Shop window seeks views of voters

A LOWESTOFT charity shop is encouraging locals to have their say in the run-up to the General Election and explain why voting matters to them.A window display was unveiled at the Scope shop in London Road, Lowestoft, on Monday as local people are asked to speak out as part of a campaign called Polls Apart.

A LOWESTOFT charity shop is encouraging locals to have their say in the run-up to the General Election and explain why voting matters to them.

A window display was unveiled at the Scope shop in London Road, Lowestoft, on Monday as local people are asked to speak out as part of a campaign called Polls Apart.

Launched to raise awareness about the barriers faced by disabled people when it comes to voting, the campaign will urge customers to share their views when they visit the shop.

Their comments will be displayed in the shop window until Monday, April 12.

The campaign is being supported nationally by actor and comedian Eddie Izzard, weather presenter Sian Lloyd, ITV newscaster Alastair Stewart OBE and actress Lynda Bellingham.

With a number of disabled people denied the chance to vote because of inaccessible polling stations, research carried out by Scope at the last election showed 68pc of all polling stations had one or more serious access barriers that could prevent a disabled person from voting independently and in private.

Shop manager Brian Challis said: 'We hope lots of people in the local community will join in and have their say in

our eye-catching window display.

'Voting is really important to disabled people, but unfortunately many are still being denied the opportunity to exercise their democratic right because of access barriers at local polling stations. Disabled people should have the same right to cast their vote in person like everyone else.'