Networking Event For Disabled Entreprenurs
14th October 22025
We attended an inspiring networking event for disabled entrepreneurs. The beautiful setting of the Science Museum provided the backdrop for a truly valuable session, proudly hosted by Small Business Britain and the Lilac Centre in partnership with Lloyds Bank.
It was a brilliant opportunity to connect with a diverse group of other disabled business owners and professionals. The atmosphere was vibrant, full of shared experiences, innovative ideas, and mutual support.
The event included lunch and a few engaging speeches highlighting the importance of inclusive entrepreneurship and the work of the Lilac Review. It was a chance to build relationships, exchange contact details, and form potential collaborations within a community that truly understands the unique challenges and incredible strengths of disabled founders.
Thank you to the Lilac Centre and Lloyds Bank for organising a great event. We have included a slideshow of a few images from the event. They show attendees chatting and networking with each other.
No Tricks All Treats: Enjoy Our 7 Accessible Events To Explore This Month
1st October 2025
October is here, bringing the spirit of Halloween and the much-anticipated school half-term holidays! It's the time of year when the air turns crisp and witches, ghosts, and monsters fill our imaginations. For this spooky month, we've gathered 7 unforgettable, inclusive events, activities, and attractions perfect for children and families to enjoy without barriers.
At Access My Events, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to participate and enjoy the world around them, whether it’s a local festival here in the UK or a major conference on the other side of the world. We have a calendar of fantastic, accessible events both at home and abroad. Get ready to enjoy the fun.
1) Inclusive Circle: Technology
Kindred, Queen Carline Street, Hammersmith
1st October 6pm – 9pm
An evening for disabled people to get together and discuss technology, share experiences, and connect. To book your ticket, follow the link Inclusive Circle: Technology.
Accessibility
The venue is wheelchair accessible and offers fully accessible spaces. The main entrance is located at the rear of Hammersmith Broadway. If you would like further details on the venue's accessibility, give them a call on 020 3146 1370 or email hello@wearekindred.com.
2) AccessAbilities Expo
Dubai World Trade Centre
6th & 7th Oct – 10am - 6pm
The Access Abilities Expo returns to Dubai for it’s 7th year running. It is the largest exhibition dedicated to empowering and enhancing the lives of disabled people living in the UAE. The event will host a number of exhibitors who will be showcasing the latest in assistive technology, innovative products and services designed for people with different impairments, promote inclusion through discussions and best practices. To book your free ticket, follow the link AccessAbilities Expo.
3) Design and Disability Exhibition
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
This exhibition showcases the contributions of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people and how they have designed for all aspects of life through their own experience and expertise. It also explores the history of disabled designers. The exhibition showcases 170 objects on display across 3 sections of visibility, tools and living.
The exhibition is running until 15th February 2026. To book your tickets, follow the link Design and Disability Exhibition.
Accessibility
The nearest step-free underground station is Earls Court and London Victoria Station.
The entrance from Cromwell Road is step-free with a wheelchair accessible door and the exhibition road entrance is also step-free and has an automatic door at the bottom of the walkway.
Disabled parking – 12 spaces are available lacated at the Exhibition Road entrance, but they can’t be booked in advance. You can park for up to 4 hours.
Mobility equipment – Wheelchairs and walking sticks are available at the information desk located at the Grand entrance. They recommend booking 24 hours in advance of your visit.
You can follow the link to complete the form https://shorturl.at/wFqsX.
Accessible toilets – 13 toilets are located around the museum.
To see a full list of accessibility facilities, follow the link Access at V&A South Kensington.
4) Decorex
Olympia London
12th - 15th October
If you are buying a new home or are thinking of renovating your current home with a new fresh look. Visit Decorex, your go to event for interior design ideas and inspiration. Over 4 days the event will host talks, workshops, product launches and showcase the latest interior design trends. To book your tickets, follow the link Features | Decorex.
Accessibility
Disabled parking
Blue badge parking bays are offered on a first come first serve basis, and is best to pre- book even though the space is not guaranteed, but it will ensure that you have a space. All disabled parking is charged and it’s best to contact the venue to find out.
