First "quiet hour" opened in the Offenbach Telekom store

More peace, less stimuli and an important step towards more inclusion in everyday life: On Tuesday, May 19, Martin Wilhelm, Head of Social Affairs, opened the first "Quiet Hour" in an Offenbach Telekom store together with Telekom representatives. The service will take place every Tuesday from 1.30 to 2.30 p.m. in the Telekom store at Frankfurter Straße 13.

During the "Quiet Hour", the lighting, music and other stimuli in the store are deliberately reduced. The aim is to provide a more pleasant shopping experience, especially for people with autism, ADHD, mental illness, chronic pain or Long-Covid.

"The 'Quiet Hour' is much more than an organizational measure. It is a visible sign that inclusion begins in everyday life. In other words, exactly where people live, shop and want to participate in social life," emphasized Martin Wilhelm, Head of Social Affairs, at the opening.

Wilhelm thanked Deutsche Telekom and the store team for their commitment: "They show that social responsibility can be implemented in a very concrete way: pragmatically, simply and with great impact for many people."

"By introducing the 'Quiet Hour', we want to help make our store accessible and enjoyable for even more people. Small changes can make a big difference in everyday life. That's why we're delighted to be working with the city of Offenbach and everyone involved to set this important example for greater inclusion," explains Robert Piotr Becker-Parkitny, manager of the Telekom store.

Special thanks also went to Rainer Marx, Chairman of the Inclusion Advisory Board for People with Disabilities in Offenbach, who has long been committed to the introduction of the "Quiet Hour" and has been instrumental in its implementation in Offenbach. "We are delighted that there is now also a "quiet hour" in one store in Offenbach and hope that others will follow. Only minor changes are required for this, and the effort involved in running the business is not particularly significant. People with the relevant health problems will appreciate and be grateful for low-irritation shopping!"

The city of Offenbach has been committed to greater accessibility and participation for many years. The introduction of the "quiet hour" is a further building block for a more inclusive urban society.

Companies, businesses or institutions that would also like to take part in the "Silent Hour" can contact the department office by e-mail at dezernatiiioffenbachde or by telephone on 069 8065 3200.