When we think about accessibility, it’s easy to start with a practical question: can someone get there?
That matters. But it has led us to another question: once someone arrives, can they enjoy the experience in the way they want?
In Cornwall, beaches are part of everyday life for many people. Yet reaching a promenade, looking across the sand and joining family near the water can be very different experiences.
While thinking about TanksALot, I found myself asking whether independence could be part of that gap. Would someone need help to move around? Would they need to transfer out of their own wheelchair? Would the available equipment suit them?
These are questions to investigate. My observations and assumptions are only a starting point.
That is why we’re asking wheelchair users about their experiences of beaches and woodland, including places they haven’t visited recently. We want to understand what works, what causes difficulty and what would make a visit more appealing or practical.
We also need to leave room for answers we haven’t anticipated. Someone might explain an access barrier we’ve overlooked. Someone else might simply prefer a different kind of day out. Both help us understand the picture more accurately.
We’ve started gathering responses, but we need many more voices across different circumstances before drawing conclusions.
If you use a wheelchair, we’d really value your perspective. If you know someone who does, please share the survey with them and let them describe their experience in their own words.
Share your experience through our survey.
Listening now will help us make better decisions later.