Manual wheelchairs
If you need to use a wheelchair while at the venue they offer wheelchairs to loan. It’s best to book your request in advance of your visit by completing the contact form on their website, Contact us | Olympia Events. You will need to give a deposit, which will be refunded.
To see a full list of the accessible facilities, follow the link Accessibility at Decorex.
5) British Film Institute
London Film Festival
8th – 19th October, London and across the UK
This is the UK's largest film event. It is known for being one of the most accessible major film festivals. They host red carpet premiers, immersive storytelling games, programme strands, awards and more. Tickets cost start from £10. To book and learn more about the festival and what it has to offer, follow the link BFI London Film Festival.
Accessibility
The venue aims to make the experiences welcoming and accessible as possible to everyone.
Accessible screenings
These include screenings with descriptive subtitles, audio description, relaxed screenings and British Sign Language.
Access tickets
These can be booked by contacting their box office on 020 7960 2102, or by emailing box.office@bfi.org.uk and include the word Access in your email. You can also attend in person and book.
Free companion ticket
When booking you have to show proof of eligibility for a companion ticket
To see a full list of accessible facilities at venues hosting the film festival, follow the link and select your preferred location London Film Festival 2025.
6) MCM London Comic Con
Excel, London
24th - 26th October
The MCM London Comic Con returns to Excel, London. This is pop culture event where you get the opportunity to meet gaming voice actors, TV and film stars. There will be many organisations exhibiting and attendees can participate in various activities. To find out more and to book, follow the link MCM London Comic Con.
Accessibility
Reset rooms
Events can get busy and if crowds are not something you are comfortable with. You can use their reset rooms away from the crowd to take a break.
For those with invisible disabilities, the organisers have a limited number of sunflower laynards that are available at the information desk and in their reset rooms.
Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are available to use at the venue for those with mobility needs
Accessible toilets and changing places
The venue has 40 accessible toilets throughout the building
Disabled car parking
The venue has 80 disabled bays. If you have questions about parking, email parkingonline@excel.london
To find out more about the venue’s accessibility, follow the link Venue Accessibility | Excel London.
7) Natural History Museum
31st October
7pm - 12pm midnight
Halloween night returns to the Natural History Museum with a live band performing, a silent disco and a host of spooky activities. To book your tickets, follow the link Halloween at the Museum.
Accessibility
The event is wheelchair accessible and offers facilities for disabled visitors.
Wheelchair hire: If you need a wheelchair while visiting, email after-hours@nhm.ac.uk.
Blue badge parking: This is available on request
Companion ticket: Please call them to request your free companion ticket on 020 7942 5000. The lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. The tickets are subject to availability.
For further accessibility information, please email or call them using the contact details above.
Transforming Sight Loss Into A Platform For Change
27th September 2025
In the latest episode of My Voice Podcast, Zubee and her co-host, Raya, had the pleasure of speaking to Dr Amit Patel, who is a disability consultant, author, and motivational speaker.
Before losing his sight in 2013, he worked as a trauma doctor, but instead of his vision being a barrier, he transformed the loss into a powerful platform for advocacy and is now a passionate voice for disability rights, working to create a more inclusive and accessible world for everyone.
We spoke to him about his journey, some of the challenges he's faced, and the work he's doing to make a difference for others.
Follow the link to listen on Spotify Transforming-Sight-Loss-into-A-Platform-For-Change
You can follow Dr Amit on LinkedIn and Instagram @blinddad_uk.
Championing Accessibility At The Accessible Events Show
18th September 2025 London Wembley
We were excited to be in attendance at the Accessible Events Show on Thursday,18th September 2025. Held at The Drum, Wembley, London, this event was the first-ever show dedicated to accessibility and inclusion in event planning and delivery.
The show was hosted by leading changemakers, Dr Shani Dhanda, Catheine Griyner, and it was a fantastic opportunity to connect with event organisers, agencies, and suppliers who are all working to make events more inclusive.
