Bodmin Mayor to Test Town’s Accessibility on Thursday

Bodmin’s new mayor is about to find out how his own town really feels to get around, and the answer might surprise him.

On Thursday 4th June, Mayor Mike Barbary will swap his usual route through the town centre for one taken in a mobility scooter, wheelchair, or while wearing vision impairment simulation goggles. He won’t be alone. Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council, and Dan Rogerson, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Transport, are also expected to take part, along with local councillors and community partners.

The event, called Experience Bodmin Differently Day, takes place at The Old Library in Bodmin and has been organised by Access Cornwall.

What participants will actually do

Rather than sitting through presentations, attendees will be given everyday tasks to complete around the town centre. The catch is that they’ll be doing them while using mobility aids or sight impairment goggles. The point is to show how uneven surfaces, street layouts, signage, and other accessibility challenges can change someone’s experience of the town entirely.

Bodmin Deputy Mayor Councillor Peter Skea and Cornwall Councillor Steven Webb will help host the day. They’ll be joined by Cornwall Mobility, iSight Cornwall, and Equally ABLED, who are bringing both expertise and lived experience to the event.

The bigger picture

The day is part of the Experience Bodmin project, a Cornwall Council scheme that promotes Cornwall as a year-round destination. Funding comes from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (2025 to 2026) and Cornwall Council’s Town Centre Revitalisation Fund (2026 to 2027). Experience Bodmin recently launched “More to Bodmin,” a marketing campaign aimed at showing off what makes the town worth visiting.

Viki Carpenter, Director of Access Cornwall, said: “The Experience Bodmin Differently Day is about giving decision makers the opportunity to see and explore their town from a new perspective. Small barriers that many of us never notice can have a huge impact on someone else’s daily life. We want this to be a positive experience that encourages people to think differently and work together to help make Bodmin as welcoming and accessible as possible for everyone.”

Organisers hope that putting leaders and people with lived experience in the same place, doing the same tasks, will lead to decisions that produce real improvements across Bodmin.

More accessibility work to come

Thursday’s event isn’t the only piece of the puzzle. Access Cornwall has also been delivering accessibility reviews and information sharing for venues and visitor attractions around Bodmin. Free accessibility training is on offer too, with face to face and online sessions running on 9th and 11th June.