Let’s Go: Karen Harris Turns a Lifetime of Experience into a Business Championing Accessibility

Karen Harris has a remarkable breadth of knowledge around accessibility. 

Karen, who has a disability herself, has worked within the social care and disability sectors with both adults and children, giving her a thorough understanding of all sorts of disabilities. 

She has volunteered with Home-Start, a charity that supports families with children who have disabilities, and helped in schools with children with additional needs. 

Karen has also volunteered for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, helping them to improve accessibility through site surveys. As a result, the park now has all-terrain vehicles and new changing toilets installed. 

Now, aged 64, Karen feels it is the right time to make a business out of her expertise – forging a flexible career for herself whilst improving access for so many people across the country.  

Karen (left) with Tracy Eynon

Let’s Go’s ethos is ‘access is essential not desirable’. They’re dedicated to improving access at museums, heritage properties, visitor centres, parks and open gardens. They specialise in accessibility audits, access policy development and staff training.

Karen’s journey to launching Let’s Go began after a visit to a museum in Carmarthen, where she noticed their accessibility could be improved. Accessibility is not just about wheelchair access, it’s about making facilities inclusive for all sorts of disabilities, such as hearing and visual impairments, neurodivergence and more. Keen to make some positive changes, the museum offered to pay her to do an access audit. 

Since then, Karen has completed audits at four sites for Carmarthenshire County Council. 

Karen said: “Seeing the change and seeing things improve is really satisfying when you know people have got the funding they want and will take action. It fills me with hope for the future. 

“So far the best bit about the business has been working with some amazing people. Everyone has been brilliant, enthusiastic and willing to learn.” 

As she’s embarked on becoming self-employed, Karen has received free support from PRIME Cymru’s business experts, Development Officer Tracy Eynon and Volunteer Mentor Paolo Piana.

Karen said: “PRIME Cymru has been great help coming up with ideas for networking. You’ve all been amazing.” 

To get in touch with Karen at Let’s Go, you can call 07979 830682 or email letsgo4access@gmail.com. 

If you would like free support to start a new business, you are aged 50+ and live in Wales, please contact us on 01550 721813 or email enquiries@primecymru.co.uk.