OTTAWA, ON – January 25, 2024
The Shaw Centre is thrilled to announce a partnership with Whimble Care (“Whimble”), an Ottawa-based care tech startup, to promote their on-site attendant care services to events hosted at the world’s best convention centre. This collaboration aims to elevate the accessibility experience for attendees with disabilities, reinforcing the Shaw Centre’s commitment to inclusivity and ensuring that all guests can fully enjoy their event experience.
Whimble, dubbed as the “Uber for personal care attendants,” connects individuals with disabilities to experienced caregivers for on-demand personal care assistance to fill gaps around routine support systems. In addition to their innovative platform for individual users, Whimble has expanded its services to offer on-site attendant care for event organizers and venues, setting a new standard for truly inclusive events.
For event planners at Shaw Centre, this partnership means access to a turn-key program that ensures delegates who may need assistance with personal care needs, such as help with bathroom breaks, hygiene, eating and drinking, purchasing goods and services, and gear changes, can relax and fully enjoy their event experience. Whimble’s network of vetted personal care attendants, equipped with liability insurance, up-to-date CPR/First Aid certification, vulnerable sector checks, and professional references, ensures a high standard of care.
As part of Whimble’s event pricing, they offer promotional support for the event, including a press release issued to local media outlets and disability influencers upon request, and post-event feedback with accessibility recommendations for future implementation.
“The Shaw Centre strives to provide exceptional event experiences for all attendees, and our partnership with Whimble is a significant step towards achieving that goal,” said Alexandra Tanguay, Director of Event Services at Shaw Centre.
“We love partnering with organizations who just “get it”. By including on-site personal care attendant services in its offerings of services for event planners, the Shaw Centre is redefining what it means to organize and host inclusive events,” said Emma Brown, founder of Whimble.
This partnership is a significant step in the right direction and will assist organizers in ensuring enhanced inclusivity at their events. Both the Shaw Centre and Whimble look forward to a future where all delegates, including those with disabilities who rely on personal care assistance, can have a memorable and hassle-free experience.
About Whimble:
Whimble is an Ottawa-based care tech startup whose marketplace platform connects people with disabilities with experienced caregivers for on-demand personal care assistance. To join Whimble’s community-based platform and access or provide last-minute personal care assistance, visit www.whimble.ca.
About Shaw Centre:
Shaw Centre, formerly known as the Ottawa Congress Centre, is a state-of-the-art convention center that opened its doors in April 2011. The Centre, named the 2020 “World’s Best Convention Centre” by the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), hosts conventions, conferences, meetings, and events. Shaw Centre is governed by a board of directors and managed by an expert team, with a commitment to creating extraordinary events. Learn more at shaw-centre.com.
For More Information
Emma Brown
Founder
Whimble
613-363-7705
emma@whimble.ca
Josh Verch
Director, Marketing and Partnerships
Shaw Centre
613-294-1528
jverch@rogers-centre.ca
