Farms are wonderful places to explore and learn from but can be difficult to access if you rely on a wheelchair for your mobility. Organicarts' Pony Access Project aims to change this. This sees us working with enthusiastic pony expert Simon Mulholland and Obama the pony from Rowanoak Stables. We will be developing the use of a specially designed pony drawn chariot for wheel chair users. The design allows wheelchair users to access the farm across a variety of terrain and also gain confidence and skills in operating the chariot. The picture on the right of the page is NOT the wheelchair adapted chariot!!! It is great fun though. The picture on the left is the prototype chariot being tested.
The project will first develop links with different groups involved in working with children who rely on a wheelchair for mobility. We will visit a group at their location to introduce the pony and chariot in familiar surroundings. We will “fit” individual wheelchairs to the chariot and make adaptations as needed. The second session will be based at West Town Farm. We have identified a range of locations for the children to explore ranging in difficulty. All of these will open the farm to explorations impossible for wheelchairs. The Pony Access Project is funded through Devon County Council's Aiming High fund and access to the farm through Natural England.
Express and Echo article on Simon and ObamaImages from around the farm