The Udder Stuff

My first experience of helping to physically increase the accessibility for a business was with my work with The Udder Stuff. The Udder Stuff is a local dairy farms’ diversification business, bringing the farm to you (customers), “from moo to you.”

I am now able to independently access The Udder Stuff’s shed at Greendale Farm Shop and purchase my milk, milkshake and ice cream without assistance.

Emily Peters, the owner of The Udder Stuff, is proof of how any business can listen, adapt and reap the rewards. Even if that increase in custom is just my frequent purchases of milkshake and ice cream!

Here is the story.

Me with milkshake and ice cream.

This photo isn’t just of me with a bottle of milkshake and a tub of ice cream, it is also a powerful win for accessibility.

Too often places are inaccessible, they have steps, uneven surfaces or narrow doorways but if businesses listened and took on feedback, they could be as successful as The Udder Stuff.

I am so thankful to Emily for understanding and reading my thoughts and proposal. After discussing barriers due to building structure, position and space, she made this happen.

This might seem small or insignificant to some but for me, this is a huge victory. It’s incredible to see a small, locally owned business invest in an accessibility aid. The benefit of having the ramp not only enables people, with reduced mobility who use wheelchairs or mobility aids, entry but also improves access for prams and pushchairs.

I am now able to independently access The Udder Stuff’s shed at Greendale Farm Shop and purchase my milk, milkshake and ice cream without assistance.

Here’s to many more trips for my fresh milk!

You may have seen this post on my LinkedIn, Facebook, The Udder Stuff Facebook page or on Greendale’s Facebook page. This shows that a small success story can be highlighted and promoted for thousands to see. I personally got a couple of messages asking if they could share the story, of course the answer was yes. Let’s shout about the businesses who care about everyone, who put accessibility in the forefront of their business.

A bit more about the background:

I have known about The Udder Stuff from being a regular customer at their Cranbrook vending machine and have spoken to Emily about her business when I met her whilst she was restocking. Being a fan of the concept and a big believer in supporting local businesses especially farms (as farming is in my family), it meant I became a weekly customer.

So, when the business grew to Greendale I of course was going to continue to support them but I could not access the shed. I messaged and spoke about the access with Emily, along with Greendale’s input (as it is on their land) and I helped to decide on the most suitable plan.

The initial option was to have a portable ramp based in Greendale’s Farm Shop, where you would have to ask someone to get the ramp and they would have to carry it to the shed, wait for you to purchase your items and then carry it back to the shop.

However, for someone like myself who likes to be independent and struggles asking for help and talking to new people, this would be an even bigger barrier for me, as the anxiety and communication would be too much. I’d feel like I was being an inconvenience. Also due to other constraints of the location of the shed and parking bays close by, a portable ramp would not work if a car was parked next to it either. Therefore, the best option was agreed on and a ramp is now in place.

The best part is that on recent trips to get a milkshake or an ice cream, I have witnessed other people use the ramp to access the shed: wheelchair users, prams and children pushing their little dolls pushchairs. It is fantastic to see something I helped with, now helps others too.

Massive thanks to Emily at The Udder Stuff, for championing accessibility.

Links for The Udder Stuff:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUdderStuff.FromMooToYou

Instagram: the_udder_stuff