An appeal has gone out to families with children with additional needs from across North Wales to come forward as secret shoppers to road test events and attractions to rate them for inclusivity.

The appeal to families comes from the newly-formed action group PIWS – Welsh for purple – launched by Gwynedd High Sheriff Davina Carey-Evans which aims to encourage attractions to improve accessibility for families with hidden disabilities.

Davina is the mum of three boys, one of whom, Benjie, 27, has severe autism and she has had a lifetime of experience of the difficulties faced by families in attending events and attractions or just simply going shopping.

She wants to see more events, large and small, sign up to the PIWS campaign.

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Davina said: “We’re looking for families with children with additional needs from across North Wales to join us to road test events, facilities and shops to see if they provide proper provision for them.

“It doesn’t have to be something very extensive or expensive, just a quiet area where someone with a child who has perhaps become over-stimulated can go to chill out – or even to get something off their chest.

“So we want to get feedback so we can let others know which places they can go with their children and feel safe and welcome and where what are very simple needs can be met."

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Davina believes that her army of secret shoppers can grow across the whole of Wales to help build a database of places where families with children with similar needs to her own can go safe in the knowledge that they can be catered for.

She said: “Our aim is to encourage access for everyone to enjoy lifestyle activities in North Wales and beyond and to feel confident in visiting events in the knowledge that we will be welcomed, understood and catered for.

“It’s something that PIWS is trying to encourage everywhere and I’m really grateful to those that have signed up because this is something that all organisations, attractions, events and businesses will have to recognise in future because they should all aim to have a similar safe space.”

For more information about PIWS go to www.piws.co.uk