£250k to make Bristol & Bath's parks more accessible and inclusive
We are over the moon to announce that we have been granted almost £250k from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to improve the accessibility of parks and green spaces across Bristol and Bath for Disabled people and carers.
Developed with Disabled people and carers
Shocking research
We found that one in three local people are living with – or caring for someone – with a disability or long term health condition of some kind.
Shockingly, more than half of the research participants said that visits to the park had a negative effect on their mental health because of the barriers to access them and lack of adequate facilities, if they could go at all.
Parks 4 All
Now, with major funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, over the next two years we will take action by:
- Developing and launching the first ever community-led park accessibility assessments in partnership with Disabled people and carers;
- Publish a toolkit that will enable any group of Disabled people and carers to assess and make a plan to improve their park nationwide;
- Developing accessible and nature-focused activities for Disabled people and carers, like sensory walking tours and accessible nature volunteering;
- Developing training for volunteers on inclusive parks activities and fundraising for parks improvements and provide ongoing support and volunteer management for local parks supporters.
Hear from our CEO, Charlee
“We are lucky to have an abundance of parks in Bristol and Bath – around 120 of them. However, imagine living close to a park but not being able to get through the gate or enjoy all it has to offer. This is the reality for around one in three people in our two cities and it’s why this project is so important.
“We are very grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for this grant, which will enable us to help improve access for people with all disabilities and needs, including those that are deaf, physically Disabled, blind, partially sighted and neurodivergent.
“And, as well as ensuring more people can access their local park, the project will also improve our green spaces through the introduction of fortnightly accessible nature-based activities in 11 local parks initially, so it really is a win-win for everyone.”
Hear from Colin
“As a wheelchair user, and Disabled person, I feel it's essential that parks and green spaces are made as accessible to Disabled people and carers as they are to non-disabled people - which many parks currently are not. This project means more parks and green spaces across Bristol and Bath can be accessed and enjoyed by a wider variety of people - including Disabled people who may not previously have even been able to get in the front gate.
“Now joining Your Park as a trustee, I'm very excited and enthused to continue to bring improvements to the accessibility and usability of parks and green spaces. We all benefit from time in nature, and the work Your Park has done over the last few years has shown that making parks accessible doesn’t need to be costly – simple measures can make a big improvement.”
Get involved
Rach is our project lead.
"As a wheelchair user myself I am aware of some of the barriers that stop the Disabled community from accessing parks and open spaces. I am excited to meet with other members of the Disabled community in various workshops across Bristol and Bath to improve accessibility. If you are a Disabled Person or carer please get in touch."
Thank you
Get involved
If you are a Disabled person or carer and would like to get involved in the project, get in touch.
Support the project
If you believe in making our parks more accessible and inclusive, support our work to help us reach more parks and communities.
