Electric scooter improves accessibility
An all-terrain addition to our free electric scooter hire allows visitors to explore further than ever before.
A kind donation from the Welney Croft Cricket Club has enabled WWT Welney to add to our electric scooter offer for visitors to include an all-terrain model. This will allow access for visitors with limited mobility to enjoy the summer walk for the first time. Roger Giles, President of the Welney Croft Cricket Club and Tony Smart, Secretary from the club, came out to the visitors centre to present the cheque to Leigh Marshall, Centre Manager, and see the scooter itself.
Roger Giles, former President, said:
As President of Welney Croft Cricket Club, I have always been very proud to be connected to sports in Welney village. People who understand the history of this village will know our sports people lead the world. So I feel it totally correct that the residue of the cricket club funds goes to fund a mobility scooter to promote access for all to one of the world leading nature reserves, WWT Welney.
Tony Smart, former Secretary, said:
After much thought and consideration, the donation was decided to go to WWT Welney to support a local cause which helps people to access the outdoors.
WWT Welney provides brilliant access for a wide range of visitors to be able to connect with the incredible wetlands and wildlife spectacles throughout the year. The visitor centre, which was built in 2006, thanks in large part to National Lottery Heritage Funding as well as other donors, have fantastic accessibility with smooth entrances and floors, lifts to travel between floors and to the reserve footbridge and accessible toilets. The accessibility continues over onto the reserve with ramps from the footbridge to the main hide. Visitors are welcomed to this hide through an electric sliding door – made possible from a previous donation by the Friends of Welney group. Overhead LED heaters respond to people entering the hide to keep it as comfortable as possible for birdwatching, or to enjoy the commentated wild swan feeds.
Further ramps lead visitors down onto the footpaths from where accessible viewpoints and further hides can be enjoyed. By heading for the summer walk, the accessible pond dipping station and dragonfly ponds are also available to be enjoyed complete with suitable picnic benches. Beyond the dragonfly ponds the mown-grass track of the summer walk begins to take you out across the washes weaving through swathes of reed, wildflowers, willow and other water-loving trees, with places to stop along the way for views out across the wetlands. The walk culminates in a loop overlooking the River Delph before visitors retrace their steps – or tyre tracks – back to the main hide and visitor centre.
WWT Welney has two electric scooters, now including the all-terrain version. These are available to visitors free of charge and can be requested ahead of a visit by contacting the centre on 01353 860711. The team at the centre will let you know the extent of access available to you depending on the time of year and conditions of the footpaths. There are also two manual wheelchairs which can be borrowed free of charge, but do require someone to push the chair for the person using the chair.
Through the kind donations of individuals and groups WWT Welney has been able to incorporate new ways for people to enjoy and make connections with the wetland landscape and the wildlife it is home to. Please get in touch if you would like to make a donation.
