New disability aids available in Boots stores across the UK

A press release:

A business that makes stylish wallets for disabled parking permits will soon stock its products in Boots stores across the UK.

Blue Badge Company has confirmed that Boots UK, the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer, will stock the blue badge holder designs in around 2,000 Boots stores across the UK and on boots.com.

Blue Badge Company, formerly White Space Designs, launched in 2011 when director Ellen Green decided it was time to scale up the concept which was dreamt up between two friends in the back bedroom of their shared house.

Started at a time when the only wallets available were clinical, dull and surprisingly difficult to use, Blue Badge Company set out to give people with disabilities choice and control when it came to buying and using assistive products.

The company was the first in the world to offer uniquely styled blue badge holders and remains the only company in the UK.

Ellen Green, director of Blue Badge Company, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response to the display wallets and we’re absolutely delighted that Boots UK will now be stocking our product, made here in Bristol, in stores across the UK.

“We want to provide disabled people the opportunity to style their life, their way by offering consumers living aids that match their personality. By having our blue badge holders available so widely will allow us to reach more people, giving them access to our products and ultimately increase the choice available when it comes to buying and using assistive products.”

The beautiful handmade wallets are made by a team of highly skilled individuals in Bristol– some of whom are registered disabled themselves – providing jobs and training for those with limited work options.

The full range of display wallets now includes fifty different designs, with more being added on a regular basis. Aimed at both women and men, the products can be bought from most Boots UK stores, boots.com, directly from the Blue Badge company website, independent retailers and in a number of high street shops.

Nearly 12 million people in the UK have a disability, of which 2.58 million are blue badge holders. The ambitious company, which will be extending its product offering later this year, wants to create attractive living aids and assistive products that improve people’s experience of everyday life.

With new products already in production, Blue Badge Company hopes to be the biggest supplier and manufacturer of modern living aids in the next three to five years, with big plans to expand and diversify its product range in new territories. In Europe alone, there are more than 17 million blue badge holders and in early 2015 the company will start promoting its products in Ireland, France, Germany, Holland and Belgium.

On 1 January 2015, new legislation means the current disabled parking permit will become invalid. These compact and easy-to-use wallets have been specially designed to fit the new permit, which will become compulsory in the New Year.

Each wallet comes with a free timer clock that can be dialled without being removed from its case. The exclusive ‘hologram safe’ feature, which ensures the hologram on the badge isn’t covered, complies with Department of Transport guidelines and the wallet guarantees that permits can be displayed legally, protected from damage and easily removed.

For more information, visit www.bluebadgecompany.co.uk