It was great to see that there are organisations out there who are passionate about creating impactful, accessible events. Some are in the process of building accessibility into their events, and others are just starting to learn on their journey.
Our attendance at the Accessible Events Show reinforced our mission at Access My Events: to make it easier for deaf and disabled people to find and attend events that are accessible, bringing businesses and disabled people together, going with our brand's tagline.
We believe that by working with businesses and event planners, we can champion inclusivity, elevate brands, and connect them with a more diverse audience. The Accessible Events Show was a powerful platform for sharing knowledge and collaborating on solutions that will help to make accessibility an important part of the event planning process, not an after thought.
We left the show feeling good, knowing that there are organisations out there who are committed and are working to create a more accessible and welcoming events for all. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and building partnerships that will help us make a real difference for the deaf and disabled community.
If you would like to learn more about us and how we can help you make your events accessible, please get in touch with us by filling in our contact form, emailing us or giving us a call.
A Day Of Pride And Celebration At The Birmingham Disability Festival
10th July 2025
For Access My Events, the Birmingham Disability Festival wasn't just another date in the calendar; it was a profound moment, a vibrant affirmation of our very purpose. As an organisation dedicated to making events accessible as possible to deaf and disabled people, our attendance at this festival was more than simply a presence – it was a powerful validation of our mission and an enriching experience that resonated at the core of what we do.
To be at the heart of such a significant celebration during Disability Pride Month, surrounded by the incredible talent, resilience, and joy of the disabled community, was amazing. It allowed us to not only connect directly with individuals and businesses we strive to serve but also to witness the transformative power of inclusive spaces. We were excited to be part of the festival for the first time. In this blog, we take you through the atmosphere and share some highlights from the day and what went on.
About the Birmingham Disability Festival
Right at the heart of this celebration, the organisers of the Birmingham Disability Festival announced that they were hosting the event for a second year running, this time at Aston University.
This vibrant and inclusive event, organised with the core purpose of honouring Disability Pride Month, transformed a day in Birmingham into a dynamic showcase of talent, resilience, and community spirit. It's a free and fully accessible festival that opened its doors to everyone – disabled individuals, their families, friends, and anyone eager to connect and celebrate the richness that disability brings to our society.
The festival featured captivating live performances by disabled artists and musicians to interactive sports sessions like wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis and adaptive cycling. The event offered a diverse range of activities, both indoors and outdoors. There were valuable resources from organisations, and attendees could hear talks that were taking place at the Human Library.
Planning our Journey
The festival was held on the 5th of July 2025, from 12pm until 6pm, and Zubee planned to go with her friend Sarah, so we booked the train in advance from London, Euston station to Birmingham New Street station, and while doing that, the excitement was building to the day of the festival.
Zubee very rarely gets the opportunity to go out of London often, so this was another chance to visit the West Midlands, for the day. For the third time, Zubee booked passenger assistance and both ways, there were no problems.
When we arrived in Birmingham, we took an Uber to the venue, which took about 10 minutes.
Festival highlights and what went on
When we arrived at the venue, we walked around a little bit and, Zubee saw some friends and stopped to chat with the great, Isaac Harvey MBE, Dr Mark Esho and Shezad Nawab, MBE. As we continued walking, we found ourselves joining the start of a procession with the crowd, led by dhol players, the amazing Dhol Crew, (Bhangra drums), who were brilliant!
As someone who enjoys cycling and cycles on a weekly basis with Bikeworks All Ability, Zubee had to visit the adaptive cycles stand and do some cycling. They had a few different bikes available, but Zubee wasn’t sure if the bike would work for her because she needs foot straps on the pedals, and the pedals need to provide support. When she was shown that they had a similar bike with foot straps and similar pedals, she had to give it a try, and it worked.😊
From there, we wanted to go and see the alpacas but unfortunately we couldn’t find them, so, we went to hear Zubee’s friend, Shezad, do a talk about his life growing up as someone who is profoundly deaf, running businesses and the release of his book, to being awarded an MBE. From there, we went to see the photography exhibition and took part in some chair yoga.
