Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m a little bit of a scaredy cat, I flinch at sudden noises, I hate scary movies and roller coasters, can’t watch Jurassic Park, and I have an irrational fear of pigeons and flapping birds, so when I was tasked with road testing the Bear Grylls Adventure Centre in Birmingham for accessibility, I have to be honest and tell you that I felt more than a little nervous at doing something so far out of my comfort zone.
Bear Grylls Adventure Centre was opened in October 2018 within the site at the NEC and it is ‘Home of Earth’s Greatest Challenges, a new Adventure Theme Park where you can take on incredible mental and physical challenges’. An Assault and Archery Course, High Ropes, Dive and Snorkelling Packages and the indoor Skydiving experience are all up for grabs, but I wondered how on earth it would be possible for me, a young woman with Cerebral Palsy, To channel my inner survivor and complete anything on offer.
As we drove to the venue the butterflies in my stomach reached a fever pitch. The building was looming ominously through the trees and this did nothing to ease my nerves, but when I arrived I was introduced to the team who would be guiding us through the day and they all seemed very positive and supportive.. I was taking on “Base Camp”, the assault course at 11am, Indoor Skydiving at 1pm and snorkelling at 2pm. I made a promise to myself that if there was any possible way I could do any of the activities ahead of me, I’d at least try.. Before I knew itI had my wristband, I was all set.. Just as soon as I’d signed the waiver….
There were six of us in our group and we had a briefing about the importance of teamwork, and a warm up before we started the course. By now, we were all up for the challenge ahead.. Stark and I had agreed, I would with assistance, walk through the stepping stones, drop down to the floor and crawl on my stomach through a cargo net as a minimum. Everybody else who took part in the session did the whole course like lightening leaving me for dust. The team, who were made up of former and trainee Marines, held me up by putting their arms through mine and holding me under my armpits to help me through the assault course. They were physically holding me up so I could attempt to move my legs and walk through the stepping stones. It’s not everyday you’re offered the chance to be held up by two very handsome, strong young men. This was already turning out to be the best day ever!
My little legs slowly moved forward and one step at a time I made my way through the stepping stones. As I have no standing balance and cannot walk at all, the effort of trying to move my legs drained them of all energy. But I was still only halfway through and before I knew it I was on the floor and heading for the cargo net..
I was doing it, me, Lucy Wood, the scaredy-cat. I was under the Cargo net, and I was
I used every drop of energy to get me through the other side of that net, the adventure music blaring, Bear Grylls himself reiterating the values of the marines whilst the staff team, Stark and Will, urged me on, telling me what a good effort I was making. It really helped me to dig deep and keep going. I think I’d still be under there now if they hadn’t been there pushing me on!
I emerged, free from the net, completely done in. Will and Stark picked me up and put me back in my wheelchair, I couldn’t do anymore of the assault course I was exhausted. Stark was so proud of me and I met up with everyone else at the end of the course. I’ve never in my life had a dry mouth AND a dry throat at the same time.
Archery was next, which I was terrible at, but I managed to fire at least one arrow at a target successfully.
I was elated, I’d already done more than I could ever have possibly dreamed. It was such an exhilarating feeling.
Next up was indoor skydiving, we got suited up and watched a briefing video then the instructor asked ‘Who’s up first?’ and after no one else volunteered, I heard my voice saying ‘I’ll do it…’
Going first felt like I was setting myself a huge challenge. I was petrified.
I parked myself in the doorway of the tunnel and the instructor pulled me forward. The fan was deafening and the force of the air took my breath away. I couldn’t speak. I felt like I could have backed out, but there was no turning back as the instructor wheeled my chair away and suddenly I was flying.
I looked up to see my Mum filming me from the viewing area. The look on her face will never ever leave me as long as I live.She looked so proud of me and had the biggest smile on her face. I don’t think she could quite believe that I was actually doing the I-Fly. I couldn’t believe it either, and as I started to relax, I felt a freedom within my own body, something that I don’t think I’ve ever felt before, I knew I was safe as the instructors were guiding me by holding on to me.It was only when I watched the video back I saw how the two instructors were with me the whole time.
I have never known something to be so petrifying and so enjoyable at the same time. The skill of the instructors James, and Hayley, was just amazing. They were mesmerising to watch. I was left speechless as I watched James flying up and down and round and round like a superhero. It’s quite easy to imagine how you can get addicted to adrenaline adventures.
I had never snorkelled before, the thought of sticking my face in the water and breathing through a tube panicked me a little bit. I always thought that not knowing what was under the sea when you go on holiday was better because if I thought about it before I’d freak out and my first thought when I put my head under the water it was how quiet and peaceful it was, the fish, including the sharks and the rays, swam so close to me. They were beautiful. I kept my breathing slow and steady and felt so utterly relaxed that I didn’t want my time in the water to end.
Unfortunately, I am not a mermaid, and I was soon out of the tank and back in the changing room drying off and readying for home.
While getting changed, the reality of what I’d done during the day hit me, it was me who’d been crawling under cargo nets, eating mealworms, flying the equivalent of 12,000 feet in a wind tunnel and snorkelling in a tank full of the most beautiful marine life.
When I go to theme parks, or do anything that’s remotely geared up more for able bodied people, there’s mountains of restrictions placed on me, ‘we can’t let you do this, because of your chair’, or ‘unfortunately we don’t have the capacity to do that with you if you’re unable to walk’ are the norm. All of the staff involved in my adventure day wanted me to get the most out of my time there. They believed in me and they didn’t allow my disability to get in the way. They did everything they could to make the activities as accessible as possible, my disability just wasn’t an issue. Everyone I came into contact with made me and my Mum feel so welcome, and bent over backwards to ensure that I left feeling like I’d had the most amazing time, and I did just that. I had had the very best time!
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