DAIS, now called Disability Awareness in Society, understands the challenges faced by disabled people in the Vale.

Its awareness advisers and trainers have seven years' experience of delivering and structuring awareness packages based on their own personal experience of living with a disability.

The charity has recently changed its name and its constitution to help educate and advise the wider community, particularly service industries like shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels, on the issues relating to the Disability Discrimination Act.

By October this year, the goods and service clause of the act will ensure service industries change physical features of their buildings like steps, kerbs, parking areas, doors and public facilities like toilets to allow access for disabled people.

Charity member Steve Arnold said: "Over the past decades, disabled people have found themselves excluded from so many everyday services and activities. Activities such as going out to have a drink and a meal with friends or family can often turn into a complete lottery as so many restaurants, pubs and cafes are so totally inaccessible and ill-prepared to meet the needs of their disabled customers.

"Again, travelling on public or private transport can be a frustrating and hurtful experience as many transport systems are inaccessible and are often manned by impatient, ill-mannered guards and drivers who make you feel unwelcome and an inconvenience."

He added: "With the introduction and implementation of this new disability discrimination legislation, it would be marvellous to think that we would be entering an era where disabled people would finally gain their rightful place in an inclusive society which caters for their needs and accepts and celebrates their difference."

The group has been campaigning for better disabled facilities at Evesham Station and First Great Western Link has now begun work on a six-week, £56,000 project to install a new toilet for disabled people on the Worcester-bound platform and refurbish the ladies' and gents' toilets.

It also plans to spend £20,000 later this year refurbishing an old goods ramp and creating a causeway which will make the London-bound platform accessible to disabled people for the first time.

Communications manager Callum Collins said: "The project is a clear indication of First Great Western Link's commitment to improving services for our customers and an example of our ongoing work to enhance provision for disabled passengers at our stations."

Louise Robbins, who owns the Word of Mouth caf in Evesham's Vine Street, has enlisted the help of the charity's advisors to make her building accessible to disabled people.

"The new Act is something I knew was going to come into effect but getting information about what I'd need to do was quite difficult. When I got a flyer through the door about Disability Awareness In Society, I thought they would be good people to help me," she said.

"I think they'll tell me I'll need large-print menus and I've got an upstairs toilet but I'm not sure what to do about that. I'm not sure if they'll tell me I need to change the layout of the tables or if it will be enough for us to move tables when necessary, like we do if we have customers in wheelchairs now."

Danny Walker, of Disability Awareness In Society, said he accepted that essential changes to services would not happen overnight.

"But, at the same time, it should be remembered that there are 8.6million disabled people in this country with a spending force of £56bn so it also essential that service providers heed to the law and start to devise and plan their accessible services if they are to financially benefit from this potentially lucrative market," he said.