The role of natural environments within the emotional geographies of visual impairment

Lead Research Organisation: University of Exeter
Department Name: University of Exeter Medical School

Abstract

Over 40 years ago, visually impaired singer and author, Tom Sullivan, argued that "sight paints a picture of life, but sound, touch, taste and smell are actually life itself". This is an important message for the 285 million people worldwide that the World Health Organisation estimates to live with visual impairments, for their families and carers, and the growing number of people anticipated to encounter sight loss in the future (with the rising incidence of underlying causes such as diabetes, and an ageing population).

Recognising the vitalising influence of the wider senses is also important for researchers exploring the positive impacts of natural environment experiences on human emotions, health and wellbeing. Much of this work emphasises the visual sense, highlighting the importance of colours, people 'watching', viewing distant horizons, and the sense of space achieved through visual encounters with these settings. Yet, when we stop to think about the global prevalence of visual impairment (now and in the future), we realise that sight cannot be taken for granted as the most important means of interacting with the natural world.

The aims of this Future Research Leaders project are to explore how and why natural environments (including our back gardens, local parks, woodlands, countryside and coastlines) feature within the everyday lives of people living with sight loss. It will examine how diverse visual impairments shape people's opportunities for positive and therapeutic experiences in nature. It will also explore how this varies between individuals with different life histories, including those born with a visual impairment and those faced with sight loss later in life.

An in-depth two-phase research approach will be used to explore these issues. In Phase I, 3-4 months will be spent volunteering with visual impairment support groups across the south west of England (described as 'ethnographic participation'), helping out with indoor and outdoor recreational and support activities. Through maximising opportunities to spend time with and talk to adult participants living with visual impairments during this period, valuable relationships will be built and initial understandings gained of the wider sensory abilities and experiences of these individuals.

Phase II will involve two sets of interviews with visually impaired adults at different life stages and with varying forms of sight loss. The first interview (an in-depth 'narrative' interview) will examine the impacts of visual impairment on varied aspects of their daily lives and place interactions. It will also explore recalled shifts in these experiences during their lifetimes. The second interview (a 'go along' interview) will take place in a setting identified by each participant as a local 'natural' environment in which they feel a sense of wellbeing. Whilst there, participants will be asked to reflect on and explain the diverse sensory, emotional and social dimensions of their experiences in that environment.

In exploring these aspects of experience, this research will provide novel understandings of the non-visual cues in nature that we respond to. It will address calls to explore the conditions that enable flourishing lives amongst individuals living with visual impairments rather than focusing solely on narratives of loss, and will promote greater sensory awareness amongst the diverse stakeholders involved in the delivery of socially inclusive natural environment interactions.

Dr. Bell will convene and lead a series of stakeholder engagement and dissemination events, alongside the production of high profile academic outputs, in order to raise awareness of how visually impaired individuals can support and sustain a sense of wellbeing through interactions with the natural environment. In doing so, and through a tailored skills development plan, she will strengthen her position as a future research leader.

Planned Impact

This study has the potential to generate both 'conceptual' impact ('enlightenment' of publics and societal groups, reframing debates) and 'instrumental' impact (altering behaviour, influencing the development of policy and/or practice) (Meagher et al., 2008). Four highly appropriate target end-user groups beyond academia include:

1. Visual impairment support and advocacy groups (e.g. Action for the Blind, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Guide Dogs UK, iSight Cornwall): participant narratives emerging from the study will be used to inform the strategies used by these groups to support visually impaired individuals (and their families/carers) in identifying and engaging in pleasurable, fulfilling place experiences in their local areas. Taking part in this kind of narrative research can also promote the wellbeing of the participants themselves by providing a supportive opportunity for them to make sense of and articulate their experiences in their own words (Dale, 2010). Although a small-scale impact, being genuinely listened to is deeply important for those involved (Dale, 2008).

2. Landscape architects and planners will be encouraged to use the research findings to better accommodate the specific needs of those with visual impairments when designing and planning communities. Dr. Bell will organise a design workshop for interested landscape architects, planners and national/international 'umbrella' organisations (e.g. the Design Council, the Royal Institute of British Architects, the WHO European Healthy Cities Network) to develop practical recommendations about how urban communities and their green/blue spaces could be choreographed to achieve a better balance between "functionality, durability and delight" (Landscape Institute, 2013: 2) for those living with sight loss. Dr. Bell will collaborate with the Design Council to incorporate these recommendations within the Continuing Professional Development materials available within their online 'Inclusive Environments Hub'.

3. Land-owning and recreational organisations (e.g. National Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - RSPB, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust - WWT, Wildlife Trusts) will gain valuable insights into how to broaden engagement with and enjoyment of their varied sites amongst currently under-represented visually impaired users. Through a dedicated workshop and follow-up visits, Dr. Bell will collaborate with these organisations to develop and embed a series of tailored guidelines that will support positive sensory experiences on-site amongst diverse visually impaired visitors. These will need to cater for potential feelings of vulnerability without comprising the right to adventure and pleasurable immersion. The RSPB and WWT have already expressed interest in this process.

4. Local and national policy representatives will need to provide strategic support to the organisations (including those above) responsible for facilitating positive natural environment experiences amongst visually impaired individuals. In order to encourage this in the study area, Dr. Bell will join the stakeholder groups of the six Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs) within south west England, contributing to LNP stakeholder meetings, consultations and annual conferences as appropriate. LNPs are partnerships of diverse local organisations and businesses who aim to improve their local natural environments for both social and ecological benefit (with many incorporating specific working groups on health and wellbeing). At the national level, Dr. Bell will discuss the study with interested LNPs beyond the study area, and attend quarterly meetings of Natural England's cross-sector 'Outdoors for All' Working Group which aims to improve opportunities for all people in England to enjoy and benefit from the natural environment.

The specific activities that will be organised to maximise opportunities for these impacts are described in the 'Pathways to Impact'.
 
Title Fragile with Attitude 
Description Creation of a 'Fragile with Attitude' art exhibition at Westonbirt Arboretum, 21-25th April 2022. Curated by disabled artist and disability advocate, Zoe Partington, with Art Shape and six disabled artists, the exhibition challenged prominent misperceptions of disability as weakness or fragility - at a time when these were the dominant narratives being conveyed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Over 500 members of the public visited the exhibition, with fantastic comments written in the visitor book e.g. "Fantastic, calming experience, such skill", "Amazing, so much varied talent", "Such beautiful, thought provoking work with an important message behind it. Thank you for sharing", "Wonderful, beautiful and very profound, thank you!" Fewer people completed the feedback forms provided, but comments included: "Made me view us all as in a constant flux of disability and ability. Everyone is different and struggles in different ways at different times", "life affirming, thank you", and "beautiful, epic, inspiring, rejuvenating, meditative, calming, gratitude inducing". We also included a dedicated afternoon about the exhibition and its creation at a two-day Re-Storying Landscapes conference (19-20th April 2022) to demonstrate and discuss the power of the arts (and particularly disability arts) in sharing new understandings of difference that open up new perspectives and possibilities. Hearing from the artists about their experiences was flagged by delegates as a particularly useful part of the conference, for example with feedback including: "Hearing from the artists about why they participated because it showcased the reality of how unintentionally implemented barriers are affecting people's chance to explore and engage with Westonbirt" (Westonbirt rep). Our Art Shape project manager commented: "At Art Shape, we will incorporate using all the senses into future exhibitions and will endeavour to work more closely with our local sensory impairment organisations and fundraise to explore this work further". 
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/fragile-with-attitude
 
Title Sensing History 
Description Creation of a Sensing History soundscape installation, run for two weeks at Westonbirt from 12-24th April 2022, to encourage visitors to imagine the different sensory histories of Westonbirt through sound and narrative. 
Type Of Art Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact A collaboration between the project and sound artist, James Bulley, this was a new concept for Westonbirt and provided valuable insights into the benefits and practical considerations for embedding such immersive soundscape experiences on site. Over 260 visitors were logged as experiencing the soundscape by the volunteers who were able to welcome people in. Some highlights within the visitor comments received included: "A pleasant surprise, in fact I laid under a tree and listened to it", "It was remarkable, tapped into so much", "To begin I thought of it as nothing but greenery whose sole purpose was to leach us of our money [due to Westonbirt entry fee not an additional cost for the soundscape - that was free]. As I left I had been enlightened by the marvellous sounds", "this exceeded my expectations, I was not disappointed by anything, a positive experience", and "the surround sound was so good, I learned more from this than I expected". As a result of the feedback, Westonbirt is exploring future opportunities to embed sound installations in their visitor experience and site interpretation work. 
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensing-history
 
Description Despite a large and growing body of research examining the links between human health, wellbeing and nature, there remains limited critical engagement with the nature experiences of people living with impairment and disability (Bell et al., 2018). Such encounters tend to fluctuate in the public imagination from that of sub-human to super-human (Bell, 2019a, b), reflected in constraining narratives of risk alongside problematic, sensationalised 'supercrip' stories that reproduce ableist ideas of bodies without limitation.

