I went to the MSLIFE2016 exhibition at EXCEL in London. It was exciting, lots to see and I met some interesting people. I really enjoyed it but EXCEL is a barn. The level of noise was really quite daunting. No soft surfaces to quieten things down, lots of amplified voices. All in all I found it a tiring experience but very pleased I went. I admit the 2 3/4 hour journey each way by public transport did not make life any easier. Using a mobility scooter on the tube system is not ideal, I realise that
Please can we have it back in Manchester for 2018. Also a notice board in the hub or equivalent telling people what talks are on with the time and zone/place would be a big help.
I did not get as much out of it as I had hoped, probably because the level of background noise was so loud.
I totally agree with Patrick as I went too, and what a weekend it was! I met some lovely people, at the exhibition itself as well as the hotels/‘lodges’ where I stayed/ tried to stay (long long story…). I travelled by car (on my own, to London!), which I won’t do again…I think… never say never as I like my independence…
All in all I had a great weekend, but the presentations (which at the end of the day I suppose it was all about) were very hard to follow, too echo-ee in that huge ‘open plan’ building, which made it at the same time very impersonal.
But…at least I can add another all in all positive experience to my these days ‘experience poor existence’ -but not complaining!-… and did I return safe and ‘well’ to my wonderful family.
that’s one of the great regrets of giving up driving licence jos, not being able to get to places like that one unless I went by train. know what I do now I could easily have kept it going, oh well that’s way it goes
I went to MS Life 2016 (and 2014 and 2012!) I didn’t mind London so much cuz the boyfriend lives there. We stayed in a Airbnb place. It IS possible to Airbnb with a wheelchair. While they don’t specifically list accessbility as an option, I have by emailing the host and firing questions at them: Is there a lift? How many steps from pavement to front door? How many inside? etc…found 2 places now. This place was a room with ensuite in a block of apartments with lift. Spacious hall to leave the chair. Bed was low so would not suit everyone. It was 5 mins from Excel.
I too travelled by public transport: taxi getting there (from Euston) journey from hell on the Friday but thats another story. We decided to travel back by DLR on the Sunday. …got on the DLR at Prince Regent…gets to Canning Town - lifts out of action. Both I and another wheelchair were advised to got to West Ham (but theres an announcement that lifts there are out!) So we ended up going a ridiculous long route in order to get step free access. The marvellous Jubilee line was NOT used cuz of lift failure.
I did find the Excel staff lacking a clue when it came to the entrance. At Manchester there were multiple people handling people coming in. At Excell, there was no signage to say “Pre-booked” or anything. There was also a lack of signage to tell you there WERE disabled toilets downstairs but the lift to them was tucked away. So the disabled loos on the level of the event had queues. Not good enough Excel!
Write directly to someone at the MS Society if yiu feel there were legitimate failings with the organisation who ran the MSLife2016 show. They need to know what was good and what was bad.