Improving Access for Everybody. Direct Access has steadily become a global force in the accessibility and inclusion field since its inception in 2004.
Established in 2004, Direct Access is a DOBE (team of disabled people) operating out of the United Kingdom, U.S., and Middle East providing design consultancy, access audits, accessible products, and inclusive media. A DOBE® certified Disability Owned and Operated Business Enterprise, we provide accessibility consultancy based on our team's real lived experience of disability. Delivering architectural projects in the UK, United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Oman, Ireland, France, and Switzerland, we deliver reliable and informed consultancy based on the common practices and philosophies of our host nation - dedicating ourselves to our clients on all levels from strategy, benchmarking, guidance writing, access appraising architectural designs as well as accessibility audits for already established sites. https://directaccessgp.com/uk/
23/01/2026
BRAILLE LITERACY MONTH
Creating Braille and easy-read menus for TransPennine is more than a project, it’s making information accessible. And access to information is independence.
This Braille Literacy Month, Direct Access has been celebrating the power of these systems. Braille isn’t just dots on a page; it’s a gateway to choice, autonomy, and equal participation.
This is the practical work of building a more inclusive world. One menu, one journey, one piece of information at a time.
14/01/2026
For decades, mainstream toys like Barbie have reflected a narrow view of “normal” childhood experiences and archetypal roles for women, largely ignoring diversity in neurodevelopment, physical ability, and health conditions. But Mattel has diversified their brand audience through the power of inclusivity. Their latest design, the Autistic Barbie Doll, continues the trend they started with dolls like Down Syndrome Barbie and Diabetic Barbie.
The fact the design has been carefully informed by autistic people themselves gives this new doll an authenticity that mirrors our mission statement at Direct Access. We believe strongly in the idea of involving your audience in the production of a product, so reading that the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and a five-year-old autistic child (shout out to Penelope) were directly involved in the design choices is a wonderful surprise. To me, as an autistic person, it communicates: “Your needs and experiences are valid and attempting to be understood.”
That being said, I do take issue with some of the key features of this doll as an autistic individual: while it offers valuable representation that can validate children’s experiences, build self-esteem, normalise diversity, and show that inclusion can be commercially successful, the portrayals of disability are overly simplistic. Because Barbie is a cosmetic, plastic toy, it cannot fully capture the aesthetic and behavioural diversity of conditions such as autism or Down syndrome.
Image Description: A young caucasian girl, Penelope, wearing a bright green knitted sweater, seated indoors against a light pink wall. To the right side of the image, there is a new Barbie doll standing upright. The doll is dressed in a short-sleeved, blue-and-white striped dress with a ruffled hem. It has long dark hair and is accessorized with pink headphones. The doll is holding a small pink object in one hand and a rectangular card or booklet with colorful markings in the other. In the background, there is a pink piece of furniture, possibly a table or cabinet, partially visible on the left side.
05/01/2026
It's now 2026, and digital entertainment is more popular than ever, with 3 billion gamers worldwide and millions streaming content daily. Yet accessibility in digital spaces is still treated as an afterthought.
From auto-generated subtitles that miss key audio cues, to blockbuster games like Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3 that remain inaccessible to visually impaired players, disabled audiences are too often left behind.
Discover why accessibility is often treated as optional and what needs to change in our first blog of the new year. 👇
The image shows a man seated in a wheelchair, holding a video game controller with both hands. The individual is wearing a light-colored polo shirt and dark shorts. A cable from the controller is visible, extending downward. The setting is a cozy indoor room with warm lighting. In the background, there is a wooden desk with various items on it, including a lamp, and shelves with personal belongings. A bed with a red patterned cover is partially visible on the left side. On the right side, there is a guitar leaning against a piece of furniture, and a sliding door or cabinet with a reflective surface. The overall environment suggests a personal living space or bedroom.
24/12/2025
The Leopard in Nantwich now boasts Direct Access' Accessible menus in a Large Print and Easy Read format!
