My name is Elizabeth Baily and I am 15 years old. I have Congenital Muscular Dystrophy and have used a wheelchair all my life. I recently joined the Wellspring Committee, to give the magazine the opinions of somebody who knows what difficulties disabled people face, places that are wheelchair accessible and generally give a young person's opinions and attitudes!

I enjoy going on outings with my school and family but there are nearly always difficulties involved. I feel there is need for improvement in travel and access for people like me.

It was May 17 th – a day my sister and I had been waiting for since before Christmas. Today was the day we were going to Wembley Arena to see Boyzone in concert.

We arrived at Wembley at six o'clock, to have our meal in the restaurant before the concert. There was just one problem, the restaurant was upstairs and there was no lift! We were carried up the flight of about thirty stairs (in our manual wheelchairs) by the security guards in the Arena. After we had finished our meal, we came downstairs the same way that we went up. This was quite a hair raising experience, as the guards did not know the safe places to lift my wheelchair, making it a rather wobbly ride! Before the concert my sister and I needed to go to the loo, so we set off in search of them. We pushed our way through the crowds, searching all the time. Eventually we arrived at the disabled loos; they were the furthest away from the main entrance! It was really scary trying to get through all the people, especially as my wheelchair puts me at a lower level than standing people. I felt I was at risk of being hit by a bag, or even fallen on! It would have made life a lot easier if the disabled loo had been nearest the doors, not the one the hardest to find. After pushing our way back through the crowds to the car park, we changed into our electric wheelchairs for the concert. Inside the arena we were shown our seats in the disabled box, of which there were only three in the whole arena! I feel it is a pity that there have to be separate places for wheelchairs. We drove up the slope into our positions, and after that we just sat back and enjoyed the concert. At last we'd got there – it was brilliant!

In June I went on a trip with my school, (Manhood Community College) to the Tomorrow's World Exhibition at Earls' Court. The rest of my year went on the train from Chichester station to Victoria. They were then to take the tube to Earls' Court station. I was unable to go by train with my friends, because a) if I had gone by train I would have had to have travelled in the guards' van and b) there was no public transport that I could travel in from Victoria to Earls' Court, with my electric wheelchair. So, instead of travelling with my school, I had to go up to London in our family van with my father. I found out recently that British Rail have made it their target to make all trains and stations wheelchair accessible by 2020! Quite a wait!

When we arrived at Earls' Court, we went to the entrance to the exhibition. There were about four steps to get up to the level where the main exhibition was, but no ramp! I had to wait for a member of staff to help me up the stairs on the most ancient looking lift I had ever seen! I drove my wheelchair onto the metallic platform, the man in charge of it pressed a button, and very slowly it started moving up the steps. When it had reached the third step, it suddenly jerked to a halt. I was a little concerned as there seemed no way up or back down at this point! After a few moments though, the lift started up again and I reached the summit safely - phew! I thought, for a lift at an exhibition about the future and inventions, this was very prehistoric!!

I enjoyed both of these trips especially the concert, but as I'm sure you would agree, they would have been such a lot simpler if public places became wheelchair friendly. After all, we are all meant to have equal opportunities these days!

Lizzie Baily lizzie@wellspringwestsussex.org.uk