Had a great day with my family & friends on their mountain bikes, we just caught the autumn colours – it’s a wonderful time of the year. We now have spring to look forward to ....
Chris - November 2007
I just want to drop you a line to say how wonderful it was for the whole family to be able to enjoy the Forest of Dean at the same time. Myself, my husband (who has MS), my grown up son and his partner and the dog of course really enjoyed our day out. (The dog was absolutely shattered by the time we got back.) My husband is already looking forward to coming back next year.
Angie - September 2007
You don't get a lot of outward enthusiasm from my Dad, but he wants to go again which is proof he enjoyed himself.
Lesley - August 2007
My sister - who is 87 years old and has arthritis, two replacement knees and walks with the aid of a stick - came to stay with me in the Forest of Dean and it was with great interest that we heard of Clifford Hudson’s Buggy Ride scheme for disabled people.
Clifford started us off on our great adventure at Mallards Pike with a short course of instructions and a map of the cycle track that we were able to use. It took us one and a half hours to get to Cannop Ponds where we tucked into a burger and coffee before the return journey. It proved to be enormous fun as well as giving my sister a sense of liberty from walking aids. We were helped by people opening gates and seeing us across a main road as well as lots of jolly comments from the many cyclists we met on route. I think it is a wonderful scheme giving a real boost to anyone disabled who is able to use it.
Elizabeth - August 2007
Thank you for a great day last Saturday, we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great idea to loan me a buggy too, so that I could be the same as Chris at all times, and gain some understanding what he has to live with. It also meant for him that we were equal and we really enjoyed that, because I could only go at the same speed as him.
Jon & Chris - July 2007
The experience of being able to get out in the forest and not being restricted to the area around the car park is so liberating. I had the most fantastic time when I was out.
Marie - 2007
Until a couple of years ago, I took being able to walk for granted. .... Once my motor neurone disease really established itself, walking became confined to a very slow few yards round part of Mallards Pike.
.... It was just like old times, the breeze in my face and the crunching of leaves under foot (well under wheel actually!) It gave me a great sense of freedom, something that had appeared lost in my past. .... Most disabled people feel a great loss of freedom and are unable to go places and see the wonders of nature in their wild surroundings. Most have to compromise on mobility and their scooters have to be small enough to transport in a car and use indoors as well as out. As a result few can afford the investment in a big all-terrain vehicle, let alone a trailer to get it to where they wish to ramble.
Having big scooters for hire in the forest will be a huge benefit to many. Instead of losing much of the quality of life the able bodied are able to enjoy, they will regain the great outdoors! Enjoying the full beauty of the forest with its flora and fauna is once more open to them and even more importantly, it will enable them to join their able bodied family and friends in exploring and rambling together. How lovely to picnic with them somewhere other than the car park!
Much lip service is paid to quality of life, but having access to the scooters (buggies) would be an immediate quality improvement. Disability can create huge psychological challenges and as a doctor, I am fully aware that a sense of freedom and independence would be an enormous boost to people who generally have lost both. Being able to enjoy nature in all its glory can do nothing but good for those whose way of life has been impaired. After my taster, all I can say is “bring on the scooters!”
Dr Jean - November 2006
