About us

Everyone should have the freedom to enjoy nature. Yet many disabled people and people with mental health conditions face systemic barriers that limit their access. 

Access to Nature is about supporting people and organisations who work in and with nature to understand these barriers, and to make meaningful change. 

It focuses on learning directly from disabled people and people with mental health conditions, working alongside experts, and using shared resources, practical guidance and peer support to make nature more accessible across Gloucestershire.

Access to Nature began in 2022, when Barnwood Trust started working more closely with nature organisations across Gloucestershire. 

Through conversations and learning events, it became clear that many organisations wanted to work with disabled people and people with mental health conditions in nature, but that access to nature was not equal. Organisations wanted more understanding, confidence and support to recognise barriers and make their spaces more accessible. 

In 2023, Barnwood Trust launched the Access to Nature Learning Programme with the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership. Nineteen organisations took part in learning sessions that combined research, expert input and lived experience. 

This work led to the Access to Nature Network (a community of organisations learning together), as well as films, shared resources and the Nature without Barriers event in 2024. 

As more organisations asked for guidance and support, the Access to Nature Hub was created to bring this learning together in one place and support a wider movement for change. 

We want to grow a movement of more people and organisations taking action to improve access to nature, by learning together, sharing practice and working with experts by lived and learned experience.

The Access to Nature hub is part of this. It’s a practical online space that brings together guidance, real-life examples and tools to support change.

Anyone who manages, works in, volunteers with or influences nature spaces, whether you’re just getting started or already taking action. 

The hub is set out as a journey, with different sections you can explore in any order. Dip in, focus on what’s most relevant to you, and come back to it over time. Start wherever you are, take what’s useful and adapt ideas to fit your context.