Inclusive Networks – volunteers welcome

The Fieldfare Trust has launched a new project and we are asking disabled people who enjoy getting out onto the many paths across the Scottish Countryside to help.

Building on a pilot in East Fife and covering Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling and west and central Fife the Inclusive Networks Project will aim to make the core path networks of the area more inclusive and capable of providing better outdoor access opportunities for all disabled people. That won’t mean making every path on the newly published core path plans fully accessible as long as they provide choices for disabled people as to where they can go, the sort of environments in which they can expect good accessibility and the range of experiences they can gain from using the network.

We are looking for disabled people to help it to identify which paths are important to them, survey those paths and provide information to other disabled visitors on levels of accessibility. This will mean disabled people be able to decide for themselves which paths they can and want to use. Anyone interested in getting out into the countryside and helping the project should contact Alison Rae, Project Officer, on 01334 657708.

Joe Lamb, who is visually impaired and runs an outdoor activity group for blind and partially sighted people in Fife said “I would have absolutely no problem in helping the Inclusive Networks Project in what ever way I can. Outdoors activities, healthy living, and environmentally healthy projects are close to my heart. It would be a pleasure to work together again.”

The project is supported by the four local councils of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling and Fife and is also receiving funding from the Scottish Government and the European Community LEADER Programmes (2007-2013) in Fife and Forth Valley & Lomond, Scottish Natural Heritage and the LloydsTSB Foundation for Scotland.

Click here to view the maps of the surveys we intend to carry out :
Doune
Bridge_of_Allan
Lewis_Hill
Lochgelly
Balgonie
W_Dunfermline
Falkirk_Wheel
Boness
Larbet_Stenhousemuir
Tullibody
Gartmorn
Dollar