Meet Pip and Clare Millington - IDPD Community Spotlight
Yesterday was International Day of Persons with Disabilities - an annual event created by the United Nations to “promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities” - but we are celebrating it all week!
Within the All The Elements Community there are some incredible disability campaigners, activists and changemakers. Through this blog series we’re shining a light on their work, celebrating their achievements, and championing the importance of disability inclusion in the UK outdoors.
Today’s feature is on Pip and Clare, a mum and daughter duo that raise awareness about the importance of supporting learning-disabled people in the outdoors.
Championing the message that access should move beyond organised groups, to provide individuals the freedom to choose the outdoor hobbies they love, whilst being supported to pursue them throughout adulthood.
Clare (she/her) shared that, when “learning disabled people move into supported living they often lose access to the outdoors as support assistants are not confident to enable this”. In response to this they have set up friendship groups to help people access the outdoors with the aim of increasing the number of support assistants who can facilitate outdoors access .
What do you love most about spending time outdoors?
Pip (she/her) loves the whole sensory experience of being outdoors: wind, rain, snow, water, travelling at speed on a bike, the pull on your joints when climbing. She finds crowded indoor space difficult and the outdoors is liberating for her mind and body. As she says, it is, “Glorious”. I have come to appreciate these same things but best of all, I like to be in my canoe on the lake.
What's one thing you wish more people understood about accessibility and the outdoors?
For many people it is about a lot more than mobility access. For learning disabled people the barriers run far deeper; cost, transport, lack of role models to name a few. The single most difficult thing is the lack of expectation that the outdoors could and should be part of a learning disabled lifestyle.
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?
Our most amazing breakthrough is rather than employing a ‘carer’ as a support assistant for Pip, we have employed an outdoor instructor. This makes sense in so many ways as Pip would like the majority of her life based outdoors. She acts as a role model for others. This is a formula that others are now trying to replicate. It has revolutionised Pip's life and she has achieved so much more than we ever dreamt of such as outings into the Lakes and Dales, that others take for granted.
To find out more about Pip and Clare, Follow them on Instagram
This article 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 are spotlighting a different person. You can explore the full series here or follow along with us on social media.
Join our Disability Campaigners’ Community!
Are you working on disability inclusion in the UK outdoors? If so we’d love you to join our Community! Our last online social of this year was earlier this week, but the 2026 dates will be announced soon! Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about future dates - or drop us an email at hello@alltheelements.co to find out more.
