Blog
Making the inaccessible accessible (Forward - Autumn 2024)
When Debbie North was diagnosed with spinal degeneration, she and her late husband Andy wanted to find a way for them to still enjoy their passion for Yorkshire Dale hiking.
They founded the charity Access the Dales, working to improve accessibility to the Dales for as many people as possible through the provision of all-terrain wheelchairs. Here, Debbie shares why she believes this mission is so important:
“Nature is essential to my well-being; it awakens my soul and serves as my sanctuary for reflection and relaxation. It’s where I find peace and inspiration, my own version of a church. Unfortunately, not everyone can easily access the countryside. A recent survey conducted by YouGov for the Ramblers highlighted a significant issue: 25% of people are deterred from using path networks due to physical barriers such as stiles, steps, or gates. This issue is even more pressing when considering that over 20% of England’s population—approximately 11 million people—are currently unable to make full use of public rights of way due to mobility issues.
This lack of accessibility means that millions of people are missing out on the profound benefits that nature offers. While there are many different types of all-terrain wheelchairs available on the market, more needs to be done to make these devices accessible for people to borrow. Our charity Access the Dales aims to provide various types of wheelchairs at different locations, offering users a choice of chairs, from joystick control to paddle levers. This approach ensures that people with different needs can find a suitable option to explore the great outdoors.
Accessibility isn’t about sterilising the landscape with tarmac tracks; it’s about thoughtfully integrating facilities that enable people to borrow all-terrain wheelchairs. Ensuring these wheelchairs are available at various locations can significantly enhance the outdoor experience for individuals with mobility issues. It’s about creating opportunities for everyone to connect with nature without compromising the natural beauty and ruggedness that make these landscapes special.
Making nature accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability, is a matter of equity and inclusion. By providing more all-terrain wheelchairs for borrowing, we can open the joys and benefits of the natural world to a broader audience.
To make this vision a reality, collaboration between local authorities, charities, and the community is essential. Additionally, educating the public about the availability of these wheelchairs and how to use them can encourage more people to venture out and enjoy nature.”
Travel with Confidence: Exploring the North York Moors
When SIA’s Susie Wood (SCI clinical specialist occupational therapist) spent a windswept morning at Sutton Bank Visitor Centre on the North York Moors as part of SIA’s new Travel with Confidence project, she discovered over 9km of accessible trails across some amazing and rugged countryside.
Here, Susie explains how you too can experience this incredible terrain with the use of Tramper vehicles.
“The North York Moors is stunning. Such a wild and enriching environment to be in. But as we know, all too often, places like this are difficult to access for people with mobility issues. It was therefore a pleasure to visit the Sutton Bank Visitor Centre, where I met with Caroline Hutchinson and Peter Reynolds who oversee the hiring of Tramper vehicles – an all-terrain mobility scooter specially designed for exploring the countryside – and give advice regarding the 9km of accessible trails there.
On my visit I was able to use one of their Tramper vehicles and understand how it allows access to the beautiful views across The North York Moors as well as other sites across the UK.
To book a Tramper, you must first become a member of Outdoor Mobility, which can be done on their website outdoormobility.org. Once a member, bookings for any of their Tramper sites can be made on-line.
After completing the Outdoor Mobility on-line health declaration, a first-time Tramper user will undergo an induction at the hire site. If there are any concerns about the person’s ability to operate the vehicle safely, hire will be declined. Once trained, the Tramper user will be provided with a membership card so that when they hire it out again, the induction will be tailored to a trained Tramper user.
Outdoor Mobility operates a Tramper network across the Lake District, North Pennines, and the North York Moors. It has a sister scheme called Countryside Mobility which covers Central and Southwest England. Hire sites exist across several partner sites, including Forestry England, National Trust, English Heritage, Forest Holidays, National Parks, and private businesses.
Steve Brown – SIA ambassador and BBC Countryfile presenter:
“Having spent time in the North York Moors, I know what a unique place it is, full of an abundance of rugged natural beauty and wildlife. As a wheelchair user and lover of wildlife, I know that having access to this stunning countryside through the network of accessible trails will allow many more people to become fully immersed in the sights and sounds of this incredible area.
SIA plan to ensure that more and more people with spinal cord injury learn about and benefit from visiting places like the North York Moors. Thanks to funding from the Motability Foundation, the Travel with Confidence project aims to raise awareness of what assistance is available and provide information on planning and completing a journey so it can be enjoyed by many others.”
This article was featured in the Autumn edition of FORWARD magazine
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