New Changing Places toilet opens at

A brand new Changing Places toilet has opened at Imperial War Museum (IWM) London. The Changing Places toilet is a safe and accessible space for visitors who are unable to use standard toilets. It is also an important local facility for anyone in the area needing to access the services that a Changing Places toilet provides.

An estimated 250,000 people are unable to use standard toilets, with the number increasing rapidly. People who require a Changing Places toilet include those with profound and multiple disabilities whether physical or learning, such as muscle-wasting conditions, cerebral palsy, or those who have suffered major physical trauma, or a stroke. Living with conditions and disabilities such as these often require more space as well as suitable, specialist equipment such as a changing bench and hoist in order to use the toilet safely and in comfort.

The dire need for more Changing Places toilets across London is highlighted in the Mayor of London’s Plan, in which Mayor of London Sadiq Khan calls for more fully accessible toilets to be built across the capital, opening up London to as many people as possible. On Wednesday 11 March, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced a £30 million investment for Changing Places toilets.

Laura Crean, Assistant Director, Strategy and Governance, said: “We are delighted to be opening a brand new Changing Places toilet at IWM London. This new facility will ensure that we have adequate, clean and safe facilities for all of IWM London’s visitors and will therefore substantially improve the visitor experience to our museum. IWM is committed to removing and reducing barriers to make IWM open to everyone, whether those barriers are cultural, social, attitudinal, physical or educational. Installing a Changing Places toilet at IWM London is one step forward to reducing those barriers.”

In 2018, IWM launched its Access & Inclusion Strategy which aims to ensure IWM becomes more inclusive and accessible, reducing barriers to provide more opportunities for everyone to understand, explore and debate the human impact of conflict as global citizens. This strategy informs IWM’s work to ensure that anyone can access IWM and that staff, audiences, and collections at IWM’s five national museums reflect the diversity of our local communities, the nation as a whole and the Commonwealth.

The Changing Places toilet is now open at IWM London.

Ends

For further press information and interview requests please contact: Rhodri Cole, Communications Officer (Corporate) [email protected] / 020 7416 5420

Notes to editors

IWM London IWM London tells the stories of those whose lives have been shaped by war through the depth, breadth and impact of our Galleries, displays and events. Explore the First World War Galleries and iconic Atrium; visit our Holocaust Exhibition; discover stories of bravery in The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes or take in our latest major temporary exhibitions. Open Daily: 10am – 6pm. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. (Closed 24 - 26 December). Free Admission IWM London, , London, SE1 6HZ T: 020 7416 5000 iwm.org.uk / @I_W_M / www.facebook.com/iwm.london

IWM IWM (Imperial War Museums) tells the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War.

Our unique collections, made up of the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events. Using these, we tell vivid personal stories and create powerful physical experiences across our five museums that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force. We challenge people to look at conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war and its impact on people’s lives.

IWM’s five branches which attract over 2.5 million visitors each year are IWM London, IWM’s flagship branch that recently transformed with new, permanent and free First World War Galleries alongside new displays across the iconic Atrium to mark the Centenary of the First World War; IWM North, housed in an iconic award- winning building designed by ; IWM , a world renowned aviation museum and Britain's best preserved wartime airfield; , housed in Churchill’s secret headquarters below ; and the Second World War HMS Belfast.

Changing Places

For more information on Changing Places toilets, please visit the Changing Places website.