Drawing on the narratives of people living with sight impairment, the Sensing Nature study responds to recent calls to 'imagine a crip interaction with nature that doesn't rely on either ignoring the limitations of the body or triumphing over them' (Kafer, 2017: 221). Combining in-depth narrative interviews with in-situ go-along interviews, the Sensing Nature study has examined how people living with varied forms and severities of sight impairment experience a sense of wellbeing (or otherwise) with nature through the life course. In doing so, it makes several contributions to research and practice.

Firstly, Sensing Nature has encouraged more critical engagement with the ableist assumptions that underpin popular discourses of nature and independent nature access. The study foregrounds experiences of freedom from ableism with nature (Bell, 2019a, b), whilst also identifying conditions and emotional encounters that undermine such experiences in people's everyday and whole lives (Bell, In preparation). Highlighting a range of opportunities to facilitate more inclusive nature experiences (Bell, 2018a, b; Bell and Petty, 2018; Bell et al., 2019a), Sensing Nature folds issues of social justice into the growing momentum to connect people with nature in the name of health and wellbeing.

Secondly, Sensing Nature has highlighted the importance of attending to more ephemeral qualities of nature that shape experiences of health, wellbeing and disability. This includes the somewhat 'absent presence' of the weather in the literature (Bell et al., 2019b), and the role of non-human socialities, moving the 'social' beyond the typical realms of human-human interaction (Bell, 2019c). These findings are being put into practice through productive working relationships with VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, Vision UK, Moorvision, British Blind Sport, and the Ramblers, amongst others.

Thirdly, through a series of interactive academic workshops held around and beyond the UK (London, Durham, Edinburgh, Dublin, Sydney), Sensing Nature has encouraged more critical reflection on the importance - and limitations - of mobile and in-situ methods in geographies of health, wellbeing and disability, tailored to people's diverse sensory needs and priorities (Foley et al., Forthcoming; Bell and Bush, Under Review). Inspired by these workshops, attendees are now organising their own sessions, with the aim of developing more participatory sensory methods that capture non-verbal aspects of movement, experience, health and wellbeing, both in situ and through the life course.

Overall, Sensing Nature has encouraged more inclusive approaches to research and practice that appreciate the plurality of embodied human experience, respecting and supporting a multiplicity of ways of sensing, being and moving with the world.
Exploitation Route Nature is experienced in diverse ways; from feeling the elements and encountering plants and animals near home, to venturing further afield to parks, woodlands, the coast, countryside and mountains. Recognising this, Sensing Nature has been collaborating with a range of stakeholders - national and international - to improve the way we understand, enable and promote more inclusive nature experiences amongst adults with sight impairments through five work-streams: (a) "Nature Narratives", promoting inclusive multisensory connections to bird- and wildlife in collaboration with the RSPB, the WWT and VocalEyes; (b) "Adventure Nature", working with the Calvert Trust, Bendrigg Trust, Blind Veterans UK and Milton Mountaineers to broaden the activities of outdoor adventure activity providers to include people living with sight impairment; (c) "Urban Nature", working with the Sensory Trust to build on and refine existing guidance for enhancing the inclusivity of green space design and management; (d) "Walking with Nature", co-producing national guidance with British Blind Sport to support existing Walking for Health groups to include walkers with varying forms of sight impairment; and (e) "Easing into Nature", working with sight loss charities around the UK to explore different approaches for (re)building enriching nature connections with the onset and progression of sight loss.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
URL https://sensing-nature.com
 
