About 30 per cent of people in Taranaki have a disability that impacts on their everyday lives, says Keryn Roderick of the Taranaki Disabilities Information Centre Trust (TDICT).
Keryn was in town last week talking to shops and businesses offering them the opportunity of a free assessment of how their business does, and doesn't, meet the needs of people with disabilities.
"A disability doesn't just mean a person in a wheelchair," she says, pointing out that many disabilities are invisible.
People who have learning disabilities for example, maybe they can't read easily, people who are deaf or have limited hearing, people with sore backs meaning they can't walk far and need access to seating in stores, all of these things can make everyday outings such as shopping or doing business in town, harder than it should be.
Keryn spends about half-an-hour with each business who sign up for the assessment, and then sends them a report. "We don't just critique though, we also offer suggestions of ways in which they can do simple things that will make a big difference to some of their clients and customers."