Councillors Navigate Bodmin in Wheelchairs for Access Day

Most people reach for cover the moment the rain starts coming down. A group of councillors in Bodmin did the opposite last Thursday.

The leader of Cornwall Council, Cllr Leigh Frost, made the 0.3 mile trip along Fore Street from The Old Library Cafe to The Weavers Inn in a wheelchair as part of Experience Bodmin Differently Day on 4th June. About halfway along, the heavens opened, and he and several other councillors got a first hand experience of navigating the town in the pouring rain.

Leigh was unbothered by the soaking. He said: “I found it very interesting. This experience gave me a greater understanding of the challenges that wheelchair users face. In particular I will be thinking of the travel issues they face when going about their daily lives. For me it felt like I’d need a lot more time to plan journeys and think about how to get to places. Travelling around the streets when you are disabled is potentially like using a maze.”

What the day involved

The event was organised by Access Cornwall as part of the Experience Bodmin project. Participants completed everyday tasks around the town centre while using a mobility scooter, wheelchair or vision impairment simulation goggles.

Organisers were clear that nothing can begin to simulate how it feels to live with a disability. The tasks were a chance to experience the challenges so many face getting around Bodmin from a new perspective, and to feel the emotional impact of that struggle, even if only for a moment.

The day was hosted by Access Cornwall alongside Cornwall Mobility, iSight Cornwall and Equally ABLED, all bringing expertise and lived experience to help participants understand accessibility from a different viewpoint.

Who took part

Other council members taking part included Cllr Dan Rogerson, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Transport, along with Cllr James Burden, Cllr Andy Coppin and Cllr Ciaran Morris, all from Bodmin Town Council. The Mayor of Bodmin, Cllr Mike Barbery, also joined in.

Ciaran put on the tunnel vision impairment glasses while walking from the cafe to the Spar shop on Fore Street with Jodi Strick from iSight Cornwall. He said: “It was challenging, although I could manoeuvre around the glasses so I can’t say I truly know what it feels like to have tunnel vision. That said, I would urge everybody to try these glasses for educational purposes to make sure they are doing the right thing for people living with sight issues.”

The councillors behind the idea

Supporting the event were Bodmin’s new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Peter Skea, and Cornwall Councillor Steven Webb, who originally inspired the idea for the Experience Differently Days. Both are wheelchair users.

Peter said: “It is quite difficult for me to get around Bodmin at times so days like this allow my colleagues to know what it’s like for me to experience the day-to-day challenges that are thrown at me.

“I’m not bothered that it is raining because they need to experience it like I do.”

What happens next

Viki Carpenter, Director of Access Cornwall, said: “The Experience Bodmin Differently Day was about giving decision makers the opportunity to see and explore their town from a new perspective. All of them found the tasks insightful and some found them frightening, frustrating and tiring at times, but they all commented that it had given them a much better understanding of the challenges people can face. The good news is Bodmin Town Council are focused on accessibility this year so there is real momentum for changes that will make Bodmin more accessible. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and participated in spite of the weather.”

The Experience Bodmin project sits under Experience, a Cornwall Council project promoting Cornwall as a year-round destination. It is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (2025/26) and from Cornwall Council’s Town Centre Revitalisation Fund (2026/27). The project has recently launched “More to Bodmin”, a marketing campaign showcasing what makes the town special, and it offers free accessibility training and reviews for businesses and organisations around Bodmin.