Julie Nicholson, Chair of the Irish Powerchair Football Association and a Director in Facilities Management, has been announced as Ireland’s first Purple Tuesday Ambassador, in recognition of her dual passion for inclusion in both sport and business.
“So, so proud to be named the Republic of Ireland’s first Purple Tuesday Ambassador,” said Nicholson, announcing the news. “I’m absolutely thrilled to support a global movement dedicated to making accessibility part of life; for everyone, everywhere, every day.”
Nicholson’s appointment connects two powerful strands of her work: inclusive sport and inclusive workplaces. As Chair of the Irish Powerchair Football Association (AIPF), she has been at the forefront of developing powerchair football in Ireland — supporting athletes, advocating for better access to facilities, and promoting visibility for disability sport.
In her professional life, she is a Director in Facilities Management at Bidvest Noonan, where her leadership has focused on creating safe, welcoming, and accessible spaces and services for all. Her understanding of accessibility — from both lived experience and operational expertise — gives her new ambassador role a unique and practical grounding.
Think Accessibility
Purple Tuesday is a global movement that encourages businesses and organisations to improve the customer experience for disabled people and to make accessibility part of everyday business practice.
“Today, Purple Tuesday is about one powerful idea: Think Accessibility,” said Nicholson. “Because accessibility isn’t a ‘nice to have’ — it is essential. It’s about ensuring every person, regardless of ability, can participate fully in society as customers, employees, and community members.”
Nicholson joins a cohort of international advocates, including Isaac Harvey MBE and Shelley Cowan, whom she described as “people who continue to inspire change through action, empathy, and authenticity.”
The Power of the Purple Pound
A central focus of Nicholson’s advocacy is the “Purple Pound”, the spending power of people with disabilities and their families.
“In business, we often talk about the first, second, and third pound,” she said. “But let’s not forget the Purple Pound, the enormous spending power of disabled people and their families, both in the Irish and global economies. We shop, we buy, we travel, and we contribute to the market.”
She cites the global figures to make the case:
Over 1.6 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability — around 22% of the world’s population.
The global disability market is valued at more than US$18 trillion in spending power.
In Ireland, households with a disabled family member face additional living costs of €9,500–€11,700 each year.
“Accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do,” Nicholson continued. “It’s good business. It unlocks potential. It honours difference. It drives growth and innovation.”
A Call to Action
As Ireland’s first Purple Tuesday Ambassador, Nicholson will work alongside businesses, government bodies, and community organisations to help embed inclusive thinking into everyday decision-making. Her role will include:
Supporting organisations to audit and improve physical, sensory, and digital access.
Training and empowering staff to deliver inclusive customer service.
Promoting awareness of the Purple Pound and the economic benefits of inclusion.
Amplifying lived experience to guide businesses beyond compliance toward genuine empathy and understanding.
“Accessibility isn’t a disability issue — it’s a global responsibility,” said Nicholson. “I’m proud to represent the Republic of Ireland in this worldwide initiative, and I’m calling on our government, businesses, and communities to get behind this movement. Sponsor it. Support your employees. Make inclusion a measurable priority — and not just a once-a-year campaign.”
Global Movement, Local Impact
Purple Tuesday began in the UK and has grown into a global initiative involving thousands of organisations across retail, hospitality, tourism, and the public sector. Participating businesses commit to making at least one long-term, practical change to improve accessibility and to track the impact of those changes over time.
With Nicholson now in place as the Republic of Ireland’s first ambassador, Irish organisations have a visible and experienced leader to connect them to the movement’s global resources and network.
Her background in both sport and facilities management offers an understanding of how inclusion works in practice — from how people move through a physical space to how staff attitudes and policies shape the customer experience.
Purple Tuesday founder Mike Adams OBE has long argued that inclusive design is not just about ramps or signage — it’s about culture. Nicholson’s appointment, he said, is a major step toward making that cultural change in Ireland.
The Broader Picture
The announcement comes amid a growing conversation about inclusion in Ireland — across sport, education, and the workplace. From the national disability strategy to corporate sustainability frameworks, accessibility is being recognised as integral to social and economic progress.
Nicholson’s appointment gives that agenda a relatable public face and a powerful voice. Her work with AIPF has already demonstrated how inclusive sport can transform lives and communities. Now, through Purple Tuesday, she is extending that philosophy to the business world and beyond.
“It’s about choice. It’s about dignity. It’s about the feeling that when I walk into a store, a hotel, or a service desk, I’m valued — not the exception,” she said. “That’s the Ireland we should be building — and accessibility is how we get there.”
Image Credit: Purple Tuesday, Jill O’Meara
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
Read our Sport for Business Coverage of Inclusion
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