St Johnstone FC make stoma friendly history!

12 March, 2024

St Johnstone FC and Colostomy UK are delighted to announce that Saints are the first Scottish Premiership Club to adopt Stoma Friendly toilet facilities, following completion of work to upgrade the accessible toilets at McDiarmid Park.

The toilet facilities provide a safe, clean space, with clear signage, as well as supporting those with additional needs.

It is estimated that around 20,000 people in Scotland have a stoma. These adults and children – often referred to as ostomates – have a hidden condition and have additional needs when using the toilet. Accessible toilets often lack the facilities to make stoma bag changing safe and easy, thus acting as a form of social exclusion.

The Stoma friendly facilities feature:

 Hook on door – To hang clothing, handbags and luggage while changing stoma bags. This provides more space in the cubicle.

 Shelf space – To enable ostomates to spread out their items easily and avoid having to use unsanitary surfaces.

 Mirror – To enable users to see their stoma while changing their appliances.

 Disposal bin in every cubicle – To avoid embarrassment for men and women having to dispose of their stoma bag in public view.

 Accessible #stomafriendly toilet signage – To highlight the right of ostomates to use the toilet. Reduces risk of hostility for ostomates when using an accessible toilet.

Giovanni Cinque, marketing and campaigns manager at Colostomy UK, said: “It is brilliant that a club so steeped in history like St Johnstone is now Stoma Friendly, and we hope this encourages more clubs in Scotland to make the simple adjustments that can make so much of a difference.

“A lack of suitable toilet facilities can be a huge barrier to doing many of the things most of us take for granted, like attending a football match, so we hope this announcement will encourage people living with a stoma in Perth and beyond to attend a game at McDiarmid Park.”

Colin MacKay of St Johnstone supporters’ club The Cherrybank Blues, whose very kind donation to St Johnstone Football Club helped to fund the Stoma Friendly upgrades, added: “We believe that football should be accessible to everybody, and The Cherrybank Blues Supporters’ Group are delighted to have been able to support the club to make further improvements/upgrades at McDiarmid Park.”

Saints CEO Stan Harris said: “We are proud to team-up with Colostomy UK to become the first club in the Scottish Premiership to adopt Stoma Friendly toilet facilities.

“Making football accessible for everyone has always been hugely important for the club and we will continue to strive to reach new heights.

“Our grateful thanks go to Colostomy UK for their assistance and, of course, to The Cherrybank Blues for the much-appreciated donation.”

For more on Colostomy UK’s campaigns visit https://www.colostomyuk.org/campaigns/

Visit the official St. Johnstone FC website here https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/