Go treat yourself to their amazing food over the Christmas break! ✨
Image Description: The photo shows the interior of a cozy pub with warm wooden decor, dim lighting, and vintage style signage on the walls. In the foreground, a hand is holding two menus side by side. Both menus have a beige background with illustrations of a pie and a jug, along with the text:
“Joule’s” (logo at the top right)
“THE LEOPARD MENU” in bold letters
One menu has a green label reading “Large Print”
The other menu has a green label reading “Grade 1 Braille”
The menus are spiral-bound and designed for accessibility. Behind the menus, there are cushioned seating areas, wooden tables, and a basket on the floor, contributing to a traditional pub atmosphere.
Braille and Large Print Menus are now available at The Leopard 🤝
Huge thanks to Direct Access Group for sorting 📖
16/12/2025
For the 1.3 billion people worldwide with disabilities, equitable access to information is essential. How media is presented shapes public attitudes, drives policy, and builds trust.
Our latest blog dives into the power of accessible media and shows how our team is innovating to help businesses reach more audiences and make a bigger impact.
Image Description: A tactile and visual map of Birmingham International Station mounted on a dark blue mobile stand with wheels. The map features a raised layout of the station with labeled areas and a tactile key. The key includes both printed text and Braille, identifying features such as platforms, ticket booths, toilets, lifts, escalators, staircases, food and drink, baby change, changing places, car park, taxi rank, bus stop, assistance points, and information desks. Symbols indicate payment options and cash machines. QR codes for audio and sign language assistance are positioned near the key, enhancing accessibility for visually and hearing-impaired users.
05/12/2025
Big birthday love to our newest CEO, Jude Mifsud! 🎉
Jude has been with us for an incredibly long time, and recently stepped into a key role left by Steven. Since taking it on, she has brought vision, passion, and purpose to everything we do. Her commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful change continues to inspire our team.
Here’s to another great year of making the world a better and more inclusive place for everyone!
05/12/2025
Direct Access were proud to deliver a bespoke dyslexia-friendly menu for GOAT Nantwich! ⚽️
Their new menus feature increased font sizes, colour contrast, simplification of information, and improved formatting.
Great food, great sport, now even more accessible for everyone.
Image Description: The image shows a close-up view of a spiral-bound menu page. The page is light green in color, and the spiral binding is black. The text on the page is printed in black and appears to be rotated sideways in the photo. Visible text includes:
The word “Wings” in bold. Below it, the phrase “Crispy chicken wings and tossed in your choice” (partially visible).
At the top left, partially visible text reads “Classic Buffalo” and “BBQ”.
05/12/2025
Proof that miracles do happen: our main office has its first Christmas tree in years!
Turns out, we didn’t forget how to decorate.
04/12/2025
We hope you'll all join us in wishing our founder and former CEO Steven Mifsud MBE a big congratulations on his incredible weight loss journey. In just eight months, Steven has lost 80 pounds.
And yes, he still enjoys the occasional burger or ice cream. But these days, it’s all about balance, intention, and fueling performance, not letting old habits run the show.
While Steven’s role at Direct Access has changed significantly, if sharing this encourages even one person to take a first step toward better health, we thought it was well worth sharing!
HealthyHabits
Image Description: Side-by-side collage of Steven Mifsud, former Direct Access CEO in different settings. In the left image, he is wearing a black short-sleeved button-up shirt with sunglasses hanging from the collar, standing outdoors in front of a scenic lake and mountain view. On the right, he is dressed in a formal dark suit and white shirt, wearing a name badge that reads "STEVEN, EXHIBITOR, EXHIBIT HALL ONLY," standing indoors at a convention booth labelled "Direct Access" with a wheelchair logo and QR code in the background. He looks noticeably slimmer in the left image and larger in the right image.
04/12/2025
We hope you'll all join us in wishing our founder and former CEO Steven Mifsud MBE a big congratulations on his incredible weight loss journey. In just eight months, Steven has lost 80 pounds.
