Loo4U-Clare Campaign
Loo4U Clare Initiative Relieves Anxiety Of Town Centre Visitors
By Jan Strozer
“I need to go to the toilet,” said every child at least once in their lives in the middle of town, not a public toilet in site. But, even as adults, haven’t we all said that to ourselves? Left with nowhere to go unless we are willing to shell out a few euros for an unplanned coffee or abandon our nearly full trolley in the grocery to find the loo outside of the store. A new program, Loo4U-Clare, aims to address the needs of those with toilet urgency.
Needing to use the toilet is a “normal” situation faced by humans everywhere. Many people choose to “hold it” or walk several minutes to the nearest shopping centre. An inconvenience? Yes. A reason to avoid town? No, unless…
o You are one of the 50,000 people in Ireland who live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (including Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis);
o You are one of the 350,000 people over age 40 in Ireland who experience Overactive Bladder; or
o You are one of the 25 percent of children identified as neurodiverse and may not read body cues effectively to know they need to go to the toilet until it is too late.
o This list goes on…
Working alongside Crohn’s and Colitis Ireland (CCI), the leading support charity for over 50,000 individuals living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) across the country, Loo4U-Clare are calling on businesses and public facilities to support those with urgent restroom needs. CCI encourages businesses to also recognise the charity’s “No Wait Card”, which allows individuals with IBD to bypass queues when using public restrooms. The card helps reduce the stress and anxiety that can be caused by waiting for a restroom when it’s urgently needed.
I happen to be one of the 50,000 living with IBD. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease when I was 7 years old. Forty-four years later, among lots of other things, I still struggle at times to find a toilet when I need it. I have certainly encountered kind business-owners willing to let me use their toilet after much explanation. I don’t look like I have a disability or health condition, so it can take a bit of explaining. It is not comfortable for me and, honestly, I imagine it is not comfortable for the business owner/employee. However, explain I must, and hopefully quickly enough before it is too late!
It does not have to be this way. Business owners and their employees can be educated on hidden disabilities. There can be a mechanism for quickly and discretely indicating one’s need for a toilet. There could be a way for people with toilet urgency to feel comfortable being in the town centre not worried about having to find a loo, and fast. Loo4U-Clare is the program that comprehensively addresses this problem.
Whilst I understand there are legitimate reasons for some businesses not to open toilet facilities to the public such a poor infrastructure, difficult access to the toilet, or worries about crime; there are also legitimate reasons why perfectly healthy-looking people ask to use the loo in a business. First, it could be as simple as the person needs to go! Often, there is more to the story.
Loo4U-Clare offers education to business owners and their employees about the many and varied reasons people may need to use a toilet quickly and without question. Loo4U-Clare provides a sticker to the business to place visibly near their entrance to indicate their participation in Loo4U-Clare. Participation allows a business to support the community and builds goodwill and a positive relationship with the public.
For more information or to get involved with Loo4U-Clare, please contact Jan at loo4uclare@gmail.com.
