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6 Phonebox Magazine | August 2025Breaking Down Barriers One Ramp At A TimeFrom potholes and uneven pavements to a lack of step-free access and dropped kerbs, living in the historic, picturesque town of Olney as a wheelchair user can come with its challenges.I fi rst featured in Phonebox Magazine when I was three years old in April 2012, when my family did a fundraiser to buy my fi rst wheelchair. I%u2019m now 17 and sitting in the very wheelchair that this fantastic community helped fundraise for, doing work experience in the Phonebox offi ce and having the amazing opportunity of writing an article for the magazine. I wanted to investigate the accessibility for people like me in the local area, hearing fi rst hand from other disabled residents to share what it%u2019s like living here as a disabled person.Who does accessibility impact?One in four people in the UK are disabled, meaning approximately a quarter of our local community is aff ected by a disability. Improving accessibility helps everyone %u2013 whether it%u2019s permanent or temporary %u2013 a disability could aff ect anyone in our community, so it is vital to create an inclusive and accessible environment. Also important is the ease that accessibility gives to families with prams and pushchairs and people with invisible disabilities.Creating more accessible spaces also has a positive impact on businesses, allowing them to unlock a wider clientele by making their premises available for all. In the UK, people with disabilities and their families are estimated to spend %u00a3274 billion per year. This collective spending power is referred to as the Purple Pound.Tapping into the Purple Pound is essential for our local businesses. Research shows there is an estimated %u00a3267 million loss per month in the UK from high street shops for ignoring the needs of disabled people. In Olney, we have seen great eff orts to enhance access to businesses and services, with many places introducing ramps to improve access to their historic buildings. Improvements such as these must continue developing if we want to keep our area inclusive.What is accessibility?According to Scope, 10% of people are unaware of what accessibility actually is. By definition, the word %u2018accessible%u2019 means being easy to approach, use, enter, speak with, or use.For me, accessibility means getting around easily and independently without having to jump over hurdles and avoid obstacles, and having the proper support to obtain equal opportunities. This could be in the form of automatic doors allowing me to enter buildings, or dropped kerbs (without cars parked in front of them) allowing me to get around safely.The social model of disability suggests that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or condition. Whether it%u2019s physical barriers or the attitudes of others who assume %u2018I can%u2019t do anything%u2019, I fi nd that these obstacles disable me much more than my genetic condition. It is important to remove these barriers to allow disabled people to reach their well-deserved, highest potential in society, and this is something I strongly advocate for.What is the accessibility like in Olney?The work that has already gone into making Olney more accessible does not go unnoticed. The dedication from businesses to be inclusive and the development of parks, pathways, public transport, tactile paving and dropped kerbs has improved the safe and easy navigation of the town, meaning I, and other disabled citizens and visitors, can get around independently.%u00a0Aeryn, a local resident of Olney and wheelchair user, told me that she was surprised at how accessible Olney was, considering the town%u2019s historic nature, and how convenient it was living so close to the modern city of Milton Keynes. She credited the growing awareness of disability and accessibility, particularly thanks to local advocates like Debbie Whitworth, which has made living in Olney easier, with more people being conscious of her needs and willing to help.What does the Mayor have to say?When I interviewed Debbie Whitworth, Olney town Mayor and wheelchair user, she spoke about her ongoing work and invaluable eff orts that she has made with the MK council to improve the town%u2019s infrastructure, including putting more dropped kerbs in place where needed.She emphasised the positive impact that community services have had on disabled individuals, with resources such as the Olney minibus being available to transport those with mobility issues, and the Olney Centre supporting locals with social clubs and events. These services are essential and powered by volunteers; without them, a lot of people would be isolated.When fi nding a spot to take a picture for this article, Debbie and I encountered a large lip at the start of a pavement, prohibiting us from easily and comfortably accessing the path. This is just one example of the types of barriers we face on a day-to-day basis, which truly highlights my motivations for this article.What is the accessibility like elsewhere?Of course, Olney is just one town in this vibrant community, and such levels of accessibility are not consistent across our society. I believe that it is crucial to advocate for these changes, and I urge all our readers to challenge their local councils if they see any access issues within their towns and villages.Jane, a disabled resident of Newport Pagnell, told me she struggled with navigating around the high street due to narrow doorways, overcrowded shops and inadequate public toilets. However, she mentioned that she makes use of the services off ered at Brooklands Centre, emphasising how social interaction with other members of the community has massively helped her.These services stay at the heart of our community, and it is vital that we continue to support them to keep them open and thriving. Volunteering or fundraising is always appreciated. If you have some time to spare, I strongly encourage you to get in touch with our local community services to help more people like Jane. As mentioned earlier, Olney services such as the minibus and social groups play a key role in the lives of Olney residents and are also always looking for more volunteers.Now more than ever, we must continue to make improvements to the towns we live in and carry on supporting volunteer and community work. Without the positive action from town members, living here with a disability would be much more diffi cult, and I would not have access to the opportunities I%u2019ve had to live and learn. I%u2019d like to thank everyone who has contributed to our kind and caring community. I%u2019d like to thank everyone who has contributed to our kind and caring community. Let%u2019s continue to make our home inclusive and accessible for all!PhoneboxMaya Czerminska reporting for