Berghaus has revealed the first six recipients in its Adapts initiative, who'll receive custom kit to help them hit the wilderness.
The Berghaus Adapts initiative aims to make the outdoors more accessible for people living with disabilities by making bespoke alterations to their clothing and equipment.
The initiative launched in February and asked members of the public to request custom kit changes that Berghaus would then make. The British brand has now selected six members of the public, who'll work with Berghaus designers to create bespoke outdoor gear suited to their needs.
The six participants are of all ages and live with a variety of disabilities.
Meet the participants
William Kay
William Kay, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, loves exploring the outdoors and playing football, but his Down syndrome makes it a little tricky to find the right kit.
William, 25, finds it particularly hard to get his hands on outdoor gear that fits his arms and legs well. The Berghaus Adapts team wants to work with William to create outdoor gear that he can wear to get outdoors in comfort.
Sarah Bowdidge
Sarah Bowdidge of Bridgend, Wales, dreams of scaling Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), but her disabilities have so far stopped her.
The 25-year-old has postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which means her heart beats at a faster rate than most, even when resting. She also lives with mobility issues. The Adapts initiative aims to help Sarah achieve her climbing goals with specially adapted kit to help manage her challenges on the mountain.
Hannah Baldwin
Devon local Hannah Baldwin suffered a climbing accident at the age of 12 and has since been unable to use her right leg. She was also diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which further limited her ability to walk.
Hannah loves climbing regardless of her physical limitations, and scales walls with the use of one leg.
With the help of Berghaus Adapts, Hannah, who now needs support to walk, wants to push herself further and continue to pursue her passions in the outdoors.
Mark Hawkes
Mark Hawkes has always loved the outdoors and finds nature immensely helpful to his mental health. The 39-year-old Whitstable native now lives with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and has to wear a stoma.
To help Mark get back into the wilderness, designers from Berghaus Adapts are creating outdoor gear with accessible pockets, so the 39-year-old can access his stoma without hassle.
Will Weston
Will Weston, 43, became a full-time wheelchair user after a serious car accident in 2006. The Durham local was an avid outdoor lover before his accident, and wants to get back into nature to enjoy the wilderness with his nine-month-old daughter.
With the help of Berghaus Adapts, Will's also keen to summit Yr Wyddfa - a mountain he loved to climb before his accident.
Wendy Wright
In 1985 keen hill walker Wendy Wright was bitten by ticks in the Scottish Highlands. Some 15 years later, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which has significantly impacted her mobility for the past 25 years.
Now 63, Wendy wants to get back to her hill walking ways in custom Berghaus Adapts kit, specially designed to suit her unique needs.
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