Words by Adrian Aylmer, Outreach and Events Support - Experience Community Leeds Hub

Access to nature is one of the few dilemmas common to almost everybody with a disability. We are constantly being told of the health and well-being benefits of getting outdoors, whether that is into the countryside or simply the local park – yet there are so many barriers.

Some of these barriers are physical; gates and stiles, etc., but others are more complex, such as needing different equipment, requiring support persons, and requiring accessible facilities – all of which might need to be in place for someone to enjoy the benefits of green space. Is it any wonder that so many consider it beyond their capabilities?

And that is where we at Experience Community come in, and why we decided to make our first solo appearance at Naidex this year.

Being able to access the outdoors resonated with so many visitors, and our Outreach and Events Coordinator, Amy Thraves-Connor, and I fielded questions non-stop for two days from people wanting to get involved!

We offer a range of activities, from inclusive rambles to road and trail adaptive cycling, and we have a large fleet of equipment available for hire and sale. Our free wheelchair skills courses provide essential training and advice to help people navigate real-world terrain and everyday challenges. We also provide personalised journey planning support, helping individuals plan accessible routes and explore their local area with confidence, with all our activities being led by disabled staff with experience of wheelchair use.

What was really heartening was the amount of interest visitors showed in our 6-week wheelchair skills courses. Why not check out one of our Wheelchair Skills videos on YouTube to find out what they’re all about?

We’re sorry we had to disappoint so many Naidex visitors by being a primarily Yorkshire-based organisation, but we still think there are opportunities for people all over the country to get involved, whether it’s a gravel cycling challenge, a wheelchair skills course, or just a mooch round the local park.

Visit www.experiencecommunity.co.uk to find out what we can offer you.