Date/Time
Tuesday, 18 April 2023
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Details
Online Launch of ‘Outdoor Accessibility Guidance: Supporting inclusive outdoor access in the UK’
Date: Tuesday 18th April 2023 (11:00 – 12:00)
Location: Online webinar (Microsoft Teams)
Hosted by: ORN, Paths for All, and Sensory Trust
Cost: £10 for those from non member organisations | Free for ORN Members (use code ‘ORNMember-FREE’). Please note ORN reserve the right to charge for any tickets purchased this way by non-members.
The Outdoor Recreation Network is delighted to open booking for the online launch of the much anticipated ‘Outdoor Accessibility Guidance: Supporting inclusive outdoor access in the UK‘. The new Guidance was developed by a UK-wide partnership (including many ORN members) led by Paths for All and the Sensory Trust.
This new guide updates and expands on ‘Countryside for All’, which has been widely respected as a benchmark reference for improving access to the countryside across the UK since it was published in 1997. It is designed to help make our outdoor places and spaces, routes and facilities more accessible, and outdoor experiences more inclusive, so they can be enjoyed by everyone. It is written for anyone managing land for public access and recreation, including land managers, community trusts, community groups and volunteers, access and recreation teams and owners. The guide is designed as a practical reference with techniques, tools and design details to help people meet, and where possible exceed, their legislative duties under the Equality Act 2010.
We encourage you to book your place now for the online launch and also save-the-date for our upcoming June conference that will explore how to practically apply this new guidance and what it means for outdoor recreation (more information below).
Register Now for online launch webinar
Meet the Speakers
Rona Gibb, Manager, Paths for All
Rona has worked at Paths for All for over 20 years and is a Senior Manager looking after the Community Paths, Policy and, Communication teams. Rona has had a successful 33 year career within the public and third sectors in Scotland. She was seconded to the Scottish Government for 14 months in 2013 to help develop the National Walking Strategy(NWS) and facilitates the NWS Delivery Forum. She started her career as a Countryside Ranger in local authorities; was a Senior Tutor at a Field Centre in Perthshire; managed a European funded interpretive project across the Highlands and Islands and later became the Access Manager in Argyll and Bute. She has also worked with the British Council in Brazil developing community based interpretive projects. Rona was involved in the early focus groups and pilots for the original Countryside for All guide. Throughout Rona’s working life the focus has been on getting people outside, active and enjoying their environment.
Jane Stoneham, Director, Sensory Trust
Jane is director of the Sensory Trust, an organisation championing the creation of accessible and engaging nature experiences. With a background in landscape management, Jane has over thirty years of experience of advising on an inclusive approach to the design and management of outdoor spaces. She regularly undertakes site access reviews, advises on sensory design, develops tools and approaches like the Access Chain and writes guidance. She has been access advisor to the Eden Project, and has produced bespoke inclusive training and review tools for organisations such as National Trust, Forestry England and Natural Resources Wales. Publications include ‘By All Reasonable Means’ for Natural England and Natural Resources Wales; the original version of ‘Easy Access to Historic Landscapes’ for Historic England, ‘Landscape design for elderly and disabled people’, and ‘Making Connections: a guide to accessible greenspace design’.
Register Now for online launch webinar
Save The Date – ORN Conference
Theme: Practically applying the new ‘Outdoor Accessibility Guidance’
Date: Tuesday 6th & Wednesday 7th June 2023
(Members Meeting & Dinner Monday 5th June)
Location: Leeds
Hosted by: ORN, Paths for All and The Sensory Trust
Following on from the launch of the new guidance this conference will offer delegates the opportunity to explore the guidance further and look at its practical application and what this means for outdoor recreation. A not to be missed event in the ORN Calendar!
Booking to open in April – save the dates for now and look out for further information.