Description The Sensing Nature project finished in December 2018 and while much of the impact was stalled due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, this summary shares signs of impact emerging at different stages of the project (including post-completion) as a result of extensive stakeholder engagement and impact-oriented activities undertaken. When I started this project back in November 2016, I had no idea that it would generate so much enthusiasm or momentum. It has been both encouraging and inspiring to recognise how much potential the findings have to change the way we understand, enable and promote more inclusive nature experiences. From the project outset - including the design stages - I was keen to involve as many relevant organisations as possible in shaping the research as well as its outputs and outcomes. These organisations span from those involved in the sight support sector, to those supporting people to engage with and experience diverse types of nature, including both urban and rural settings. Key to the research design were discussions with organisations including the Sensory Trust, the Design Council, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), iSight Cornwall, Action for the Blind (now part of the Royal National Institute of the Blind, RNIB), and the Thomas Pocklington Trust. Building on these initial collaborations, the network of organisations involved in the Sensing Nature project has expanded to include over 20 national/regional organisations involved in supporting access to nature, over 30 organisations within the sight loss sector in the UK and beyond, and the UK National Outdoors for All Working Group. Through initiating and attending meetings - in person and virtually - throughout (and since) the project, I have come across and raised awareness of fantastic work undertaken by such organisations (see the Sensing Nature website news page for full details - https://sensing-nature.com/news/). This has ranged from Thrive's resources for gardening with sight impairment, the Bat Conservation Trust's guidance for organising inclusive bat walks and species monitoring efforts, the 'Touch to See' nature books produced by Living Paintings, Sport England's 'Parkrun' success, Cornwall's Blind at Sea group, Sense's new 'Sensory Walks' in collaboration with The Outdoor Guide, the RNIB's new 'Messy and Muddy' guide, Birdability's resources to support sight-impaired birders, and a wealth of resources produced by the Sensory Trust to inspire and enable more multisensory nature connections amongst people with varied sensory priorities and needs. Other organisations, such as the Bendrigg Trust, the Calvert Trust, Milton Mountaineers, Vision of Adventure, and Blind Veterans UK, have demonstrated a range of valuable approaches to promoting a sense of adventure in nature. Whether it's sailing, waterskiing, climbing, caving or other so-called 'risky' activities, they are supporting people to balance positive risk taking with genuine skills development to promote otherwise rare opportunities for 'wilder' nature immersion and achievement. We drew on this expertise as part of a collaborative event, organised by Sensing Nature in Bristol in September 2018, bringing together outdoor nature-based activity providers and outdoor adventure enthusiasts, both with and without sight impairments, to raise greater awareness of the importance of - and opportunities for - broadening their activities in a meaningful, appropriate way to include people living with sight impairment. A podcast summarising the key conversations held during this event is available on the Sensing Nature website, and the organisations involved have already started exploring avenues for applying the learning in their activity programmes. Beyond these opportunities for adventure in nature, many organisations have expressed enthusiasm for improving their approaches to enabling more inclusive multisensory experiences. A range of efforts are being made to encourage this, for example through the Heritage Ability programme in south west England, the Woodland Trust's Charter for Trees, Woods and People, and 'Find the four using the four' - a nature-based scavenger hunt developed by the Wildlife Trusts and Victa UK for sight impaired young people. The importance of such efforts was a key topic during a lively two-day 'Nature Sense' workshop that we organised at WWT Slimbridge in 2017. We organised this in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Throughout the workshop, we identified several opportunities to tune into and experience pleasure in nature. These focused on using our often neglected, somewhat dormant non-visual senses, be it through sound, scent, touch or movement, appreciating nature's charisma in alternative ways. Building on the workshop, we were able to secure additional funding through the University of Exeter's ESRC-funded Impact Acceleration Account, to develop a strand of impact-oriented activities called 'Vocalising Nature Sense: Nature Narratives'. Through this project, we co-designed and delivered tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. The overall aim of the work was to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We also co-produced a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which are available to download via the Sensing Nature website (https://sensing-nature.com/news/nature-narratives-guidance). These have been circulated by project partners and are now being utilised by VocalEyes in their training within these types of natural heritage settings. A useful summary written by project partner, Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes), is available here: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/). Prior to the impacts of Covid-19 (which had a major impact on these activities), early signs of impact emerging from these activities included: (a) the RSPB Brand, Innovation and Planning Editor produced new 'Accessibility guidelines for editors' for the Brand Innovation and Planning department; (b) one of the RSPB sites involved in the Nature Narratives training had run two guided tours with local sight loss groups, and had established a quarterly guided tour with these groups prior to Covid-19, as well as reviewing their approaches to all guided tours, using carefully planned multisensory audio description to help visitors engage with the less visible or obvious aspects of the nature on site; and (c) one of the National Trust sites involved in the Nature Narratives training secured funding to create a sensory garden tour and inclusive site map in collaboration with their local sight loss group. The blind and partially sighted participants who attended the Slimbridge workshop have also been busy since, with one organising several visits to different RSPB/WWT settings to explore opportunities for new nature experiences in settings he had largely 'written off' since losing his sight, and another initiating a new social enterprise around inclusive nature experiences, including creating a video 'how to' series to demonstrate approaches for experiencing nature without sight e.g. how to plant a tree, how to get a sense of shape/scale through sand sculpture. As reflected in the varied forms of participant feedback received since (including formal evaluation forms), involvement in these varied workshop activities has had significant impacts on attitudes and perceptions around sight impairment and nature access amongst those who have taken part. In particular, it has shifted people's understandings of inclusive access, emphasising the need to progress from thinking about visitor needs/priorities solely in terms of disability (i.e. risking 'boxed off' accessible experiences) to understanding people as individuals with diverse nature interests and knowledge, who may or may not also have impairments of some kind. It has raised awareness of how people so often use or rely on visual references rather than speaking and signposting in a multisensory way, and the ways this reliance can limit meaningful nature experiences, whether fully sighted or otherwise. This is a really important distinction, and is the first stage in a broader culture shift towards the promotion of inclusive nature experiences that engage with all the senses, recognising embodied human diversity as a site for alternative values, sensory knowledges and creative inspiration rather than an additional access 'need'. We embedded this shift in our work with Forestry England and Westonbirt Arboretum through the 'ReStorying Landscapes for Social Inclusion' ESRC IAA-funded project. Through this work, I worked with Andy Shipley and Westonbirt Arboretum to recruit and co-develop a volunteer guide training programme with new visually impaired volunteers who have gone on to shape the site's interpretation and visitor experiences in a 'sensory guide' volunteer role (a project being closely monitored by Forestry England's national volunteering team as a potential pilot for similar future initiatives across their broader network of sites in England). Our guides co-created and delivered their first sensory walks in October 2021, followed by a whole season of walks from March to September 2022. They are now involved in the training of the next group of volunteer guides on site too. Visitor feedback has been particularly positive, with some feedback available to read here: https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensory-walks-westonbirt. Key learning from the work is available in a set of guidance available to download here: https://sensing-nature.com/news/restorying-landscapes-guidance. We have also been liaising with a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide in Victoria, Australia, who has since secured funding to develop a similar initiative in the Dandenong Ranges - a sign that the project is now having international as well as national impacts. Beyond these activities, collaboration with key stakeholders throughout the Sensing Nature project helped to prioritise outputs and activities that would maximise its non-academic impact. For example, as a result of attending and presenting at the south-west regional meetings of the Walking for Health groups in September 2017, I was invited to co-produce a set of guidelines with British Blind Sport for use by the national Walking for Health scheme in order to guide local groups in supporting people with sight impairment to join their walks. These guidelines are available via the Walking for Health and British Blind Sport websites, and were distributed to over 550 scheme co-ordinators via the Walking for Health newsletter in December 2018. The guidelines sparked interest from a range of organisations, including Sight Concern, Guide Dogs UK, Sense, the Activity Alliance and The Outdoor Guide. A valuable collaboration, the 'Sensory Alliance', was also announced in early 2019 between British Blind Sport, Sense and the UK Deaf Sport, with Sense drawing on the guidelines to inform a programme of new 'Sensory Walks'. Since 2020, we have been working with Sense, along with Access Lizard Adventure, and sensory inclusion specialist, Joanna Grace, to explore the potential to use sensory stories to alleviate anxieties of experiencing water-based landscapes amongst adults with complex disabilities. Together, and with music therapist Liz Eddy and the Include Choir, we co-developed a kayaking sensory story and accompanying sea shanty which people with complex disabilities used to kayak 'at home' during the pandemic, with one group kayaking in situ with Access Lizard Adventure in 2022 (this instigated a new partnership such that a local college has approved funding for their Foundation Studies group to engage in such activities regularly from September 2022). We have also been training outdoor water-based instructors and practitioners to use and develop sensory stories in their practice with groups with complex disabilities. More information about this work is available online: https://sensing-nature.com/news/kayaking-a-sensory-story Throughout the Sensing Nature study, I made links with the broader sight support sector, in part through one-to-one meetings with, for example the RNIB and local sight support organisations, but also by organising a 'Sensing Nature' workshop at the 2017 Annual Visionary conference in Birmingham, and a dedicated full-day Sensing Nature Conference at the Wellcome Collection in London in October 2018. Visionary is a membership organisation for local sight loss charities, established with the aim of ensuring that people living with sight impairment can access the services they need at a local level. The theme of the 2017 Visionary conference was 'Unlocking Potential, Creating Value'. In line with the conference theme, the aim of the Sensing Nature workshop (and our subsequent event in London in 2018) was to explore how we could unlock the wellbeing potential of nature amongst people living with sight impairment, recognising the vast spectrum of sight impairments that different people can experience. Over 20 people attended the Visionary workshop and over 70 attended our full-day London conference, and many participants have since been in touch for more information. Inspired by our discussions at the Visionary workshop, for example, one charity, Moorvision, designated 2018 as their Year of Science, Nature and the Environment; a theme that ran through all the family-oriented activities they organised for children with sight impairment that year. As part of this, Sensing Nature worked with Moorvision, the Eden Project, the Sensory Trust, Learning through Landscapes and a local sound artist to organise a "Festival of More-than-Visual Nature" at the Eden Project in November 2018. Building on the collaboration with Moorvision, the event aimed to celebrate the many opportunities we have to experience nature across the senses, with activities ranging from musical plants to rainforest quests, botanical tastings and creative adventures. We have also been building on this work through our AHRC funded 'Unlocking Landscapes Network'; a network (Jan 2020 - Sep 2023), including partners from Historic England, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, Sense, and Natural Inclusion. Although some of the network activities have had to be reconfigured in response to the global pandemic, the network seeks to create space for discussions with policy-makers and practitioners involved in landscape use and management, and provides an invaluable opportunity to develop and embed more socially inclusive landscape engagement and interpretation practices, to respect people with impairment not as people to make changes for but as people to make changes with.
First Year Of Impact 2018
Sector Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services
 
Description Cited in a joint report by Disability Rights UK and Groundwork UK
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Citation in other policy documents
URL https://www.groundwork.org.uk/about-groundwork/reports/outofbounds/
 
Description Diversified volunteer profile at Westonbirt Arboretum
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or improved professional practice
Impact A key aim of the Re-Storying Landscapes for Social Inclusion IAA-funded project (building on Sensing Nature) was to explore creative, collaborative opportunities to dismantle disabling barriers to participation in landscape interpretation and to make unseen or rarely felt qualities of nature more compelling across varied backgrounds, histories and life circumstances. When disability access and inclusion are considered within varied types of nature setting, is it often in the context of visitor access, rooted in the aspiration to create accessible experiences for disabled visitors. This narrow framing overlooks the role of disabled people as curators of experience - that is, as potential site volunteers, storytellers, writers, communicators, education and visitor experience officers and managers. The project has demonstrated ways to bring about a shift in understanding of disability; moving away from homogenising tendencies that view disability solely as a form of vulnerability or an access need, towards recognising differentiated experiences of disability and understanding disability as a source of creative expertise, experience and strength. This shift is apparent in feedback received from practitioners and policy makers involved in our project activities e.g. when asked about take-home messages from our two-day Re-Storying Landscapes project conference in April 2022 (which was rated as a 'Very Good' or 'Excellent' in all feedback forms), responses included: "We need to be open to giving power to those with the insight to lead. I would not have enjoyed or appreciated the Sensing Nature walk if they had been run by sighted individuals. Found this experience particularly powerful" (National Trust rep) "The use of the arts (in the broadest sense) offer a potential way not only to engage with a range of people in nature (how I think art tends to be currently largely used in the conservation sector), but as way of understanding how different people are making sense of the world, and therefore as another valid and valuable form of 'evidence' for organisations (like mine) that are attempting to become evidence-led" (Natural England rep) "The importance of providing a diverse offer which celebrates diverse ways of sensing and connecting. The importance of listening, really listening, not just with our sense of hearing, but with all our senses, to each other and collaborating to be playful, innovative and break the rules! Learning from others' stories. Being open to the unknown and how our senses, nature and history can help us explore the unknown and learn about ourselves, others and nature" (Forestry England rep) "Need to take risks to be inclusive - 'if you open the doors they don't necessarily come'" (Natural England rep) "We need to move away from the idea that our visual sense is the most important. Everyone benefits from experiences which engage all our senses - not just those who may have a sensory impairment. I now have a peer network" (Kew Gardens rep) "The teamwork and focus needed to forge accessibility programmes. Planning and designing accessibility improvements that pick up the special historic/cultural qualities of sites. How to sustain/mainstream accessibility initiatives" (Historic England rep) "(1) Disabilities are many and varied. (2) Those with disability have unique perspectives which when shared with others can deliver new/different experiences. (3) Those with disability can be very capable of delivering services to the public. The thing that resonated with me on these points was that those with disability should not just be cast in the role of service users requiring adjustments, but can help shape and deliver services and meaningful and creative ways" (Forestry England rep)
 
