Hilton UK & Ireland recently announced the appointment of Michael McGrath as disABILITY Champion, a role that will aid further understanding of the needs of, and matters affecting, disabled guests throughout the 78 Hilton hotels in the region.
Michael, who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and walks with the aid of a stick, recently made history by becoming the first disabled person to visit both ends of the earth when he reached the South Pole on 13th January 2004, having reached the North Pole in 2002.
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Michael McGrath said: "Arriving at the South Pole was hugely exhilarating - not just from a personal perspective but also in terms of confronting head-on the challenges presented by my condition. The trip was intended to highlight ability, not disability – to celebrate what people can do rather than what they can't. It is this attitude that I will bring to my role as disABILITY Champion for Hilton UK & Ireland."
Wolfgang M. Neumann, Area President, Hilton UK & Ireland, said: "Michael McGrath's achievement in reaching both Poles is remarkable, and we're excited to have him on board. Hilton believes that disabled guests should have the same experience in our hotels as able-bodied guests wherever possible, and Michael will provide us with invaluable assistance in this area. "
EDITORS NOTES
- High resolution images of Michael McGrath at the South Pole are available for the media to download free of charge from www.vismedia-online.com
- Hilton UK & Ireland currently operate 78 hotels with over 15,000 bedrooms and 15,000 staff throughout the country
- Hilton International (HI), an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of North America. HI operates over 400 hotels, with some 250 branded Hilton, over 150 under the mid-market Scandic brand plus 15 luxury Conrad hotels. Hilton International employs more than 44,000 staff in over 70 countries. A global marketing alliance between Hilton International and the North American based Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC), extends the number of hotels operated by both companies worldwide to over 2,400 – over 500 of which are branded Hilton
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For further media information on Hilton UK & Ireland:
Hilton UK & Ireland Press Office
Maria Myklebust / Andy Collingridge
+44 (0) 20 7856 8471- tel
+44 (0) 20 7856 8665 – fax
press.office@hilton.com
www.hiltongroup.com
