Here at Access Cornwall we are pleased to share a guest blog from Beth Bowden, writer and producer of the play Right of Way which is showing at The Poly in Falmouth on Friday March 15th. Beth is a young carer for her disabled mum. The play is based on her experience of walking the South West Coast path during the COVID pandemic. Here Beth shares the story of how the play came about and the themes that it explores.   Production shot by Lidia Crisafulli     I’m standing watching the sunrise at Charlestown Beach near St Austell in Cornwall, and something shifts. It’s November 2023 ..read more

In November, 2023 the Access Cornwall team visited the Night Garden at the Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissey in Cornwall to try out the accessible routes around the garden.   Take a look at our video above to follow the team as they explored the gardens and enjoyed many of the magical sensory elements on offer at the Night Garden this year.   Overall the accessibility is good. The staff are incredibly helpful and attentive, the accessible pathways are fairly level, although it can be tough going in some places for manual wheelchairs. We’d also advise taking a torch as some o ..read more

It’s the time of year when we all put on our Poppies and take time to remember those who have served in our armed forces, but this time of year can be very difficult for veterans. In this article Andy* one of our team, shares his story and offers his thoughts on how we can best support veterans living with trauma and disabilities at this time of year.   First of all, I’m sharing my story not to seek sympathy but to shed light on the struggles disabled veterans can face and to share my personal thoughts on how we can all help those who have left the armed forces and are coping with trauma ..read more

Halloween season is upon us, and Cornwall is the perfect place to embrace the spooky spirit. With its rich history, eerie landscapes, and chilling tales, Cornwall offers an unforgettable Halloween experience. Here are five spooky things to do in Cornwall this Halloween in places that offer good accessibility, complete with our Access Cornwall guides.   Bodmin Jail     Accessibility: accesscornwall.org.uk/listing/bodmin-jail-attraction/   Located in the heart of Cornwall, Bodmin Jail is a former 18th-century prison with a dark and grim history. This Halloween, why not dare ..read more

We are constantly being introduced to more and more ideas, from gadgets, accessible venues to activities. Here our reviewer, Helen Martin shares her experiences of taking her daughter Holly, who is going through ongoing recovery from a traumatic brain injury, to accessible cricket.   Since her accident two years ago, Holly is relearning how to walk and talk and many other skills we took for granted before. Living where we do though, everything is always a bit of a drive away. Not a huge problem, if Holly agrees and wants a go we go! Recently, a lady called Sue Leathly posted about Disabil ..read more

Hi all, My name is Helen Martin, some of you might already know me as Hollys mum and regular blogger on her Facebook page ‘Come On Holly Pop’. Holly was a happy healthy teenager, into horses, swimming, riding, music and many more hobbies and interests. If she wasn’t on a horse she was in the sea. She was a fun and sociable girl! On the 12th of April 2021 Holly had a riding accident at home which left her with a severe traumatic brain injury. She spent over a year in Bristol Childrens Hospital undergoing intensive recovery and rehab and has been home now for just over a year. Holly is doing rea ..read more

We’re delighted to share with you our Accessible Guide to Looe which we have produced in collaboration with Looe Town Council, East Looe Town Trust, West Looe Town Trust and Looe Harbour Commissioners. Looe has become a very famous town with its recent starring role in the BBC TV series Beyond Paradise where it is the main filming location for the lead characters ficticious home town of Shipton Abbot. It also happens to be a beautiful and very accessible town, despite being a historic fishing village which is still very much a working harbour today. Our team of accessibility reviewers have enj ..read more

We’re delighted to launch our new Accessible Guide to Cornwall. Researched and put together by a team of our amazing accessibility reviewers who go out all around Cornwall, this will give you inspiration on places to visit, eat and stay at all around the Duchy! You can also find free print copies in Seymac stands at venues all around Cornwall, just look out for Tourist Information leaflet stands with Seymac on the top. Whether you have accessibility challenges around mobility, vision, hearing, neurodiversity or learning, there are places in here for you to enjoy. Discover beaches with sandch ..read more

We are very excited to introduce Oliver. Oliver is joining the Access Cornwall team as our newest reviewer. Below is a short introduction to Oliver in his own words. we very much look forward to working with him.    Hi, my name is Oliver Goulding, I am 30 years old and I live in Stithians. I have cerebral palsy which affects three of my limbs and means I am unable to walk unaided, so I use a wheelchair most of the time, apart from a walking frame inside. I also have autism and have a severe hearing impairment.   Despite all of this, I am a musician, writing and performing my own ..read more

  Access Cornwall is an online (and soon to be printed) resource that provides information that is helpful for people with disabilities and learning differences about attractions, accommodation, activity providers, cafes, restaurants and other leisure activities and places to visit around Cornwall.   The goal is that anyone who experiences challenges such as vision and hearing impairment, mobility and learning disabilities and spectrum conditions will easily be able to find the best places to eat, visit and stay in Cornwall.    Access Cornwall will support Cornish hospital ..read more