Description Enhancing multisensory awareness in postgraduate teaching
Geographic Reach Multiple continents/international 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact Through guest lectures on postgraduate programmes in England, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand during the fellowship, and in my new role as a Lecturer at the University of Exeter, I have been raising awareness of the need to attend to sensory and embodied diversity in how we teach, conceptualise and understand the links between nature, health and wellbeing. I have recently been co-delivering an MSc module on population health and environmental science, and have used insights from the fellowship to encourage more critical reflection amongst our postgraduate students on the challenges of recognising and engaging with inequalities when assessing risks and benefits to human health of different environmental exposures, and the ethical implications of using measures like Disability Adjusted Life Years to assess the Global Burden of Disease (i.e. biomedical vs social-relational models of disability etc). I will continue to bring this critical awareness as I broaden my lecturing remit and reach to ensure our future doctors, policy makers and practitioners engage fully with exclusionary and disabling societal dynamics that deepen rather than address health inequalities and social disadvantage.
 
Description Reworked national audio description training approach and materials
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact Our work with VocalEyes (the leading provider of audio description training in the UK), Andy Shipley (visually impaired facilitator) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, has directly enabled a shift in the content and approach to audio description training adopted by VocalEyes to bring in multisensory description and awareness, as well as capturing more fleeting aspects of experience rather than more static features of an environment. We have broadened their existing remit to include outdoor natural heritage settings, and have worked together to pilot and refine their training approaches through a series of two-day workshops at four case study sites, using the learning from these workshops to re-write their core written training manual around supporting inclusive visitor experiences to areas of natural heritage amongst people with sight impairment. Through this work, we have also shifted the approach of organisations like the RSPB, from viewing people with disability as needing separate, 'special' provision, to recognising how genuinely inclusive multisensory experiences can be mainstreamed to enhance and enrich their existing visitor experience strategies and programmes for all. As this work is ongoing and the impacts are still emerging, we will be reporting on more quantitative dimensions of this impact in subsequent years.
URL https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-pa...
 
Description Showcased as an example of best practice in a Natural England briefing series
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Citation in other policy documents
URL http://nepubprod.appspot.com/publication/6250437023105024
 
Description ESRC IAA Impact Cultivation Award
Amount £3,000 (GBP)
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2017 
End 11/2018
 
Description Impact Acceleration Account
Amount £19,990 (GBP)
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2018 
End 03/2019
 
Description Re-Storying Landscape for Social Inclusion
Amount £74,536 (GBP)
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2020 
End 03/2022
 
Description Unlocking Landscapes: History, Culture and Sensory Diversity in Landscape Use and Decision Making
Amount £36,319 (GBP)
Funding ID AH/T006080/1 
Organisation Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2020 
End 01/2022
 
Title Qualitative research data set 
Description The primary research involved in Sensing Nature generated a two-year ethnographic field diary, alongside 31 in-depth nature-themed life history interview transcripts and 22 in-situ go-along interview transcripts (three further in situ interviews were conducted but weather conditions rendered audio recording near impossible). 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2017 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact Whilst these new data sets are not available for archive/public use as participants felt that proper anonymisation would not be possible (even with changes in place and person names) due to the detailed life history content, they have informed the production of 8 written outputs to date, with 4 more in preparation and are therefore making a substantial contribution to knowledge in their published form. 
 
Description Nature Narratives 
Organisation Countryside Mobility South West
Department Heritage Ability
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Through the ongoing engagement work initiated and maintained as part of the Sensing Nature project, we have forged a valuable "Nature Narratives" collaboration between the University of Exeter, VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Together, we have been using the Sensing Nature findings to inform the co-design and delivery of tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops (two-days each) at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. These workshops have included people from the collaborating organisations, as well as more broadly from local council representatives, rangers, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The overall aim of the work has been to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We are currently refining a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which will be available to download via the Sensing Nature website in April 2019 and will be utilised by VocalEyes in all their training within these types of settings going forwards. In the meantime, project partner Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes) has written a great piece about the rationale and development of this programme of work (visit: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/).
Collaborator Contribution Each partner has proactively fed into and lead on different aspects of the co-design and delivery of the four training workshops, as well as the written training materials and current plans to build on this collaboration (e.g. exploring opportunities to further embed and extend this training across participating organisations and building on specific aspects of it, including working with the British Standards Institute to find a standardised approach to tactile map production, supporting easier orientation and way finding across these extensive nature settings amongst visitors with sight impairment).
Impact - Conference presentation (Oct 2019) - Four two-day training workshops (Nov 2018- March 2019) - Guided visit to one of the training sites by local sight loss group (March 2019). This site is now piloting a quarterly guided walk for local nature enthusiasts with sight impairment, with the first event kicking off in January 2020. - A 26-page written training manual, shared online and circulated around both participating and broader natural heritage organisations (April 2019) - Another training site applied successfully for internal funding from their organisation to develop a sensory tour and map around their gardens as a direct result of the training, and worked with a local group of sight impaired visitors to develop and refine their route. - Two news posts by project partner, VocalEyes: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ and https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/ - Upcoming introductory session for the Audio Description Association (March 2020) - Successful application to the AHRC in July 2019 to develop an 'Unlocking Landscapes' network (from Jan 2020-Jan 2022), bringing social inclusion and sensory diversity to the heart of UK Landscape Decision making (explained in a different Researchfish entry).
Start Year 2017
 
Description Nature Narratives 
Organisation Dorset County Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Through the ongoing engagement work initiated and maintained as part of the Sensing Nature project, we have forged a valuable "Nature Narratives" collaboration between the University of Exeter, VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Together, we have been using the Sensing Nature findings to inform the co-design and delivery of tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops (two-days each) at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. These workshops have included people from the collaborating organisations, as well as more broadly from local council representatives, rangers, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The overall aim of the work has been to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We are currently refining a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which will be available to download via the Sensing Nature website in April 2019 and will be utilised by VocalEyes in all their training within these types of settings going forwards. In the meantime, project partner Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes) has written a great piece about the rationale and development of this programme of work (visit: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/).
Collaborator Contribution Each partner has proactively fed into and lead on different aspects of the co-design and delivery of the four training workshops, as well as the written training materials and current plans to build on this collaboration (e.g. exploring opportunities to further embed and extend this training across participating organisations and building on specific aspects of it, including working with the British Standards Institute to find a standardised approach to tactile map production, supporting easier orientation and way finding across these extensive nature settings amongst visitors with sight impairment).
Impact - Conference presentation (Oct 2019) - Four two-day training workshops (Nov 2018- March 2019) - Guided visit to one of the training sites by local sight loss group (March 2019). This site is now piloting a quarterly guided walk for local nature enthusiasts with sight impairment, with the first event kicking off in January 2020. - A 26-page written training manual, shared online and circulated around both participating and broader natural heritage organisations (April 2019) - Another training site applied successfully for internal funding from their organisation to develop a sensory tour and map around their gardens as a direct result of the training, and worked with a local group of sight impaired visitors to develop and refine their route. - Two news posts by project partner, VocalEyes: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ and https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/ - Upcoming introductory session for the Audio Description Association (March 2020) - Successful application to the AHRC in July 2019 to develop an 'Unlocking Landscapes' network (from Jan 2020-Jan 2022), bringing social inclusion and sensory diversity to the heart of UK Landscape Decision making (explained in a different Researchfish entry).
Start Year 2017
 
