How is this even allowed (no toilets)

You’d get the likes of Cheryl Cole giving her a black eye when asked to pony up their 20p…

We need to copy France and install Madame Pipi in every toilet block and charge 20p a go.

Totally agree with @Hannahsbananas .

@JessandJupiter I don't think anyone would disagree that it would be great if there were far more public toilets available, and that every parade of shop, every park, every car park, and many other places had toilets available. Yes, part of the issue is austerity, but a big part of the issue is the appalling behaviour of far too many members of the public, who just make public toilets unusable for many anyway. Even if some philanthropist chose to put a public toilet in every park in the country, sadly, by the end of the month probably 80% of them would be unusable.

However, that is a different thread altogether.
The concept of nobody being allowed to ever offer anything unless it is completely accessible to 100% of people is just bizarre.

To make an unpopular point, cuts by councils are sometimes not the fault of govt policies.

There seems to be plenty of money for some things, eg councillor allowances which are in most cases outrageously generous. Parish councillors are not remunerated and often these people do far more!

Elderly care takes up most of councils’ budgets now, an unsolvable “problem” unless we implement Logan’s Run…

I have contacted the council (and councillors) about the woeful public toilet provision locally. It’s Asda or - quite literally - bust. I was moved to complain when getting an eyeful of workmen/drivers etc relieving themselves in the small park. The reply was a resounding “it’s not the cost of cleaning/upkeep - but the vandalism and anti-social behaviour/drug use”

I also agree that we need more public toilets and I'd also like to see an end to the preciousness of business owners about toilet usage. I can only think that the owners of cafes and the like don't have small children or elderly parents, or a menopausal bladder.

I am a regular parkrunner and most parkruns have toilets.

However, they don't all have them, so I find a bush. Obviously that only works for a wee.

Those of you who say "just go before you go out", it's not that easy for many of us, unfortunately. I can go before I leave the house and STILL need to go once I arrive at the run.

If you need more than a pee, then you have to find somewhere nearby with a loo. Supermarkets are generally a good shout. Or a library.

This is the problem though! People saying “oh well who is going to do it, let’s be realistic”. I would say that it’s more realistic to acknowledge that we are all born with bladders and colons and need to pee every couple of hours or so. It’s a very basic human need.

We are meant to be a democracy. Let’s all of us go and see our MPs and join the campaigning group such as “public toilets uk a matter of urgency” on Facebook. Sorry cannot link but there are lots of campaigning groups. The subject matter is not particularly sexy or cool admittedly but we mothers need to get behind it!

There’s a huge difference though between decent basic provision of public lavatories - which we are not even close to frankly - and “peppering the country with lavatories”. Clean manned public lavatories in parks should be a priority imho - it would make the park accessible to many more people - and would have a health benefit if people could be walking daily when otherwise they could not.

But anything with this government that benefits society collectively: youth clubs, day centres, libraries, public lavatories, children’s playgrounds, have all been cut to the bone, when personally I think they should be viewed as priorities.

It’s not a particular “women” issue; most older people need the loo more often than younger ones. Older men need the loo most frequently.

HOWEVER you can’t pepper the whole country with toilets. As other have said, a large organised gathering merits portaloos but a small event lasting a short time cannot be expected to arrange provision.

Like @ToContiOrSequi my life is constricted by a bowel problem. I have to very carefully plan trips out. But I don’t expect to find a public convenience everywhere . That would place my needs above reasonableness.

Hypothetically, yes
But who’s going to make it happen anytime soon?
Let’s be realistic, fgs! 😆
There are no toilets at the park that this particular session will take place at, so op needs to accept that she’ll need to sit this one out, and find something more suitable at the leisure centre.
That’s it.

Not really - it's the best solution to OP's situation

Well, that’s a different thread entirely, isn’t it? 🤦‍♀️

Yes and if most parks and public areas, train stations and shopping centres had proper provision of lavatories as they should do, this wouldn’t even be an issue.

No, The point of the thread is op wants them to change venues to somewhere with toilets and changing facilities.

Not if the public park has proper provision of lavatories. Which is the whole point of the thread!

But if I did, I just wouldn't attend this session.

I wouldn't expect it to be cancelled for everyone else. Or moved somewhere just for me where everyone else may not be able to make it.

I'd go to a session that met my needs

But it’s true 🤷🏻‍♀️
If you need to be within arms reach of a toilet at all times, exercising in a public park is not for you.
It’s hard to state that sympathetically, it’s just a fact.

Wow. What an unsympathetic post. I do hope you never have a birth injury or become incontinent owing to cancer treatment, or old age. You’d be surprised how many young people are affected too.

I didn't miss the 'women in sport' bit op 😆

It's a charity event in your local park! That's all!

My youngest plays footie which involves visiting various playing fields often in local parks. There are never toilets so you get used to minimising your fluid intake and searching google Maps for the nearest toilets! (usually supermarkets!) unfortunately most park toilets have now closed due to budget cuts. These clubs are all run by volunteers and are not for profit.

Cost is also a barrier to women in sport. If they moved to a location with a toilet, it may well cost to hire. Therefore, some women would no longer be able to attend.

You could discuss it with the organisers, but they aren't obliged to find a place with a toilet. It's just one of many factors that could be considered when planning an event.

If an event doesn't suit me, I'll find something else that does.

I'll leave this link here as I think it's relevant.

www.rsph.org.uk/our-work/policy/healthy-places/taking-the-p.html

@girlfriend44 I'm kind of with you in that there should be events held with access to a loo for all the reasons given in the link. I think approaching the charity and asking about provision of facilities for attendees, or asking if they will run a class at another venue that has toilets, is fine. It opens a conversation at the very least. Hopefully you won't get a dismissive reply like some on here have given.

Thanks to my own bladder/bowel issues, I haven't been able to go to beaches for many years. I have to research facilities before I attend any events, occasionally taking immodium or not drinking/eating to reduce the need for the loo. It limits my life and impacts my mental health. However, this thread has shown me there are items I can buy, that campers use, that may help me once again to visit a beach for the day, so I'm thankful to those that shared solutions rather than just berate the OP.

It doesn’t really matter what they organiser thinks, though.
It’s an optional event, they’re not hauling op in there kicking and screaming.
The leisure centre she’s mentioned doubtless run plenty of events that suit her better.
She needs to choose one, and leave all the other participants to make their own choices too.

It is an ableist attitude from many on the thread of 'just don't go', so people with issues just miss out on the physical and mental health benefits of exercise (in general, not just at the OP's event)
No
You just find a different venue that suits you 🤷‍♂️
Presumably you wouldn’t be able to use that park for any purpose if it doesn’t have toilets, so why is it only an issue when some hapless exercise lover tries to set up a class in it?