A full-time carer has set up a website designed to help disabled people to make friends, after discovering there was no similar service offered.
Lawrence Roper, 46, from Cardiff, spent two years setting up the site after his disabled nephew complained of not being able to meet new friends.
He hopes the site will become a much-needed resource.
Mr Roper said there was a lack of online help for disabled people in their social lives.
The new service, will be free to sign up to but will offer special upgrade packages paid for by the user to navigate round the site fully.
Mr Roper, who ploughed £60,000 of his savings into the new website, hopes it will become a positive way for disabled people to make new friends.
It will offer community talk rooms and information on specialist holidays, transport, safety, accommodation, clubs, attractions, legal issues and work opportunities.
“It all came about because my nephew Darren, who I look after full time, and two other lads who I look after wanted to find new people to make friends with and do things with,” explained Mr Roper.
“But when I did a website search I couldn’t find anything at all to offer this.
“I spoke to lots of people and it became clear what a huge problem this is for disabled people everywhere.”
Mr Roper said the site, which goes live on Friday, will be monitored 24 hours a day.
“We want it to be accessible to everyone world wide, but at the same time we want it to be very localised too,” he explained.
“That is why we have set up talk rooms for all the cities and even the different areas of that city.
“That way if someone wanted to meet up to go bowling or whatever, they can find someone who is from their area.
“As the site builds up, it is our intention to feature holiday information with feedback on hotels, facilities, locations etc, plus advice for bored or excluded teenagers with disabilities and their carers as well as a section on entrepreneurship, employment opportunities, disabled rights and the law.
“I’m sure it will be a real success and I can’t understand why it hasn’t already been done,” he added.
David Fisher from Entrepreneur Action who are supporting the scheme said: “There is a real possibility that disabledfriends.com will create not just a community for people with disabilities, but will grow to become a powerful force representing their views, needs and problems.”
Story from BBC NEWS: Published: 2005/03/04 12:12:17 GMT
© BBC MMV