In partnership with the Leicester Tigers Foundation, Häfele UK recently brought together stakeholders from across the KBB industry to explore inclusive design, and how living spaces can shape the challenges people face in their everyday lives.
Held at the Leicester Tigers’ stadium on August 27, the event was the latest episode in Häfele’s long-standing partnership with the club’s Wheelchair Rugby team, which it has supported for over eight years now.
Attendees included employees from Häfele UK as well and key figures from some of the brand’s customers, including Howdens, Magnet and Premiere Kitchens. On the day, guests heard directly from the Wheelchair Rugby team about their everyday experiences, including firsthand accounts about their accessibility and inclusive living needs.
Häfele’s guests also had the opportunity to try the sport of wheelchair rugby for themselves, giving them a first-hand understanding of the sport.
“One of the most valuable parts of the day was hearing directly from people about their own experiences,” commented Gemma McRae, Häfele UK’s chief sales officer for key accounts.
“Accessibility can mean very different things to different people, so there is a lot to be gained from listening, asking questions and understanding the challenges people face in their everyday lives. It was also a useful opportunity to bring people from across the industry together and start a wider conversation around what good, inclusive design can look like.”
Lucy Rogers, head of sales at Premiere Kitchens, one of the attendees, added: “What I’ll take away is the importance of looking at accessibility from the individual’s point of view. It highlighted how much difference small design decisions can make and gave us plenty to think about in terms of the questions we ask and how we approach kitchen design.”
Jamie Stead, MBE, the head coach of Leicester Tigers Wheelchair Rugby Club, said: “This was the first time we’ve delivered this kind of event with a corporate partner, and it worked really well because people were willing to get involved and experience something outside their usual environment – and comfort zone. Wheelchair rugby is a powerful way to break down barriers. Giving our players the opportunity to share their own experiences also helped guests understand accessibility in a much more personal way.”