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Adventurous Clive Bailey and two friends are going on the trip of a lifetime that will take them across the length of mainland Britain between the iconic points of Land's End to John O’Groats.
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Wheelchair user Clive, James Skinner and Peter Truin will complete the 900-mile week-long endeavour using public transport to test how easy is to get around.
They are going to find out first hand the barriers that many disabled people experience on public transport which prevent them travelling where they like.
"Speaking from experience, not all buses have ramps and when they do some drivers are reluctant to use them as they take time, and for them time is money. “I’m not expecting it to be easy and I’d like to show how difficult it is for me to be spontaneous. Often very simple journeys need a serious amount of planning and organising, so this is going to be a real challenge,” said Clive.
As well as enjoying the camaraderie of the road, Clive and his friends will be raising money for disability charity Scope. On the way, Clive who has cerebral palsy and plays the keyboard using his tongue is planning to team up with travelling companions and play a few gigs.
James added: “We are keen to encourage transport providers to make it possible for everyone to have the freedom of travelling as they wish and enjoying our beautiful country. "We will be documenting the trip en route to provide a video diary of our experiences and to give an impression of what accessibility is like for disabled people when travelling."
The journey is a part of Scope’s Time to Get Active mass participation event and is an opportunity for disabled and non-disabled people to get involved in physical activity and raise funds for Scope.
Contact Warren Kirwan in the Scope press office on 020 7619 7702 or email warren.kirwan@scope.org.uk
Clive Bailey can be sponsored online at: JustGiving (opens new window)
