12 May 2026 – Neuromuscular Centre, Winsford
On Tuesday 12 May 2026, Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance officially launched the Hoists in Hotels campaign during our Information Day at the Neuromuscular Centre in Winsford. The launch marked a major step forward in our mission to make hotel stays safe, dignified and genuinely accessible for hoist users across the UK.
This campaign is shaped entirely by lived experience — by people who know first‑hand what it means to travel with a hoist, and what it means when hotels fail to provide the equipment we rely on.
Watch the Campaign Film
To hear directly from hoist users and understand why this campaign matters, you can watch our short film here: 👉 Watch the Hoists in Hotels film
Why Hoists in Hotels Matter
For thousands of disabled adults, especially those with neuromuscular conditions, a hoist is essential. As Dr Jon Hastie states in his foreword in the campaign booklet:
A hoist is essential lifting equipment that enables many disabled people to transfer safely between their wheelchair, bed, toilet or shower.
Yet fewer than 20 hotels in the UK currently have a ceiling‑track hoist installed. This leaves most hoist users unable to book safe accommodation, attend work events, travel with family, or take holidays.
The consequences are significant: cancelled trips, unsafe manual transfers, carers injuring themselves, expensive equipment hire, “accessible” rooms that aren’t actually usable.
For many disabled people, travelling often means “winging it.” Outside this context, winging it simply means doing something without proper preparation; improvising, making do, and hoping it works out. But for hoist users, proper preparation is often impossible. Hotels rarely provide the information needed to plan safely: room layouts, bed measurements, hoist‑friendly flooring, bathroom access, and transfer space are either not shared, not detailed, or described as “fully accessible” when they are not actually accessible to hoist users.
Even more importantly, the likelihood of a hotel room having a ceiling‑track hoist that allows safe transfers between the bed, wheelchair and toilet is extremely low. It’s an absurd contrast: hoist users rely on a ceiling‑track hoist every single day at home as an essential aid, yet hotel “accessible” rooms expect them to simply manage without one. Instead of the continuous track system people depend on at home, guests are faced with a completely different setup that provides none of the infrastructure required for safe, dignified transfers.
Without clear, reliable information, people are forced to take risks and hope they can make the room work when they arrive.
As Jon states:
The Hoists in Hotels campaign exists to change this.
Introducing the Hoist Standards
At the launch, we introduced the Pathfinders Tiered Standards for Hotel Hoist Provision — a practical roadmap for hotels to improve hoist accessibility and for guests to book with confidence.
These standards give hotels a clear path forward and give disabled guests assurance that a room will meet their needs.
A Logo That Represents Freedom, Safety and the Power to Travel
The campaign’s visual identity is rooted in lived experience. The logo combines a ceiling‑track hoist with wings, symbolising the freedom that accessible travel provides.
As one contributor explained:
“The logo depicts a ceiling track hoist, a daily feature of our lives that bestows independence and safety.”
The wings represent independence, mobility, and the ability to explore the world without fear.
Our slogan, “Don’t Wing It, Sling It,” reinforces this message:
“‘Don’t wing it’ speaks to the reality that too many disabled people are currently forced to improvise… ‘Sling it’ refers to the sling that attaches to and carries us in a hoist.”
The identity was developed with NMC Design+Print and designer Jake Hudson, a hoist user himself, ensuring authenticity and community ownership.
What Happens Next
The launch is just the beginning. Pathfinders is now:
Join the Hoists in Hotels Movement
Whether you’re a hotel, policymaker, disabled person, carer or ally; you can help drive change.
Together, we can ensure that no one has to cancel a trip, miss a milestone, or compromise their dignity simply because a hotel room wasn’t equipped to receive them.