Rugby Fan Becomes Latest Access Card Ambassador

A life-long rugby fan who is coming to terms with life as an amputee has been officially recognised as an ambassador for the Access Card scheme.

Richard Cowley, a teacher from South London, had his leg amputated in early 2024 and, as a wheelchair user, applied for the Access Card to ensure he could return to enjoying live sports events again with the support of an essential companion.

Richard is now the official Access Ambassador for live sports events and his views and experiences of using the Access Card at Principality Stadium in Cardiff is now available for others to see online.

The Access Card, designed and developed by Derby-based B2B consultancy and social enterprise Nimbus Disability, is the first accessible ticketing scheme of its type in the world.

It offers a universal and consistent way for disabled people to evidence and communicate their needs to providers quickly and discreetly.

Recognised with The Queen’s Award for Innovation, it is now held by more than 750,000 people across the UK and is recognised by more than 1,600 venues and events across the world who offer accessible tickets - removing the need for disabled people to continually call ‘special’ booking lines’ and fill in ‘special’ booking forms or answer personal and invasive questions over the phone.

Richard Cowley explained:

“Readjusting to life as an amputee is a difficult task. Not only are the physical barriers a challenge but the thought process of now using a wheelchair and requiring more support than I used to.

“Discovering the Access Card has been a game-changer. The simple ticket purchase process for my first visit to Principality Stadium was now so simple and the assistance I received at the ground was first-class. I had an awesome time at the rugby and it’s building my confidence in finding the new me.

“As the Access Card ambassador, I hope that I can show other disabled people the benefits of booking accessible tickets in this way to better enjoy the thrill of watching live sports events.”

Richard is the third Access Card ambassador, joining fellow cardholder ambassadors who have shared their experiences for theme parks and theatre trips with online videos on the website https://www.accesscard.online/

He filmed his video at Principality Stadium which, alongside Nimbus Disability, was presented for the Bronze Award for Accessibility Initiative of the Year at the recent ESSMA international Stadium Industry Awards.

The award celebrated the success since Principality Stadium incorporated Nimbus Disability’s Access Card technology to revolutionise accessible ticketing. This innovation has transformed the experience for customers requiring accessible tickets, enabling online booking with freedom and independence.

Principality Stadium digital ticketing and customer operations manager Dan Cook continued:

“We’ve been working with industry experts Nimbus Disability over the last year to deliver the Access Card to our supporters, building on our existing offering for fans with accessible needs.

“Previously accessible tickets were only available to purchase in person or by calling the ticket office, a process which often resulted in long wait times and huge call volumes—an experience which was not fair and equal compared to other ticket types.

“This initiative enables supporters requiring accessible tickets to book online with freedom and independence.”

Martin Austin MBE, managing director of Nimbus Disability, concluded:

“We are delighted to welcome Richard onboard as our Access Card Ambassador for live sports events.

“Through the ambassador programme, we want to empower disabled people to highlight the benefits of the Access Card and give them a platform to share their lived experience with the growing number of providers and venues who work with us to improve accessibility for disabled people.

“I am particularly pleased that we were able to showcase Richard’s experience at Principality Stadium where our groundbreaking collaboration with their visionary team has been an incredible journey.

“Together, we’ve pioneered a new era of sports ticketing within rugby, ensuring disabled fans enjoy the same seamless online booking experience as everyone else.”

Watch Richard’s interview about how she uses the Access Card here.