And yes, he still enjoys the occasional burger or ice cream. But these days, it’s all about balance, intention, and fueling performance, not letting old habits run the show.
While Steven’s role at Direct Access has changed significantly, if sharing this encourages even one person to take a first step toward better health, we thought it was well worth sharing!
Image Description: Side-by-side collage of Steven Mifsud, former Direct Access CEO in different settings. In the left image, he is wearing a black short-sleeved button-up shirt with sunglasses hanging from the collar, standing outdoors in front of a scenic lake and mountain view. On the right, he is dressed in a formal dark suit and white shirt, wearing a name badge that reads "STEVEN, EXHIBITOR, EXHIBIT HALL ONLY," standing indoors at a convention booth labelled "Direct Access" with a wheelchair logo and QR code in the background. He looks noticeably slimmer in the left image and larger in the right image.
24/11/2025
Big news from Direct Access! 🎉
Our founders Steven and Judith Mifsud has officially sold Direct Access Consultancy, LLC (US) to Matrix Design Group, Inc., an award-winning, employee-owned U.S. engineering and design powerhouse.
This exciting step strengthens our long-standing mission: building environments that truly work for everyone.
Image Description: The image shows two individuals (Steven Mifsud and Jude Mifsud) standing indoors in front of a glass wall with a decorative design. The glass wall features horizontal frosted stripes and a large green accessibility symbol, which resembles a stylized person in a wheelchair. Jude is wearing a bright blue long-sleeved blouse, while Steven is dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt paired with a light gray vest. There is a plant partially visible in the bottom left corner of the image. The overall setting is a modern office with a clean and organized look.
Steven and Judith Mifsud, founders and owners of Direct Access Group, have sold Direct Access Consultancy LLC to Matrix Design Group.
24/11/2025
Big news from Direct Access! 🎉
Our founders Steven and Judith Mifsud has officially sold Direct Access Consultancy, LLC (US) to an award-winning, employee-owned U.S. engineering and design powerhouse.
This exciting step strengthens our long-standing mission: building environments that truly work for everyone.
Image Description: The image shows two individuals (Steven Mifsud and Jude Mifsud) standing indoors in front of a glass wall with a decorative design. The glass wall features horizontal frosted stripes and a large green accessibility symbol, which resembles a stylized person in a wheelchair. Jude is wearing a bright blue long-sleeved blouse, while Steven is dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt paired with a light gray vest. There is a plant partially visible in the bottom left corner of the image. The overall setting is a modern office with a clean and organized look.
Address
Suite GB, Pepper House, Market Street Nantwich CW55DQ
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Direct Access Consultancy advises organisations on how to improve physical access for disabled people. This is achieved through Access Appraisals working with architectural and construction firms to ensure accessibility is designed into new builds at the outset. Access Audits look at established buildings and services to make recommendations on accessibility. Both services draw on local disability legislation and building codes in the country of operation.
For over fifteen years we have worked on large scale, high profile events, construction, real estate and infrastructure projects. We go beyond just quoting regulations to providing a fully integrated service that takes into account different dynamics and aspirations of projects we work with - understanding, identifying and overcoming the barriers that impede change.
Direct Access Store (www.directaccess.store)
Direct Access Store supplies and installs a range of accessibility equipment. From initially supplying evacuation chairs and hearing induction loops, the range has grown following feedback from customers.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided for disability charities and Personal Assistants employed directly by disabled people.
Employment and training opportunities for disabled people are provided in warehousing and distribution operations. These create opportunities for those who may not have previously had the opportunity to gain employment.
Direct Access Media and Communications (www.directaccess.media)
Direct Access Communications builds an accessible world through captions, subtitles, sign language, audio description and print enlargement services.
From initially creating Access Guides for the Hereford Museum, Direct Access Communications has grown into a leading provider of solutions for people who are deaf, blind, dyslexic, non-verbal or have other communication needs.