Description Nature Narratives 
Organisation National Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Through the ongoing engagement work initiated and maintained as part of the Sensing Nature project, we have forged a valuable "Nature Narratives" collaboration between the University of Exeter, VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Together, we have been using the Sensing Nature findings to inform the co-design and delivery of tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops (two-days each) at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. These workshops have included people from the collaborating organisations, as well as more broadly from local council representatives, rangers, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The overall aim of the work has been to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We are currently refining a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which will be available to download via the Sensing Nature website in April 2019 and will be utilised by VocalEyes in all their training within these types of settings going forwards. In the meantime, project partner Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes) has written a great piece about the rationale and development of this programme of work (visit: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/).
Collaborator Contribution Each partner has proactively fed into and lead on different aspects of the co-design and delivery of the four training workshops, as well as the written training materials and current plans to build on this collaboration (e.g. exploring opportunities to further embed and extend this training across participating organisations and building on specific aspects of it, including working with the British Standards Institute to find a standardised approach to tactile map production, supporting easier orientation and way finding across these extensive nature settings amongst visitors with sight impairment).
Impact - Conference presentation (Oct 2019) - Four two-day training workshops (Nov 2018- March 2019) - Guided visit to one of the training sites by local sight loss group (March 2019). This site is now piloting a quarterly guided walk for local nature enthusiasts with sight impairment, with the first event kicking off in January 2020. - A 26-page written training manual, shared online and circulated around both participating and broader natural heritage organisations (April 2019) - Another training site applied successfully for internal funding from their organisation to develop a sensory tour and map around their gardens as a direct result of the training, and worked with a local group of sight impaired visitors to develop and refine their route. - Two news posts by project partner, VocalEyes: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ and https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/ - Upcoming introductory session for the Audio Description Association (March 2020) - Successful application to the AHRC in July 2019 to develop an 'Unlocking Landscapes' network (from Jan 2020-Jan 2022), bringing social inclusion and sensory diversity to the heart of UK Landscape Decision making (explained in a different Researchfish entry).
Start Year 2017
 
Description Nature Narratives 
Organisation Natural Inclusion
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Through the ongoing engagement work initiated and maintained as part of the Sensing Nature project, we have forged a valuable "Nature Narratives" collaboration between the University of Exeter, VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Together, we have been using the Sensing Nature findings to inform the co-design and delivery of tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops (two-days each) at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. These workshops have included people from the collaborating organisations, as well as more broadly from local council representatives, rangers, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The overall aim of the work has been to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We are currently refining a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which will be available to download via the Sensing Nature website in April 2019 and will be utilised by VocalEyes in all their training within these types of settings going forwards. In the meantime, project partner Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes) has written a great piece about the rationale and development of this programme of work (visit: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/).
Collaborator Contribution Each partner has proactively fed into and lead on different aspects of the co-design and delivery of the four training workshops, as well as the written training materials and current plans to build on this collaboration (e.g. exploring opportunities to further embed and extend this training across participating organisations and building on specific aspects of it, including working with the British Standards Institute to find a standardised approach to tactile map production, supporting easier orientation and way finding across these extensive nature settings amongst visitors with sight impairment).
Impact - Conference presentation (Oct 2019) - Four two-day training workshops (Nov 2018- March 2019) - Guided visit to one of the training sites by local sight loss group (March 2019). This site is now piloting a quarterly guided walk for local nature enthusiasts with sight impairment, with the first event kicking off in January 2020. - A 26-page written training manual, shared online and circulated around both participating and broader natural heritage organisations (April 2019) - Another training site applied successfully for internal funding from their organisation to develop a sensory tour and map around their gardens as a direct result of the training, and worked with a local group of sight impaired visitors to develop and refine their route. - Two news posts by project partner, VocalEyes: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ and https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/ - Upcoming introductory session for the Audio Description Association (March 2020) - Successful application to the AHRC in July 2019 to develop an 'Unlocking Landscapes' network (from Jan 2020-Jan 2022), bringing social inclusion and sensory diversity to the heart of UK Landscape Decision making (explained in a different Researchfish entry).
Start Year 2017
 
Description Nature Narratives 
Organisation Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Through the ongoing engagement work initiated and maintained as part of the Sensing Nature project, we have forged a valuable "Nature Narratives" collaboration between the University of Exeter, VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Together, we have been using the Sensing Nature findings to inform the co-design and delivery of tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops (two-days each) at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. These workshops have included people from the collaborating organisations, as well as more broadly from local council representatives, rangers, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The overall aim of the work has been to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We are currently refining a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which will be available to download via the Sensing Nature website in April 2019 and will be utilised by VocalEyes in all their training within these types of settings going forwards. In the meantime, project partner Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes) has written a great piece about the rationale and development of this programme of work (visit: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/).
Collaborator Contribution Each partner has proactively fed into and lead on different aspects of the co-design and delivery of the four training workshops, as well as the written training materials and current plans to build on this collaboration (e.g. exploring opportunities to further embed and extend this training across participating organisations and building on specific aspects of it, including working with the British Standards Institute to find a standardised approach to tactile map production, supporting easier orientation and way finding across these extensive nature settings amongst visitors with sight impairment).
Impact - Conference presentation (Oct 2019) - Four two-day training workshops (Nov 2018- March 2019) - Guided visit to one of the training sites by local sight loss group (March 2019). This site is now piloting a quarterly guided walk for local nature enthusiasts with sight impairment, with the first event kicking off in January 2020. - A 26-page written training manual, shared online and circulated around both participating and broader natural heritage organisations (April 2019) - Another training site applied successfully for internal funding from their organisation to develop a sensory tour and map around their gardens as a direct result of the training, and worked with a local group of sight impaired visitors to develop and refine their route. - Two news posts by project partner, VocalEyes: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ and https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/ - Upcoming introductory session for the Audio Description Association (March 2020) - Successful application to the AHRC in July 2019 to develop an 'Unlocking Landscapes' network (from Jan 2020-Jan 2022), bringing social inclusion and sensory diversity to the heart of UK Landscape Decision making (explained in a different Researchfish entry).
Start Year 2017
 
Description Nature Narratives 
Organisation VocalEyes
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Through the ongoing engagement work initiated and maintained as part of the Sensing Nature project, we have forged a valuable "Nature Narratives" collaboration between the University of Exeter, VocalEyes, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Andy Shipley, Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer. Together, we have been using the Sensing Nature findings to inform the co-design and delivery of tailored visual awareness and audio description training workshops (two-days each) at four contrasting case study sites around the country: Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Sherwood Forest, Durlston Country Park, and Sheffield Park Gardens. These workshops have included people from the collaborating organisations, as well as more broadly from local council representatives, rangers, the National Trust, the Sensory Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The overall aim of the work has been to build capacity to welcome and support inclusive multisensory nature experiences amongst people with sight impairment, whilst also raising awareness of these types of settings as places for everyone. We are currently refining a set of written training materials based on these workshops, which will be available to download via the Sensing Nature website in April 2019 and will be utilised by VocalEyes in all their training within these types of settings going forwards. In the meantime, project partner Anna Fineman (Museums, Galleries and Heritage Programme Manager at VocalEyes) has written a great piece about the rationale and development of this programme of work (visit: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/).
Collaborator Contribution Each partner has proactively fed into and lead on different aspects of the co-design and delivery of the four training workshops, as well as the written training materials and current plans to build on this collaboration (e.g. exploring opportunities to further embed and extend this training across participating organisations and building on specific aspects of it, including working with the British Standards Institute to find a standardised approach to tactile map production, supporting easier orientation and way finding across these extensive nature settings amongst visitors with sight impairment).
Impact - Conference presentation (Oct 2019) - Four two-day training workshops (Nov 2018- March 2019) - Guided visit to one of the training sites by local sight loss group (March 2019). This site is now piloting a quarterly guided walk for local nature enthusiasts with sight impairment, with the first event kicking off in January 2020. - A 26-page written training manual, shared online and circulated around both participating and broader natural heritage organisations (April 2019) - Another training site applied successfully for internal funding from their organisation to develop a sensory tour and map around their gardens as a direct result of the training, and worked with a local group of sight impaired visitors to develop and refine their route. - Two news posts by project partner, VocalEyes: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/inclusive-environment-supporting-access-to-natural-heritage-for-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ and https://vocaleyes.co.uk/nature-narratives-project-conclusion-and-next-steps-for-vocaleyes/ - Upcoming introductory session for the Audio Description Association (March 2020) - Successful application to the AHRC in July 2019 to develop an 'Unlocking Landscapes' network (from Jan 2020-Jan 2022), bringing social inclusion and sensory diversity to the heart of UK Landscape Decision making (explained in a different Researchfish entry).
Start Year 2017
 
