Toy like me

 As a child Rebecca Atkinson struggled to find toys that represented her way of life.

Noting how this can make a person feel she decided to do something about it.

With over twenty years of experience working in T.V production and Journalism and a passion for change,

In 2015 alongside writer Melissa Mostyn,former Ragdoll play consultant and Karen Newell whose son has a visual impairment. 

She established ToyLikeMe in hope to strengthen the global toy industry and encourage them to start positively mirroring the 150 million children worldwide who have a disability. 

The team began by looking over pre existing toys, recreating them to represent disability fighting back against normal prejudices and interpretations that surround it. 

Designing playmobil guide dogs,wizards with wheelchairs and many more,kicking off a petition for change. Backed by fifty thousand people. 

Toy like me's inclusive designs hit the press,their story shared all over the world, playmobil quickly acknowledged the success, and aided by Rebbecca began creating products inspired by toylikeme's designs 

After this success another petition was set up calling upon Lego, this petition reached over 20 thousand people. Athough never responded to Toy like me didn't give up, instead uploading a wheelchair father Christmas design to legos ideas platform. Where fans can vote for their favourite design. 

 In January 2016 Lego's first ever wheelchair-using mini-figure was displayed at Nuremberg Toy Fair. This story built up Worldwide coverage praising ToyLikeMe’s influence, to legos new product. 

February 2016 sow Tinkerbell in a whole new light, as images of Toy like me's design  donned hot pink cochlear implants. These images were shared thousands of times,making global press. 

Over the years Toy like me has grown to become an arts and play based non profit organisation. 

 Whose aim is to  create more art and design projects,continuing to educate by holding workshops and public exhibitions. Their hope being  to influence the global toy industry into becoming more inclusive. 

If you would like to read more you can find Toy like me here: 

https://www.toylikeme.org/ 

https://m.facebook.com/toylikeme/

https://twitter.com/toylikeme?s=09 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/341147740501642563/