few weeks to survive the very chilly effects of this cold weather! I know the cold weather makes it difficult to get out and about whether that be on two legs or four wheels! I hope wherever you are you have managed to stay safe and warm! 

In my latest blog I started to think about a question that we ask people to tell us about a lot at Euan’s Guide: “what is your story?” We believe that in each review that we receive everyone has their own individual story to share. With that in mind, I asked myself the same question and so I decided to share my own story of how I started reviewing on Euan’s Guide!

Image of: Zoe and Remus

As most of you probably know my partner in crime is my assistance dog Remus! I was fist partnered with Remus in April 2011. Having Remus by my side I began to realise that venturing further afield wasn’t such a scary prospect anymore. I had to find places to take Remus for a walk and this also meant I began to meet new people and discover new places. This new adventure also made me think more about accessibility. Is there an accessible toilet? Can I get in? How do I get there? These are some of the questions that so many disabled people have to ask themselves on a daily basis. I soon realised that by sharing this simple information on Euan’s Guide I was able to highlight new places to other disabled people. In the same way I have discovered some great new places to go thanks to reviews that have been submitted by other people. There is nothing better than reading a review of somewhere new or somewhere you have always wanted to go and thinking “hey, I could do that!”

In honour of my partner in crime my Euan’s Guide username is in fact Remus! (It’s actually Remus that writes the reviews, not me!) One of the first reviews I did was of some accessible holiday accommodation in Fife. I’d found the accommodation on Euan’s Guide and after reading its reviews I went ahead and booked my stay. I had a great time on my holiday and wanted to submit my own review so that other people would consider staying there too! This goes to show the power of just one review!

Image of: Homelands Trust-Fife

Some of you might also be part of the Euan’s Guide family thanks to our Red Cord Card campaign. Our Red Cord Cards help to keep accessible toilets safe by ensuring that the emergency red cord hangs all the way to the floor as a lifeline for anyone who gets into difficulties. If you are part our army of Red Cord Card warriors we would love to hear more about where the cards end up.  You can do this by writing a review of the venue where the card has been placed and you could also send us pictures of the cards you hang or the ones you find! Mission accomplished!

In November 2018 I was contacted by Euan’s Guide and asked if I would like to join the Ambassador Network. Of course I said yes!  This was a whole new chapter in my Euan’s Guide journey, I have been lucky enough to meet lots of the Ambassadors and share some really great adventures with new friends.

Now, as part of the Euan’s Guide team, I have taken on a new role as Reviewer Engagement and Outreach Coordinator. This role involves making the review process easier for new and existing reviewers on Euan's Guide. I work alongside my colleague Claire D'All and as a team work with people who visit the website answering their questions and queries and help them to become reviewers on Euan's Guide. We also work to spread the word of Euan's Guide to new groups of disabled people, their families and friends. One way we do this is by giving talks and presentations. We want to hear your stories and adventures so that you can share them with other disabled people their families and friends. Your review could make all the difference!

If you have any questions or queries about how to review please get in touch with us by email hello@euansguide.com or phone 0131 510 5106.

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Tags: reviewer's story, ambassador network, Euan's Guide