Description Re-Storying Landscapes for Social Inclusion 
Organisation Art Shape
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution I am leading the collaboration (funded by an ESRC IAA award). We trained Westonbirt staff and volunteers in disability inclusion from Jan - March 2021, while also working with their interpretation and volunteer guide teams to re-work their guide training programme to be able to include guides with sight impairment ('Vi Guides'). We recruited and trained four VI Guides from May - Sep 2021 and they ran their first public-facing Sensing Nature tours in Oct 2021, receiving really positive feedback. The wider volunteer guide team have also been inspired to embed richer sensory experiences in the standard guide tours as a result of working closely with our VI guides, and to create new ways of relating to the site e.g. via fabric tactile maps, and wooden tree replicas to give an idea of the relative scale of different tree species. Our VI guides went on to develop a whole additional season of tours from March - Sep 2022, which were very well received, and Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum have offered to contribute funding to continue to support their travel costs on site for at least another year following project completion (while Westonbirt look into longer-term solutions to the relative inaccessibility of the site via public transport). In this way, the collaboration has brought sight impaired volunteers closer to the heart of the site's interpretation and visitor experience curation, rather than passively designing experiences 'for' sight impaired visitors, while also helping to identify new disabling barriers to address on site (both in terms of the physical layout and site interpretation and the compulsory online training modules etc that Forestry England volunteers must complete). We also worked closely with Art Shape to support six fantastic disabled artists in re-imagining the Westonbirt landscape, foregrounding underheard perspectives. We launched a 'Fragile with Attitude' exhibition on site in April 2022, alongside a 'Sensing History' sound installation developed by sight impaired project collaborator Andy Shipley and renowned sound artist, James Bulley, encouraging visitors to tune into the lesser-told sensory histories of the Westonbirt site.
Collaborator Contribution Zoe Partington, Andy Shipley and Westonbirt provided a large amount of time in kind, and Westonbirt also offered workshop, training and exhibition venue hire and arboretum entrance costs for project members and participants in kind. Westonbirt went well beyond the original plans for the project in pro-actively trying to ensure the VI guides recruited to the project could stay on as a permanent volunteers at Westonbirt beyond the life of the project itself, and the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum have committed approximately £7,000 to support the travel costs involved for at least the next year. They are also in the process of training a new VI guide as part of their next cohort of guide volunteers for 2023. Art Shape also provided time in kind, as well as studio hire in time for the participating Art Shape artists.
Impact 'ReStorying Landscapes for Social Inclusion' was a collaboration between Westonbirt Arboretum, Zoe Partington, Andy Shipley, Art Shape and the University of Exeter. The project aimed to explore and create new opportunities to convey the diverse sensory landscapes and histories of Westonbirt Arboretum. As one strand of our activities, we invited people with sight impairment to join Westonbirt's volunteer team. They were supported to train as volunteer guides and co-create and deliver site tours to inspire visitors' sensory imagination about the Arboretum and its history. In another strand of activities, we worked with Zoe Partington and Art Shape to develop disability arts and creative engagement practices on site, moving beyond the traditional emphasis on the visual to capture more subtle sensory qualities of landscape experience. They curated and produced a 'Fragile with Attitude' exhibition which was open to the public onsite in April 2022, alongside a Sensing History sound installation developed by project collaborator Andy Shipley and sound artist, James Bulley. The overall aim of this work was to demonstrate the value of moving away from framing disability as an 'access need', recognising it instead as a potential opportunity for creativity and shared learning. Before commencing on these broader strands of activity, we also designed and delivered a six-part online training course for staff and volunteers at Westonbirt around disability equality, multisensory awareness, inclusive interpretation, language and audio description techniques. More information about these project activities is available via a range of online resources, including: Sensing History installation: https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensing-history Fragile with Attitude exhibition: https://sensing-nature.com/news/fragile-with-attitude Sensory walks: https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensory-walks-westonbirt. These were also covered by BBC Gloucestershire: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-60945216 3 x RNIB Radio Connect features about the project: • https://pt.player.fm/series/rnib-connect/ep-969-westonbirt-arboretums-sensing-nature-tours • https://audioboom.com/posts/8128125-sensing-nature-guided-walks-at-westonbirt-the-national-arboretum-lead-by-visually-impaired-volun • https://backtracks.fm/discover/s/rnib-connect/05e13f8a6895f052/e/1207-fragile-with-attitude-exhibition-of-work-by-disabled-artists-at-westonbirt-arboretum/bf6978e0e38c33e0 1 x BBC Radio 4 'In touch' piece about the project: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017tht
Start Year 2020
 
Description Re-Storying Landscapes for Social Inclusion 
Organisation Forestry Commission
Department Westonbirt Arboretum
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution I am leading the collaboration (funded by an ESRC IAA award). We trained Westonbirt staff and volunteers in disability inclusion from Jan - March 2021, while also working with their interpretation and volunteer guide teams to re-work their guide training programme to be able to include guides with sight impairment ('Vi Guides'). We recruited and trained four VI Guides from May - Sep 2021 and they ran their first public-facing Sensing Nature tours in Oct 2021, receiving really positive feedback. The wider volunteer guide team have also been inspired to embed richer sensory experiences in the standard guide tours as a result of working closely with our VI guides, and to create new ways of relating to the site e.g. via fabric tactile maps, and wooden tree replicas to give an idea of the relative scale of different tree species. Our VI guides went on to develop a whole additional season of tours from March - Sep 2022, which were very well received, and Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum have offered to contribute funding to continue to support their travel costs on site for at least another year following project completion (while Westonbirt look into longer-term solutions to the relative inaccessibility of the site via public transport). In this way, the collaboration has brought sight impaired volunteers closer to the heart of the site's interpretation and visitor experience curation, rather than passively designing experiences 'for' sight impaired visitors, while also helping to identify new disabling barriers to address on site (both in terms of the physical layout and site interpretation and the compulsory online training modules etc that Forestry England volunteers must complete). We also worked closely with Art Shape to support six fantastic disabled artists in re-imagining the Westonbirt landscape, foregrounding underheard perspectives. We launched a 'Fragile with Attitude' exhibition on site in April 2022, alongside a 'Sensing History' sound installation developed by sight impaired project collaborator Andy Shipley and renowned sound artist, James Bulley, encouraging visitors to tune into the lesser-told sensory histories of the Westonbirt site.
Collaborator Contribution Zoe Partington, Andy Shipley and Westonbirt provided a large amount of time in kind, and Westonbirt also offered workshop, training and exhibition venue hire and arboretum entrance costs for project members and participants in kind. Westonbirt went well beyond the original plans for the project in pro-actively trying to ensure the VI guides recruited to the project could stay on as a permanent volunteers at Westonbirt beyond the life of the project itself, and the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum have committed approximately £7,000 to support the travel costs involved for at least the next year. They are also in the process of training a new VI guide as part of their next cohort of guide volunteers for 2023. Art Shape also provided time in kind, as well as studio hire in time for the participating Art Shape artists.
Impact 'ReStorying Landscapes for Social Inclusion' was a collaboration between Westonbirt Arboretum, Zoe Partington, Andy Shipley, Art Shape and the University of Exeter. The project aimed to explore and create new opportunities to convey the diverse sensory landscapes and histories of Westonbirt Arboretum. As one strand of our activities, we invited people with sight impairment to join Westonbirt's volunteer team. They were supported to train as volunteer guides and co-create and deliver site tours to inspire visitors' sensory imagination about the Arboretum and its history. In another strand of activities, we worked with Zoe Partington and Art Shape to develop disability arts and creative engagement practices on site, moving beyond the traditional emphasis on the visual to capture more subtle sensory qualities of landscape experience. They curated and produced a 'Fragile with Attitude' exhibition which was open to the public onsite in April 2022, alongside a Sensing History sound installation developed by project collaborator Andy Shipley and sound artist, James Bulley. The overall aim of this work was to demonstrate the value of moving away from framing disability as an 'access need', recognising it instead as a potential opportunity for creativity and shared learning. Before commencing on these broader strands of activity, we also designed and delivered a six-part online training course for staff and volunteers at Westonbirt around disability equality, multisensory awareness, inclusive interpretation, language and audio description techniques. More information about these project activities is available via a range of online resources, including: Sensing History installation: https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensing-history Fragile with Attitude exhibition: https://sensing-nature.com/news/fragile-with-attitude Sensory walks: https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensory-walks-westonbirt. These were also covered by BBC Gloucestershire: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-60945216 3 x RNIB Radio Connect features about the project: • https://pt.player.fm/series/rnib-connect/ep-969-westonbirt-arboretums-sensing-nature-tours • https://audioboom.com/posts/8128125-sensing-nature-guided-walks-at-westonbirt-the-national-arboretum-lead-by-visually-impaired-volun • https://backtracks.fm/discover/s/rnib-connect/05e13f8a6895f052/e/1207-fragile-with-attitude-exhibition-of-work-by-disabled-artists-at-westonbirt-arboretum/bf6978e0e38c33e0 1 x BBC Radio 4 'In touch' piece about the project: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017tht
Start Year 2020
 
