Belgravia Foundation celebrate Cérge’s 100 milestone in leisure venues

Celebrating the Impact of Cérge: A Long-Standing Partnership with Belgravia Foundation 

Belgravia Foundation is proud to reflect on the incredible journey of our partnership with Cérge, a groundbreaking communication technology that has transformed the guest experience in participating locations across Australia and New Zealand. With a commitment to inclusivity, Cérge has not only become a game-changer in the leisure sector but has also paved the way for greater access and engagement across multiple industries, including tourism and community services. 

A Milestone Achievement 

As the end of 2024 approaches, Cérge has been successfully implemented in over 100 leisure venues across Australia and New Zealand—a remarkable milestone that Belgravia Foundation is excited to celebrate. This achievement marks the culmination of years of industry leadership, innovation, and foresight from Belgravia Foundation, which recognised a significant gap in the market for accessible and personalised experiences for individuals with disabilities. Cérge has attributed its success, and survival in the early start-up years, as a direct result of this vision, enabling more people living with disabilities to engage with community services confidently, knowing what to expect when venturing into the community, and that they can access the support they need. 

Expanding to New Sectors 

What started as an initiative at one Belgravia Leisure venue – Nambour Aquatic Centre – has quickly expanded to other sectors, further amplifying Cérge’s impact. Many of Belgravia Leisure’s contract partners, including local councils, have now adopted Cérge for implementation in community facilities such as libraries, extending its reach to even more Australians and New Zealanders. By doing so, these councils are enhancing their public spaces, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for individuals of all abilities. Like the proverbial ‘snowball’, Cérge’s reach has now grown to nearly 300 locations, including airports, chemists, supermarkets, stadiums and more, much more. 

Cérge has made waves in the tourism industry through the support of Belgravia Foundation’s partnership, with Belgravia Leisure’s BPro locations which includes accommodation, holiday and caravan parks now utilizing the platform. This move into the tourism sector demonstrates the versatility of Cérge, ensuring that individuals with disabilities can enjoy inclusive travel experiences and access amenities without the stress of barriers that often come with unfamiliar destinations. 

Impact, Everywhere 

Cérge’s impact is a uniform phenomenon in every place it has been installed.  Founders Chris and Victoria Kerrisk have a deep, unrelenting commitment to helping others, co-design, and evidence-based practice.  That commitment is only matched by a sense of social justice, striving to address an inequitable opportunity for people living with disabilities to do what many others have taken for granted – accessing and enjoying community life! 

The incredible impact on real people has been documented and shared as Stories of Inclusion.  Cérge’s impact seems to know no boundaries, with people living with neurodiversity (autism), deafness, intellectual, social phobias, and many more disabilities having been provided an exceptional guest experience when visiting a community facility. 

Recognition and Success 

The partnership’s efforts have been widely recognised across various industries, and Cérge’s impact continues to grow. Recently, Sunshine Coast Airport claimed the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award at the Australian Airports Association (AAA) National Airport Industry Awards 2024 for their collaboration with Cérge. A prestigious accolade that highlights its positive influence on the tourism industry. An additional win, the QLD Government’s 2024 Sport Innovation of the Year, further underscores Cérge’s contribution to making sports and recreation accessible to all. 

In 2023, Cérge’s innovative work was also honoured with the National Award for Industry Innovation of the Year at the AUSactive National Awards, cementing its reputation as a leading solution in the accessibility and inclusion space. 

A Bright Future Ahead 

As the partnership between Belgravia Foundation and Cérge continues to evolve, we are incredibly excited to see what comes next. This collaboration has allowed many operators of community facilities and services to provide much-needed information and help that prioritises inclusion, support, and empowerment. The future looks bright, and we are committed to continuing our efforts to enhance access and inclusion for everyone, everywhere. 

Thank you to everyone involved in the journey so far, and we look forward to seeing how Cérge will continue to change lives, one accessible experience at a time.