Charity Hire Scheme Announces Exciting Developments
A not-for-profit initiative run by the charity Living Options Devon that covers the whole of the South West, including Devon, is excited to announce some exciting news this month.
Countryside Mobility South West has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Visit England Awards for Excellence 2014, alongside announcing four South West attractions as new partner sites.
The Countryside Mobility scheme is designed to help those with limited mobility access some of the South West’s most popular attractions through all-terrain mobility scooters.
The scheme currently has scooters placed at over 30 sites across the region and organisers are delighted to be expanding their list this spring.
Following their Bronze Award for ‘Access for All’ at the South West Tourism Awards in Plymouth, Living Option Devon’s Countryside Mobility scheme has now been shortlisted as a finalist in the ‘Access for All Tourism’ Award Category of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
This means they are guaranteed a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended award at the glittering ceremony held on Monday 12 May 2014 at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire.
The Visit England Awards attracted 368 applications for the 2014 Awards – an increase of 15% on 2013.
James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland said:
“I would like to congratulate all those nominated as finalists for this year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. We receive hundreds of applications each year of an extremely high standard, so it is a tremendous achievement for Countryside Mobility to become a finalist and to represent the top five in their category in England. I wish all the finalists the very best of luck for the awards ceremony in May.”
Alongside this excellent news, Countryside Mobility is also pleased to welcome Dartington Gardens, the Axe Estuary Wetlands, the National Trust’s Lydford Gorge in Devon and Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset as new sites for their all-terrain scooters.
Dartington Gardens in Devon came on board as a new site this month, meaning their visitors can use one of Countryside Mobility’s all-terrain scooters to explore 25 acres of Grade 2* listed gardens.
Whilst the stunning nature reserve at the Axe Estuary Wetlands in Devon is now accessible to anyone who might find walking difficult and later this spring, Somerset’s popular Hestercombe Gardens near Taunton will join the scheme.
Lydford Gorge in Devon brings Countryside Mobility’s and the National Trust’s partnership to nine sites; the deepest gorge in the South West, Lydford Gorge is surrounded by oak woodland - one of Countryside Mobility’s all-terrain mobility scooters will soon be available to enable visitors who have difficulty walking to safely travel down and back to the bottom of the gorge.
Diana Crump, Living Options Devon’s CEO is thrilled with the scheme’s news this month, commenting:
'‘It is an honour to be a finalist at the Visit England Awards for Excellence and Living Options Devon feels extremely proud to host such an innovative and important regional access for all project. Countryside Mobility makes a real difference to disabled visitors and locals across the South West, and we are proud that more and more attractions are working with us to ensure that the region is accessible for all. Our huge thanks goes to all our partner sites whose enthusiasm and commitment have been key to the success of this scheme.’'
For full details about Countryside Mobility and a list of their sites visit www.countrysidemobility.org / call 01392 459222.
You can also find out more about Countryside Mobility by following them on Twitter @CMSouthWest or Facebook CountrysideMobility.
