A crowdfunding campaign has been launched by the charity, Access Adventures, to raise the funds needed for a vital upgrade of the changing facilities at its base near Staines in Surrey.

The registered charity provides life-changing adaptive sports and activities, such as water skiing and wakeboarding, for people with disabilities at the Edge Adaptive Sports Centre at Heron Lake. However, its changing area is in desperate need of a refurbishment to enable better access for disabled participants, their family, and friends for years to come.

The charity is attempting to raise £15,000 and Sport England is supporting its effort through matched funding, meaning most donations will be doubled. There are also some incredible rewards to be claimed by donors, from both the local and wider community.

One of the charity’s main objectives is to make adventure sports accessible and affordable for all, allowing anyone with a disability the opportunity to gain from the transformational benefits of being active. Access Adventures uses sport as a rehabilitation tool to improve physical and mental wellbeing. Research has shown that taking part in sport and having regular exercise can help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

Adaptive activities at the centre include water skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, paddleboarding, biking, yoga and wheelchair skills. Access Adventures believes disability should not stop anyone getting the most out of their lives. Thanks to specialist equipment and trained instructors, a huge range of people can be supported. The charity works with individuals, disability organisations, local groups and charities. This summer, hundreds of adults, children and their families enjoyed the activities.

Jane Sowerby, Access Adventures CEO & Co-Founder, said:

“At Access Adventures we are passionate about adaptive sport. Our participants inspire us every day, they’re constantly pushing boundaries and challenging expectations. While we are immensely proud of the adaptive activities we offer and the benefits they bring, we are definitely not proud of the current changing facilities! We believe our participants deserve better.

“This campaign will help us transform our adaptive sports centre. The current facilities are not fit for purpose, we want to create a space that our whole community can be proud of. We really appreciate any support to help us achieve our goal.”

Users of the centre are also urging people to support the campaign.

Sophie (London): "Adaptive water skiing is the best thing I've done since becoming disabled, it just gives you so much freedom. The changing rooms at the centre need to be a lot more inclusive to be suitable for people with disabilities."

Sarah (London): “Please support this amazing charity. Access Adventures have been there for me and many others. For me personally Access Adventures have helped me since 2016. They not only taught me to water ski but they provide me with a social life and enable me to relax in a non- judgmental, supportive and accessible environment, which makes me a lot happier. The changing rooms at the centre need a major overhaul as they are currently grotty and unfit for purpose.”

Terry (West Ewell, Surrey): "I don't use the shower facilities after I've been water skiing, because I can't fit my shower chair in there."

Hannah (Wokingham, Berkshire): "I was first introduced to adaptive water skiing on an Access Adventures weekend. I absolutely fell in love with it and haven't left since! I would just like an accessible bathroom, where we can get one wheelchair past another, and the bonus of a warm shower after water skiing would be brilliant."

Access Adventures took over the running of the Edge Adaptive Sports Centre in 2020 after working closely with the British Disabled Waterski & Wakeboarding Association for a long time. Adaptive water skiing has been taking place at Heron Lake for over 40 years and the facilities are now showing considerable signs of wear and tear. There are constant plumbing issues, damp, leaks and lack of space for the growing number of disabled participants to shower and get changed.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The crowdfunding page can be found at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/access-adventures-adaptive-sports-centre

The page has a video with interviews and footage of adaptive sports which you may embed in your website.

Photos in the dropbox link below should be credited to Access Adventures.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/57tpbocd3tfe45a/AAByqEVOajw2vQN4Tya-r-Nma?dl=0

For further information about Access Adventures visit http://www.accessadventures.co.uk

For media enquiries, interviews or images, please contact: Jane Sowerby jane@accessadventures.co.uk 07968 012464 or Tim Farr tim@accessadventures.co.uk 07970 690197

This press release was issued on behalf of Access Adventures by British Water Ski & Wakeboard. British Water Ski & Wakeboard is the sport’s national governing body and a non-profit making membership organisation. All its income is invested in developing and protecting water skiing and wakeboarding across the UK from the grassroots to our top athletes.

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