A tweet about a simple thing like being able to see over a desk has gone viral.
Emily Morison, who uses a wheelchair, began a reception job at a Newcastle, England gym but the counter was too high so she could not see customers.
Former Commonwealth and Olympic gymnast Craig Heap owns Tumble Gymnastics and Activity Centre. Dismayed at seeing how the desk was a barrier for Morison, he “automatically realised it was not a great environment.”
He said, “Even though it was manageable, she said, I just thought clanging about, banging the chair behind the reception desk, it’s not good enough, and it was on my mind all night.”
Before her second shift even began, Heap surprised Morison with a new desk, adjusting it to her height.
Morison shared the “encouraging” story in a tweet. “By the end of that day, we were talking over a 100,000 people had liked it, and something like five million views,” she said.
Finding a solution was easy enough and Heap said, “It’s the 21st Century so, surely, as an employer, we should make things accessible for people of all abilities.”
Morison said the change has been “life-affirming”.
“It’s saying, yes, I am part of society, I’m part of this community, it’s worth changing things for me and for other disabled people,” she said. “It feels great to be included.”
The benefits of the lower desk don’t stop with Morison – it’s also at a better height for customers who use wheelchairs on the other side of the desk.
