Access for all: from policy to reality

Wednesday, 30 September

10am to 4pm

Venues: The Riverfront Theatre, Newport

About this event

More than just another conference, this event will place people with lived experience centre stage, amplifying voices too often excluded from the decisions that affect them every day.

At a time when organisations proudly promote accessibility policies and inclusive values, many disabled people continue to face barriers in employment, education, transport, digital access, healthcare, entertainment, and public life.

This conference aims to confront those uncomfortable truths head-on.

Book your ticket today and be part of a day that moves beyond empathy into real action.

Secure your place today and join us this September for a powerful day of insight, accessibility and action.

Tickets are available via the Newport Live website, or by contacting the box office for purchase order bookings.

Buy tickets online

Speakers

Jamie McAnsh

Jamie McAnsh is an inspirational and motivational speaker with a story like no other. Waking up paralysed he has overcome every challenge put in front of him.

Jamie is a sportsman, a role model an entrepreneur, a Disabled adventurer, and most of all a survivor -whose motto is “Get Back Up”.

Jamie McAnsh holds a world record for being the first person with bilateral Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) to summit Mount Kilimanjaro.

Alex Rosser

Alex Rosser represented Team Wales as a parasport swimmer at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia.

The pinnacle of Alex Rosser’s career to date is finishing fourth at the World Para Swimming Series final in Berlin.

Gavin Evans and Mike Taylor

Gavin has been working in the field of accessibility for the last 20 years and is a Director at the Digital Accessibility Centre, working with organisations on a global basis to improve the user experience for individuals with disabilities.

Mike Taylor is a Senior Accessibility Analyst and training manager at the Digital Accessibility Centre (DAC). He’s also totally blind and he uses digital tools all day, every day, at work and at home.

Aled Davies and Ellie Challis

Aled Davies is the Head Coach of Swim Conwy. He is a GB performance coach and has notably coached many champion para-athletes, including Paralympic gold medalist Ellie Challis.

Ellie Challis was the youngest member of ParalympicsGB in Tokyo where she won a silver medal in the S3 50m backstroke at the age of 17. Three years later at Paris 2024 she converted silver to gold.

Prof. Harold Thimbleby

Harold is an emeritus professor of computer science at Swansea University. As he gets older, he is becoming increasingly disabled and is campaigning to identify and address problems that others often overlook.

Harold has been an ACM Distinguished Speaker and has presented over 600 debates, talks, keynotes, workshops, and seminars in industry, and at Cambridge, MIT, Oxford, Royal Institution, Royal Society, Stanford, and the House of Lords.

Gemma Helyer

Gemma is a freelance Senior Product Designer specialising in UX, accessibility and complex user journeys.

With 11+ years’ experience across fintech, government and eCommerce, Gemma combines her professional experience with lived experience, including recently discovering that she qualifies for two hearing aids, adding hearing loss to her existing accessibility needs alongside glasses, ADHD, and dyslexia.

Interested in becoming a sponsor or partner?

Together with our sponsors we aim to create great experiences and delight our participants.

We offer sponsor packages at various price points and are always happy to tailor a package to your needs.

If you want to become a sponsor or supporter, please get in touch with us to discuss things further.