Finally, we did another walk around and had a look at the stalls to see if there was anything we had missed or of interest before heading back to London. It helped that the weather held up and we had no rain. It was a wonderful event for the disabled community to come together and celebrate disability. The smiles, the connections made, and the strong sense of community made it a day to remember.
And the excitement doesn't stop there! Mark your calendars because the organisers are thrilled to have announced that the Birmingham Disability Festival will return next year on Saturday, 4th July 2026, at Aston University! Get ready for another day packed with celebration, empowerment, and community spirit as we continue to champion diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
To follow updates from the organisers you can follow them across their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Small Business Sunday London Bootcamp 2025
17th June Moorgate
We had the pleasure of attending our second London Regional Business Bootcamp, hosted by Natwest Business and organised by Theo Paphitis and the Small Business Sunday Crew.
We heard from the founder of SBS, Theo Paphitis, himself on video, who introduced the event and welcomed new winners to the network. He shared what SBS is and what the attendees can get out of today's event, plus the benefits of being a winner.
They had speakers from Natwest, Google and an SBS winner, followed by some networking. The talks were on fixed and growth mindset, Google spoke about the use of AI in business and it's advantages and disadvantages, followed by SBS winner Lydia, who spoke about marketing and building your brand to help your business stand out.
The Holy Month Of Ramadan 2025
1st March 2025
For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan started on the 1st of March. Ramadan is the month of fasting for 30 days. During this time, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise until sunset.
They also abstain from sexual activity or using any form of bad language. It's a time to think about people living in poor countries who do not have access to food and clean drinking water. It's also a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, heightened devotion of worship, reading the holy book (Quran), increased acts of giving to charity and doing good deeds.
There are exceptions for people who are not permitted to fast, including pregnant women, women on their menstrual cycle, people who traveling and those who are sick and need to take regular medication. Women on their menstrual cycle can make up for the number of fasts they miss at a later date.
Before sunrise, people have breakfast (known as Seri). At the end of the fast, when the sun has gone down, families and friends get together for an Iftar to break their fast. During this time, many restaurants and organisations host their own iftar's and offer set menus. It's a great way for colleagues and communities to get together and enjoy the food.
We would like to wish everyone observing the holy month a very blessed Ramadan Mubarak!
Small Business Sunday Event 2025
21st February 2025 ICC Birmingham
We were in attendance for a second time at the Small Business Sunday event, organised by Theo Paphitis and his team. It was great to be in a room full of energy, packed with a lot to take in from the day. The show had stalls, networking opportunities, speed advice sessions, ask the experts and hearing from some great speakers.
One of our favourite speakers has to be hearing from Imran Hakim, and how his journey started from first appearing on Dragons Den to now earning a multi-million-pound business.
We can't wait for next year's event!
Turning Adversity Into a Mission To Make a Difference For Others
19th February 2025
Our founder and co-host had the pleasure of speaking to Amit Singh Kalley, a former Deputy Headteacher. He turned adversity into a mission to create a purpose through his work as a speaker, business owner and advocate for those living with ADHD, especially in ethnic minority communities.
Follow the link to listen on Spotify https://lnkd.in/emmE8ZHQ
You can follow Amit on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
To learn more visit his website at www.forworkingparents.com and for a unique taste on tea go to www.mixala-chai.com.
Advocating For People Living With Chronic Illness
18th November 2024
In the latest episode of My Voice Podcast, we were joined by Shabnam Rakhiba, who is a mentor and life coach for people with chronic illnesses.
Together with, co-host Raya Al Jadir, we spoke to Shabnam about her work, her lived experience of chronic illness and how it led her to start her own business, supporting and advocating for people in this community.
Follow the link to listen on Spotify https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/myvoicepodcast/episodes/Advocating-For-People-Living-With-Chronic-Illness-e2r1kmh
If you would like to get in contact with Shabnam you can connect with her on LinkedIn, or email Shabnam@chronicwellenesslounge.com.