CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION #1196874
ABOUT US
About us
Inspired by local school children, the Mendip Access Adventure Foundation was created in 2021 by volunteers around
three core principles:
Access - supporting people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access the Mendip Hills
and adventure sports at the Mendip Centre.
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Ecology - to support the Mendip AONB in its conservation and bio-diversity goals.
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Training - to support people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access training that
would lead to employment in the outdoor industry.
What we do, and why
The Foundation was inspired by local school children attending the Mendip Activity Centre as part of a sponsored programme. We realised that even though they lived fairly local they could
not access the centre or Mendip Hills. While we are based in a Decile 7 area, less than 10 miles/30 minutes away are six decile 1 wards and five decile 2 wards. A decile 4 ward boundary is less than a mile away.
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When we looked into it, we discovered other barriers too. The countryside, and particularly adventure sport activities, are traditionally white, middle class and male. Being a woman, disability according to the social model, sexuality, gender, faith and ethnicity all come with extra layers of complexity. But with a little thought, it's not hard to break these barriers down.
We have designed our programmes in conjunction with the communities they serve, finding out from our target audience what they need to access the centre and wider Mendip Hills. We request constant feedback and make change based on that feedback. We aim to centre the voices of youth especially and ensure their self-defined needs are being met. There's still a long way to go, but we hope you'll join us on our journey.
Meet the team
Foundation Manager: Jai Breitnauer
A parent to two disabled young people, and life long conservation advocate.
Trustees:
Phil Turner and David Eddins were on the original founding team, and represent Mendip Activity Centre.
Jim Hardcastle works for Mendip Hills National Landscapes and is a fountain of local knowledge.
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