Description A talk to two patient groups 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact Shared key learning from Sensing Nature at two patient Macular Society conference calls in early 2021 during the Covid-19 lockdown, opening discussion about opportunities to embed more everyday nature contact despite the constraints of the pandemic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Challenges and opportunities for standardising tactile information 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The British Standards Institute has established a new working group to scope out opportunities to develop some standards/recommendations around the provision of tactile information (e.g. tactile maps, signage, in situ waymarking/orientation information etc). I was invited to their first scoping meeting in December 2019 (B/559 Project Scoping Meeting) to give an overview of opportunities and challenges for developing such guidelines, and have since been asked to speak at a Sign Design Society event in June 2020, and to continue feeding into their discussions as a group as the scoping continues.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Co-produced two-day "Nature Sense" workshop with RSPB, WWT and other environmental charities around promoting inclusive nature access 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact This two-day workshop was inspired by conversations between Dr Sarah Bell (at the outset of her current 'Sensing Nature' research project, see www.sensing-nature.com), Andy Shipley (Visually Impaired Coach, Facilitator & Sensory Explorer), Ann Nicol at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT), and Lizzy Knowles at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). These conversations highlighted a disconnect between the ways in which we currently talk about 'accessible nature' and the types of - often shared - multisensory experiences that people enjoy in nature, specifically in the context of sight impairment. Held at WWT Slimbridge in November 2017, it involved 18 representatives of the WWT, RSPB, Heritage Ability, National Trust (including a range of roles), and four visually impaired participants, as well as the project team,

The overall aim of the workshop was to explore how we can better promote and enable more inclusive multisensory nature experiences from the perspective of people living with sight impairment, focusing on the types of nature settings that are managed and cared for by organisations like the RSPB and the WWT.

More specifically, we were keen to encourage workshop participants to reflect on how we currently understand inclusive access, emphasising the need to progress from thinking about visitor needs/priorities solely in terms of disability (i.e. risking 'boxed off' accessible experiences) to understanding people as individuals with diverse nature interests, knowledge and skills who may or may not also have impairments of some kind. Doing so will require a culture shift towards the promotion of inclusive nature experiences that engage with all the senses rather than focusing primarily on spectacular sights, spectacles and visual description.

During the workshop, we were keen to make the most of opportunities to explore:
• How existing nature activities, site features and site promotion/marketing efforts could be adapted to invite and enable people (visually impaired and otherwise) to explore diverse nature settings with the, often neglected, non-visual senses.
• How people's multisensory needs/priorities could be mainstreamed into the process of commissioning new site activities/features/promotional materials, identifying potential windows of opportunity in forthcoming projects/initiatives.

The response to the worksop was overwhelmingly positive. We have produced a workshop report and are currently seeking funding to support the key training needs identified. An initial summary of the workshop is available here: https://sensing-nature.com/news/nature-sense and we will be writing a further news piece including the final workshop report and other outputs in Feb 2018.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/nature-sense
 
Description Contributed to a podcast series about the senses 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Contributed to a podcast series to raise awareness of our work at Westonbirt Arboretum as part of a feature on 'Coming to our senses'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/parkbathe-coming-to-our-senses/id1543205446?i=1000547284718
 
Description Festival of More-than-Visual Nature 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, we organised this one-day festival of more-than-visual nature at the Eden Project in November 2018, which aimed to celebrate and raise awareness of diverse opportunities to connect with nature across the senses, from musical plants to rain forest quests, botanical tastings and creative adventures. Organised in collaboration with Moorvision, the Eden Project, the Sensory Trust, Learning through Landscapes and Sound Artist Justin Wiggan, the day facilitated these engaging experiences with the many different plants, microclimates and sensory encounters available around the Eden Project. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the day, with perhaps the most moving comment shared by one of the parents whose child has profound and multiple needs (alongside sight impairment): "Just wanted to thank you and the team for laying on such a spectacular day this weekend. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed it, after the first 45 minutes, our son really threw himself into it with touching and feeling the plants and fruits (being tactile defensive it's not something we see a lot of). He really enjoyed the story adventure through the rain forest and seemed to understand the story, clapping , singing and rowing his canoe.The only problem we have now is stopping him tasting all the house plants and getting the peppers out of the salad box and licking them (Lol). Once again, thank you all very much for a great day". Building on this, we are now developing a multisensory Narrative Journeying training workshop for other Moorvision parents in collaboration with I Love Nature (postponed until May 2019 due to illness).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/nature-childhood
 
Description Fragile with Attitude art exhibition and Sensing History soundscape installation 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact FRAGILE WITH ATTITUDE:
Creation of a 'Fragile with Attitude' art exhibition at Westonbirt Arboretum, 21-25th April 2022. Curated by disabled artist and disability advocate, Zoe Partington, with Art Shape and six disabled artists, the exhibition challenged prominent misperceptions of disability as weakness or fragility - at a time when these were the dominant narratives being conveyed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Over 500 members of the public visited the exhibition, with fantastic comments written in the visitor book e.g. "Fantastic, calming experience, such skill", "Amazing, so much varied talent", "Such beautiful, thought provoking work with an important message behind it. Thank you for sharing", "Wonderful, beautiful and very profound, thank you!" Fewer people completed the feedback forms provided, but comments included: "Made me view us all as in a constant flux of disability and ability. Everyone is different and struggles in different ways at different times", "life affirming, thank you", and "beautiful, epic, inspiring, rejuvenating, meditative, calming, gratitude inducing".

We also included a dedicated afternoon about the exhibition and its creation at a two-day Re-Storying Landscapes conference (19-20th April 2022) to demonstrate and discuss the power of the arts (and particularly disability arts) in sharing new understandings of difference that open up new perspectives and possibilities. Hearing from the artists about their experiences was flagged by delegates as a particularly useful part of the conference, for example with feedback including: "Hearing from the artists about why they participated because it showcased the reality of how unintentionally implemented barriers are affecting people's chance to explore and engage with Westonbirt" (Westonbirt rep). Our Art Shape project manager commented: "At Art Shape, we will incorporate using all the senses into future exhibitions and will endeavour to work more closely with our local sensory impairment organisations and fundraise to explore this work further".

SENSING HISTORY SOUNDSCAPE INSTALLATION:
Creation of a Sensing History soundscape installation, run for two weeks at Westonbirt from 12-24th April 2022, to encourage visitors to imagine the different sensory histories of Westonbirt through sound and narrative. A collaboration between the project and sound artist, James Bulley, this was a new concept for Westonbirt and provided valuable insights into the benefits and practical considerations for embedding such immersive soundscape experiences on site. Although the installation was not facilitated by volunteers as originally anticipated due to limited volunteer capacity, over 260 visitors were logged as experiencing the soundscape by the volunteers who were able to welcome people in. Some highlights within the visitor comments received included: "A pleasant surprise, in fact I laid under a tree and listened to it", "It was remarkable, tapped into so much", "To begin I thought of it as nothing but greenery whose sole purpose was to leach us of our money [due to Westonbirt entry fee not an additional cost for the soundscape - that was free]. As I left I had been enlightened by the marvellous sounds", "this exceeded my expectations, I was not disappointed by anything, a positive experience", and "the surround sound was so good, I learned more from this than I expected".
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/fragile-with-attitude
 
Description Half-day conference: Adventures with nature and sight impairment 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact The afternoon event was held in Bristol on Wednesday 19th September 2018, bringing together up to 50 people to focus on efforts underway in the UK and beyond to encourage participation in activities like kayaking, sailing, caving and climbing. With contributions from the Spirit of Adventure programme (run by the Bendrigg Trust), the Calvert Trust Exmoor, Blind Veterans UK and the Milton Mountaineers, discussions through the afternoon highlighted: (a) the health and wellbeing benefits of being able to get involved in these activities; (b) varied approaches to opening up opportunities to engage in these activities; and (c) the importance of assistance that is appropriate to people's individual parameters and skills. The event generated positive feedback and a number of emerging actions. For example, Blind Veterans UK shared the take-home messages at a subsequent CPD afternoon with their Rehabilitation Team, encouraging the implementation of more long term skill development for their members where needed. One participant sent a useful summary of the event emphasising the constraints to such opportunities posed by lack of funding as well as constraining funding models used by grant making bodies which focus on arbitrary targets that limit flexibility or more expansive conceptions of embodied abilities/disabilities, and noted the difficulties in finding out what opportunities are offered by different organisations (something Sensing Nature has sought to address in varied outputs e.g. Easing into Nature resource and the project website news pages).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/nature-adventures-podcast
 
