From this week, passengers with hidden disabilities now have a discreet way to ask for extra help at London Liverpool Street railway station.

Sunflower branded lanyards and ticket holders can be picked up from the reception on platform 10 at the station, and act as a subtle sign for staff that extra help may be required.

Staff at London Liverpool Street station have been trained to understand what the sunflower stands for on the lanyards and ticket holders, and how they might be able to help disabled passengers with one.

The sunflower lanyard and ticket holders were first launched on back in December at Manchester Piccadilly, London Euston, Liverpool Lime Street and Birmingham New Street

The disability sunflowers initiative sis supported by Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) and other charities including Alzheimer’s Society, The National Autistic Society and Action on Hearing Loss

The types of hidden disabilities that are eligible for a sunflower lanyard include:

• autism and Asperger’s
• learning disabilities
• dementia
• mobility issues (e.g arthritis, MS, ME, chronic illness)
• visual or hearing impairments.

What did the officials say?

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail‘s route director for Anglia, said:

“Travelling by rail for passengers with additional needs can be a daunting experience and we’re always looking at ways our staff can make it easier for people. The sunflower symbol is the perfect way for passengers to discreetly identify themselves to our staff so we can do everything we can to make their journeys as smooth as possible.”

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