After the success of the Hidden Disabilities Schiphol Airport Autism Tours we have introduced similar Hidden Disabilities tours with two other Sunflower members. Working with Pathé Cinemas and McDonald’s we've organised a behind the scenes tour for anyone with a hidden disability to help them feel confident to visit a cinema or restaurant. Through the tour, both Pathé Cinemas and McDonald's, also demonstrate the possibility of working within their organisation with a hidden disability and the guides of the McDonald’s tour are two employees with hidden disabilities.
The city of Leiden really is becoming a Sunflower City! Since both the council and the university have signed up to the programme, several museums and theatres have followed in their wake and have also joined the Sunflower. The first museum was the Japan Museum Sieboldhuis, when you enter this museum you feel as if you have been transported to Japan. Many more museums are set to join in the coming weeks.
At this time, several McDonald's locations in the Netherlands have completed their Sunflower training. We hope that we can announce many new Sunflower friendly locations in the month of May.
In the coming period HDS Netherlands & Belgium will be represented at several events: Inclusion Event of Microsoft, Pride Amsterdam and Moen Festival. The Sunflower is also the focus at a Sunflower sit-volleyball tournament organised by Return to Base, an organisation for veterans of the Dutch army who have been injured during active service.
The first week of the Easter holidays was very successful at Schiphol Airport, no long queues and we received several compliments from Sunflower passengers. It's so nice to see that it really works out!
Following the news that the airline, Transavia, have joined the programme, we are now talking with TUI Fly and Corendon. Hopefully they will follow suit and join the Sunflower before the summer holiday.