Having spearheaded the design and implementation of Inclusive Beaches in Northern Ireland, our learning can now be shared with others across the UK, Ireland, and beyond, thanks to support from Queen’s University Belfast. Many beach operators have asked about our experiences of setting up and sustaining our inclusive beach model. As we now have five years of learning behind us, we felt this was a good time to share our lived experience knowledge. We are committed to keeping our ‘Adapt my Beach’ guide and toolkit under annual review as our learning continues.
Inspired by our Inclusive Beaches, ‘Vitamin Sea for Everyone’, is a new children’s book which was written by Ruth Hunter and illustrated by Deirdre Gribbin. The book was created by Groundswell in partnership with the Nerve Centre and informed by research at Queen’s University Belfast as part of the GroundsWell consortium. Vitamin Sea for Everyone follows four adventurous cats, including Mae, who uses a wheelchair, as they discover Mae Murray Foundation’s Inclusive Beach Programme. Through adapted surfing, paddleboarding, and opportunities to simply enjoy the sand and sea together, the book highlights what is possible when environments are designed with inclusion at their heart. Click here to read an online version of the book.
