Emma is a user of our Walking with Wheels Tramper. She first came across Walking with Wheels at the Wye Valley River Festival - “I was booked to sing with my choir, but access to the performance area was down a very muddy path. A lovely man came bounding over, and offered me use of the Tramper to get through the mud. I was very sceptical that it would manage it, but the Tramper made it seem easy. I was instantly in love, and didn't want to give it back.”

Emma has accessed one of our trails so far, with plans to try our other routes and those further afield, offered as part of the Countryside Mobility network.

Emma is a keen advocate for the Tramper, recalling her first trip she says “For the first time in over 7 years, the Tramper enabled me to "walk" deep into the woods, soaking up the blissful and nourishing sights, smells and sounds of the glorious Forest of Dean. It gave me a sense of freedom, independence and inner calm. We spent hours in the woods. I didn't want to go home. It's hard to put into words how much I benefitted from it. I wanted to plan my next trip as soon as possible.”

When asked about the impact the project has had, she says “Being disabled and chronically ill, I feared I might never get to enjoy being amongst the trees again. The Tramper has been a game changer. It has enabled me to share family days out, that I had been missing out on. Because I can use the Tramper totally independently, it means my family can relax and enjoy themselves too.”

When asked what she would say to someone who was thinking of trying the Tramper, Emma enthuses: “Do it! It's so freeing to be independently moving through the woods. It's easy to be put off trying new things when you're not mobile, for fear of failing, or hurting or humiliating yourself, but the Tramper is very stable and safe. You will be shown how to use it, and have an emergency contact number in case you run into any problems (which I never have). The Tramper is like nothing else. You have to try it to believe it!”