The Lake District Calvert Trust has launched the UK’s most comprehensive programme of outdoor activities for people with disabilities at its Keswick base.
In announcing its expanded 2023 programme, the residential outdoor activity centre said it was tackling the cost of living crisis by providing a range of flexible options including taster weekends for visitors who are interested in experiencing Calvert Lakes without committing to a full week.
The centre is also running bespoke adventure weekends to coincide with key events in the disability calendar including World Cerebral Palsy Day, World Autism Awareness Day and World Down Syndrome Day.
Activities include abseiling, bushcraft, canoeing, climbing, cycling, high ropes, horse and carriage riding, orienteering, sailing, swimming and zip wire. Courses are available to people of all ages with sensory, learning or physical disabilities, including those with the most complex needs for which most outdoor centres cannot cater.
Calvert Lakes’ new flexible programme has been launched in response to research undertaken by the centre indicating that 55 per cent of disabled people will forsake outdoor activity breaks over the coming months due to financial concerns. As a result, 93 per cent believe this will impact on their physical health and 92 per cent believe it will impact on their mental health.
Centre director Sean Day said: “Our new programme is all about tackling the cost-of-living crisis by providing our visitors with choice and flexibility.
“Prices at the centre are all-inclusive as well as being subsidised by our own fund-raising efforts. We are also hugely grateful to generous benefactors who enable us to provide bursary funding.
“If disabled people cut back on much-needed breaks in the great outdoors due to financial pressures their physical and mental health will suffer. Our aim is to stop that from happening and we very much hope our sensibly priced, expanded 2023 programme will help.”
