Kapiti Coast’s ‘Age Friendly Business Initiative’ made it a deserving winner of a Grey Power achievement award for an association of more than 1500 members.
Kapiti Coast Grey Power received the award at the recent New Zealand Grey Power AGM in Wellington where national president, Gayle Chambers said: “It’s great to see Kapiti has taken this initiative to ensure people’s needs are acknowledged when shopping.”
The initiative, which has taken off across central New Zealand districts, especially in Kapiti and Hastings, has resulted in ‘Age Friendly Business’ signs appearing outside shops and companies indicating the enterprise offers a welcoming environment.
The age-friendly ‘shop’ requirements are relatively basic, but sensible and desirable:
- Easy access for prams, pushchairs and mobility devices
- Available and friendly service
- Customer seating
- Shelf height reachable for likely products
- Signage readable, including prices
- Payment processes assisted
- Nearest toilets indicated
Kapiti Grey Power president, Roger Booth explained that it took a lot of door knocking to outline how the programme worked and to provide businesses the opportunity to sign up and commit.
“For most companies, compliance was relatively straight forward, but a surprising number of businesses didn’t have a seat for waiting customers”, Mr Booth said. “Others, such as Andy Magee Plumbing, arranged for a new ramp to be installed to ease access to the premises.”
Already 24 diverse Kapiti businesses have signed up to the initiative and are actively promoting it. In addition, applications from 12 others are being processed. Hastings has also lined up 40 businesses, and there are more in other districts.
Since promotion at the conference, a good number of other businesses and districts are now considering taking on the programme.