Description Informed a new nature engagement activity led by a national sight support charity in the UK 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Supported VICTA UK - via the Sensing Nature project outputs and follow up discussions - to develop a 'Find the 4 using the 4' nature-based scavenger hunt for World Sight Day/Blindness Awareness month, aimed at sighted/visually impaired young people.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.victa.org.uk/wildlife-trusts/
 
Description Interview for RNIB Connect 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact Interview about the Sensing Nature study and its outputs for the RNIB Connect Radio programme, with a national reach and a range of listeners (both with and without sight impairment). Interview promoted by a number of collaborating stakeholders via social media, and generated a number of requests for further information about the study and its outputs via email.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://audioboom.com/posts/7114782-sensing-nature-when-you-re-blind?utm_campaign=detailpage&utm_con...
 
Description Interview with TIME magazine 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact I was approached by a reporter from TIME magazine to contribute to a piece she was writing around nature, health and wellbeing. Although this was based on a journal article I had written during my PhD, she was also interested in the Sensing Nature project and has invited me to get back in touch when the findings are out in case there is scope for a follow up piece then.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://time.com/4881665/green-spaces-nature-happiness/
 
Description Now for Nature conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact In September 2019, I was invited to join the 'Now for Nature' conference at the Natural History Museum in London, to discuss opportunities for enhancing social inlusion across the nature sector. The conference was organised by 'A Focus on Nature', an inspiring youth-led nature network that aims to support young people with an interest in nature and conservation. They connect young conservationists with experienced professionals, building the skills, knowledge and expertise of people working towards a more sustainable future.

I took part in a panel session chaired by the fantastic Yetunde Kehinde (Action for Conservation Youth Alumnus). It was a privilege to be joined by Hannah Ryan-Leah (Programme Coordinator, Action for Conservation), Alejandro Prescott-Cornejo (Researcher and Photographer, Oxford), Laura Ashfield (Keeping it Wild Project Manager, London Wildlife Trust) and Lydia Allen (Programme Delivery Coordinator, National Youth Agency).

During the session, we discussed a range of challenges and opportunities for enhancing inclusivity in the nature conservation sector. Yetunde asked each of us to reflect on some of the most significant barriers to nature inclusion and access, alongside opportunities for moving beyond these barriers and whose responsibility it is to facilitate this. I wrote a brief blog post about it: https://sensing-nature.com/news/now-for-nature

As a result of the conference, I had several requests for information and broader Sensing Nature outputs from members of the network and the Natural History Museum. Many of the discussions from the conference are now feeding into our AHRC 'Unlocking Landscapes Network' activities and will include new individuals met through participating in this conference.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/now-for-nature
 
Description Policy Working Group presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact 40 minute presentation at the quarterly National Outdoor for All Working Group meeting in Peterborough in June, with over 20 representatives from policy and practice. Raised awareness of importance of promoting more inclusive nature experiences, going beyond overly narrow definitions and conceptions of disability. Sparked interest in the project, including attendance and participation in our subsequent Sensing Nature events.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Presentation at local artist-led public engagement evening ("Internal Garden") 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A small evening organised by a national artist, bringing together three key speakers to discuss the multisensory ways in which people experience and respond to nature. My presentation sparked a range of discussions about the overly visual framings we often have of nature, and the value of thinking and writing with all the senses.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Presentation for the SWEEP Network 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Gave an online presentation to the SWEEP network, demonstrating the need to look beyond basic physical access measures when seeking to promote disability-inclusive nature experiences for health and wellbeing. Following the talk, I was contacted by several people who had attended asking for e.g. advice for a local authority policy maker about embedding disability inclusion in a new regional park being developed in the south west, and advice from Senior Specialists in Natural England's Chief Scientist Directorate to adapt their current approach to asking about disability within the England-wide People and Nature survey, to address the framing of disability within the survey and the range of impairment types considered.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://sweep.ac.uk/beyond-ramps-and-handrails-designing-with-and-for-the-senses/
 
Description Public Engagement Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I was invited to give a presentation about how varied forms of public and stakeholder engagement has supported and enhanced the quality of the Sensing Nature project as part of a half-day public engagement event on 12th February, organised in Truro, Cornwall, by the new Exeter University Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health. Over 20 people attended the event, and the presentation sparked a range of questions and discussion afterwards, including interest in opportunities for collaboration in future projects.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://twitter.com/wcceh/status/963030164828540930
 
Description Radio interview for Canadian radio 'AMI Pulse' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Participated in a radio interview to share the Sensing Nature work with Joeita Gupta of Canadian radio show, AMI Pulse - raised international awareness of the work and encouraged people to get in touch to request further information.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.ami.ca/node/54104
 
Description Radio interview for RNIB Connect radio 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Participated in a radio interview for RNIB Connect to raise awareness of our ReStorying Landscapes project at Westonbirt Arboretum - helped to raise awareness of VI Guide opportunity and to recruit four excellent VI Guides to co-produce the project
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://audioboom.com/posts/7820224-westonbirt-arboretum-volunteer-sensory-guiding-opportunity-for-v...
 
Description Sensing Nature Conference: Wellbeing with nature and sight impairment 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact With a diverse mix of inspiring speakers, we organised this one-day conference event at the Wellcome Collection, London, bringing together over 60 representatives from across policy, practice, research and the arts to share the Sensing Nature study findings, and showcase a range of other great initiatives that are encouraging engaging, multisensory nature experiences around the country. We received very positive about the event, including the mix of talks and networking opportunities. For example, one attendee said: "The talks have made me think and question my assumptions and attitudes - thank you. All the ideas and suggestions - my head is buzzing!" and another writing "Please take this event around the world as it's so important for everyone to understand more about wellbeing and the links to nature and sight impairment!" Since the event, several participants have been in touch with requests for further information and suggestions for collaboration, and we are currently exploring funds to follow up one particular stream of activity, working with the British Standards Institute to standardise approaches to tactile map production (making it easier for sight impaired visitors to engage with, orient to and navigate different nature settings on arrival). Our collaboration partners, VocalEyes, have also been inundated with requests for further information about our Nature Narratives work, which we are in the process of following up.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/sensing-nature-london
 
Description Sensing Nature Workshop at Annual Visionary Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Organised and facilitated a workshop with a range of sight loss organisations as part of the Annual Visionary Conference, with the aim of presenting some early findings of the research and encouraging shared discussion about five key questions: 1. What nature interactions are available where you live or work? 2. How, if at all, are you currently using nature in your professional roles or as individuals, to support people with sight impairments to gain a sense of wellbeing in some way? 3. What would you like to be doing more of?4. What do you consider to be the challenges? 5. What collaborations do you think could help? Following the event, I wrote a short summary for the Sensing Nature news page available here: https://sensing-nature.com/news/visionary-conf Through the workshop I made valuable contacts with new sight loss organisations, including for example, Living Paintings (https://sensing-nature.com/news/living-paintings) and Moorvision (news piece due for publication on the Sensing Nature news page at the end of Jan 2018).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://sensing-nature.com/news/visionary-conf
 
Description Shared findings at Cornwall's regional Walking for Health meetings 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Attended two quarterly Cornwall regional Walking for Health meetings in September 2017 to share some of the early findings from the Sensing Nature project, and discuss opportunities for better supporting people with sight impairment in existing Walking for Health groups, both in Cornwall and around the country more generally. Four group representatives attended the morning meeting (in Truro), and 11 attended the afternoon meeting (in Bodmin). As a result of this meeting, I am now working with Walking for Health (and possibly British Blind Sport - tbc) to develop some national Walking for Health guidelines in supporting walkers with sight impairment to join existing groups.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Sidmouth Science Festival participation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Invited to give a 40 minute talk at the Sidmouth Science Festival around nature, health and wellbeing. Sparked more critical thinking around the importance of attending to embodied diversity in how we think about and support nature experiences, with particular implications for the growing enthusiasm for social prescribing etc.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.sidmouthsciencefestival.org/events/well-being-afternoon-how-nature-can-enhance-our-sense...