Our next Disability Campaigners’ Social is this Thursday 9th April, 6:30pm 🌱
We’re so excited to be joined by ATE community members Mimi Jones and Stu Watson as our Community Spotlight speakers for this social!
Mimi and Stu will be sharing insights into their work around access and inclusion in the UK outdoors, before opening up the conversation for wider networking and discussion.
If you’re looking to meet others working in this space on we’d love to have you join us!
This social is for anyone who identifies as disabled or chronically ill, or if you’re working on disability inclusion. This includes (but is not limited to): physical, sensory, neurological, medical, psychological, visible & invisible disabilities.
It’s free to join, but you do need to register in advance through our website (linked in our bio).
#DiversifyOutdoorsUK
🌱 Meet Mimi Jones and Stu Watson - Community Spotlight at our first Disability Campaigners' Social of the year! Thursday 9th April, 6:30pm.
Stu (they/them) is the founder of Ethical Activities CIC and NeuDICE CIC. Ethical Activities CIC offers a range of outdoor adventure activities in Plymouth and NeuDICE helps people build their neurodivergent support networks.
Alongside this Stu researches “neuroqueering entrepreneurship” developing inclusive, practice-based understandings of enterprise, education, and social change.
Mimi (they/he) is the founder of Queer Out Loud and a Director of NeuDICE. They blend poetry, enterprise and community action to share the lived realities of existing in a world not designed for them. They bring attention to real people's stories, and support others to tell their own.
Mimi and Stu will be joining us at our Disability Campaigners' Social to share more detail about their work, before opening up the conversation for wider networking.
🌟 This social is for anyone who identifies as disabled or chronically ill, or if you're working on disability inclusion. This includes (but is not limited to): physical, sensory, neurological, medical, psychological, visible & invisible disabilities.
If you’re looking to meet others working on access and inclusion in the UK outdoors we’d love to have you join us!
It's free to join, but you do need to register in advance through our website (linked in our bio). @queeroutloud@neu_dice@ethicalactivities
#DiversifyOutdoorsUK
Thank you Hannah from Nudge for showing how to keep place and social purpose at the heart of business. @nudgecommunity have spent the past decade brining the buildings on Union Street back to life - for the community by the community 🏭
It was a pleasure to host @marjonuni students on their third year module - Entrepreneurship and small business management by @marjon.business From the creative entrepreneurs stocked by @queeroutloud to the ambitious dance floor farm by @city.farm.house this opportunity provided tangible experiences to see enterprises of all sizes in action 🧑🎓👩🎓👨🎓
@marjon.outdoor.adventure students have been using @ethicalactivities as a case study in their learning - how does building @adventureequity take Marjon 2030 outside and into nature for young people in Storehouse? 🌱
Fieldwork and experiential learning is a powerful thing! More soon please 💫
Pop Up Paddles are here for 2026! 🛶
Thanks to @plymsoundnmp 🩵 Blue Sparks 🩵 project we will be exploring Plymouth’s forgotten creeks by canoe!
Do you have water you’ve always wanted to paddle on near you? Let us know your ideas for locations and we’ll get afloat when the warmer weather arrives! ☀️
More information coming soon - so stay tuned by signing up to the mailing list in on our website and share this post with your paddle pals!
We have some exciting collaborations with other Blue Sparks in the ocean city so watch this space! @bigsis.cic@preciousplasticplymouth
This is made possible by @heritagefunduk as part of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Horizons Project 🪸
#OceanCity #BlueSparks #PopUpPaddles #AdventureEquity
Today is the final day of our week-long series celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities! Today we are spotlighting two community members as this spotlight series comes to an end…
First up is Mimi Jones, founder of Queer Out Loud and Director of NeuDICE.
We asked Mimi - What’s the most impactful adaptation or change that you’ve found, or someone has made, that’s helped you to access the outdoors more easily?
“My friend and co-director Stu Watson has, by far, made the biggest impact, simply by caring. They have taken the time to ask questions, to suggest ideas, and to listen to any anxieties or frustrations I have had while trying to access the outdoors again. They didn’t give up as soon as we reached a hurdle, they didn’t just decide it was not worth the effort and go on a walk/whatever without me like many others have done, and they didn’t tell me to ‘buck up and just try it’.
While we don’t share the same experiences of disability, they understand what barriers I might face, and have actually cared about how that makes me feel. We still haven’t had the big outing we want to go on, but that’s because this takes time. I really appreciate them for sticking it out with me.
Stu has also invited me to share my experience to help me contextualise disability activism within the outdoors through their other CIC: Ethical Activities. This has been impactful for me in having my story heard and believed, but has also helped others feel seen, or to understand barriers they otherwise may not have learnt about.”
Want to know more?
Head over to our website to read the full article (linked in bio), including what Mimi loves most about spending time outdoors.
Find out more by following @queeroutloud@neu_dice and @ethicalactivities
🌿This post is part of a series written by All The Elements, to celebrate some of our incredible community members, inspired by International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Each day this week, we have spotlighted a different person. You can explore the full series on our website (linked in bio).
#IDPD #internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities #diversifyoutdoorsuk
Join us this Sunday 23rd November 1-3pm at The plot for our FREE plastic recycling event. We will be analysing and recycling the plastic that was collected during our canoeing litter pick last week! BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW ON BOOKWHEN ! ♻️
See you at the MIAS 2025 Conference!
We will be there to support people accessing leader and tutor status, getting involved with workshops and of course heading out for a ride!
Let us know in the comments how we can support you to become a Mountain Bike leader, Course Tutor or get out on your bike?!
https://rb.gy/i2ixbc
Have you expeirenced bariers to accessing the outdoors safely, and as your true self? We want to change that. Together, NeuDICE, @queeroutloud and @ethicalactivities are hosting a series of sessions to ask 'How Do You Want To Adventure?' This feedback will then be turned into funding bids to make sure we can make those adventures possible!
While we can't make any promises of granting your wildest dreams, we can certainly do our best. This is the first step into equitable adventure experiences across Plymouth!
"But what if I've never done any sort of adventure activities?" I hear you ask. No problem! We would consider any sort of connection with nature 'adventure' - be that taking a stroll/roll through the local park, swimming, rock pooling, identifying local wildlife, or something more formal like bouldering, kayaking, white water rafting etc. If you haven't done any of that, we want to know why! What barriers have stopped you from engaging? What could help remove those barriers?
If this sounds interesting, head over to our Eventbrite to book your place!
https://bit.ly/4l8leZ7
There is a capacity limit of 15 to make sure everyone's voice is heard, and that the space does not get too overwhelming. If you cannot attend, feel free to share your thoughts by emailing [email protected]
This event is open to anyone with lived experience of neurodivergence, disability or queer identity. You do not need to be a NeuDICE member to attend. There are two ticket options: free/member, and donations. Pick whichever suits your personal situation best.
Hope to see you there!
