Access Outdoors CIC, co-founded by Nick Wilson (Disabled Adventurer) and Lizzie Hawkins as the community interest arm of Disabled Adventurer CIC, soft-launches its county-wide Accessible Tourism Northants initiative in the presence of the Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire.
In a week that marks half a century of life for one of its founders, with Nick Wilson turning 50 on 14 July, a new county-wide accessible tourism initiative was soft-launched yesterday, 15 July, at the Discover Northamptonshire Hub at Rushden Lakes.
The Accessible Tourism Northants initiative, a 12-month roadmap led by newly established Access Outdoors CIC, sets out to make Northamptonshire a leading county in the UK for the promotion of access information and accessible tourism. The launch was attended by the Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire Amanda Lowther and destination representatives from across the county’s tourism and disability sector, including a contribution from Aimee Monk, Access Lead at the National Trust, who spoke about their accessibility work and shared key learnings, including the impact of access videos created in collaboration with Disabled Adventurer, Nick Wilson.
The Initiative
The Accessible Tourism Northants roadmap has one clear goal: to proactively show people what to expect and share access information, so they can plan with certainty, arrive with confidence, and come back again. Not ticking boxes. Not compliance-speak. A genuine, community-led effort to change how visitors plan, arrive, and experience Northamptonshire.
The roadmap centres on four core stages:
- #ShowAndTellAccess: venues and attractions posting practical, visual access journeys over summer 2026, showing visitors what to expect from arrival through to exit
- #AccessXmas: venues and attractions posting visual access journey content over winter 2026, proving access communication holds up during the busiest season of the year
- Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 promotional push: a coordinated county-wide campaign to showcase Northamptonshire’s accessible offer to an international audience ahead of and during the Games
- Corby Town of Culture 2028 bid: supporting the county’s cultural ambitions with accessibility evidence and inclusive visitor experience
Access Outdoors CIC
The launch also marked the formal establishment of Access Outdoors CIC, co-founded by Nick Wilson, Disabled Adventurer and Lizzie Hawkins. The social enterprise is a standalone community interest company and the community interest arm of Disabled Adventurer CIC. It will be responsible for delivering the Accessible Tourism Northants initiative and future community-focused projects, ensuring work is delivered efficiently and creates maximum impact and value for the community.
Lizzie Hawkins, Co-Founder and Operations Director of Access Outdoors CIC, said:
“Yesterday showed what happens when a county decides to take access seriously. The energy in that room came from venues, attractions, charities and partners who all want the same thing: clear, honest access information that people can trust.
Over the next 12 months we will turn that energy into practical, visible change across Northamptonshire. If you run a venue, an attraction or a green space, we would love you to be part of it.”
The Founder’s Story
The initiative was conceived and championed by Nick Wilson, founder of Disabled Adventurer CIC, a disabled war veteran, wheeled adventurer, and one of the UK’s most recognised voices on accessible tourism and adaptive outdoor adventure, whose content has reached more than 35 million views in just 18 months.
Nick Wilson, Co-Founder of Access Outdoors CIC, said:
“It’s surreal launching this in a week when I celebrate surviving half a century of life. Surviving multiple conflict zones during a 14-year Army career, attempted suicides and self-harm, and becoming reliant on a wheelchair. So, believe me when I say, I’ve long questioned whether my life would mean anything, let alone whether I’d leave a meaningful legacy.
But, if this initiative does what I believe it can, if Access Outdoors CIC creates a lasting change that enables people to access outdoor adventures, then my life and all of its pains, struggles and failures will absolutely have meaning, and leave a legacy to be proud of.
This is the beginning of something really very special, and I’m fully committed to showing everything Northamptonshire has to offer and, most importantly, the relevant access information which gives people the confidence to get outdoors.”
Get Involved
Venues, attractions, green spaces, tourism bodies and destination partners across Northamptonshire are invited to take part. The initiative begins with #ShowAndTellAccess this summer.
To find out more or to get involved, contact Access Outdoors CIC directly:
Email: info@accessoutdoors.co.uk
Website: www.disabledadventurer.com
https://www.facebook.com/DisabledAdventurerhttps://www.instagram.com/disabled.adventurer
