Derwen College near Oswestry has teamed up with its local Co-op store to celebrate Purple Tuesday – a global initiative that encourages businesses to improve accessibility and customer service for disabled people. The campaign fits perfectly with Derwen’s mission to support independence and inclusion for young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The idea came about when Derwen’s Student Council met with Shropshire Councillor Craig Emery, who is also a Co-op Area Manager. They discussed how shopping could be made more inclusive for students with communication difficulties. The conversation sparked a joint effort to improve accessibility at the Gobowen Co-op, which is walking distance from the college.
With support from Derwen College’s Independent Living Skills (ILS) team and Speech & Language therapists, students explored how they could communicate more independently in the community. The result was a pioneering project that brought together students, staff and stakeholders to create a tailored solution that transforms the shopping experience.
At the heart of the initiative is a custom-designed ‘Shopping GRID’, developed by ILS Lead Teacher Liam Cartwright. Built for the GRID Player app on iPads, this tool helps students shop locally with more confidence. It includes personalised shopping lists, pre-set communication phrases, money calculation tools and step-by-step prompts for using self-service checkouts and paying at the till.
Student Felix was one of the first to try the GRID Player the Co-op. With its help, he now manages his own shopping list, keeps track of spending and asks shop staff for help – all with minimal staff support. It’s boosted his confidence and helped him build essential life skills while becoming more involved in his local community.
Purple Tuesday also sparked wider conversations across Derwen College. Tutorials focused on the right to accessibility, and students at the Ludlow campus explored the campaign and shared their thoughts, led by their student rep Tiffany.
Co-op Manager Craig Emery said: “Diversity and inclusivity is at the heart of Co-op, and our Gobowen store is delighted to work closely with Derwen College. Supporting the college’s work with its students with special education needs provides opportunities for the students to develop the life-skills needed to carry out everyday tasks independently in the community, including popping to their local Co-op to pick up their groceries.”
Find out more about how Derwen College supports young people with SEND to become more independent adults at www.derwen.ac.uk
