Earlier this year, we launched the Accessibility Fund – a new funding programme that supports projects to make indoor and outdoor spaces more inclusive, accessible and welcoming for disabled people and people with mental health conditions.  

What makes this fund different is how it was created. 6 people with lived experience from Barnwood Circle helped design the fund and took part in making decisions about where the money should go. 

They brought valuable insights into the barriers people face and helped shape the funding criteria to focus on what makes a space truly inclusive, not just physically accessible. Their involvement continued beyond the design stage as some Circle members went on to play a role in the decision-making – reviewing applications, scoring them, and making recommendations to Barnwood’s Funding Committee. 

What is the Accessibility Fund? 

The Accessibility Fund supports organisations to create or improve spaces where disabled people feel welcome, comfortable, and included. While all funded projects must address an element of physical accessibility, the fund places equal importance on a more holistic approach ‒ considering the full range of factors that make a space genuinely inclusive.  

Over the next two years, we will award £2 million through 4 funding rounds. The first round closed in May and applications are now being reviewed.  

Why a separate fund?  

We kept this funding separate from other organisational grants to take a more focused and strategic approach to accessibility ‒ making sure funds go where they can have the greatest impact. Most importantly, it gave us the opportunity to build this fund from the ground up, with people who have direct experience of what inclusive spaces should feel like. 

When people with lived experience are involved in decision making, funding is more likely to meet real needs and have lasting impact. Their insights helps ensure that projects are relevant and meaningful to the people they’re meant to support. 

What’s next? 

We’ve recently caught up with the Barnwood Circle members who helped design the fund about their experience of reviewing and scoring applications in the funding panel. Over the next few days, we will be sharing their experiences through a series of blogs.  

Decisions from the first round of funding will be announced by the end of August. The Accessibility Fund Round 2 will open in September 2025. 

Organisations funded in the first round will also join a Learning Group to share ideas, learn from each other, and build knowledge together. 

We look forward to seeing how the funded projects contribute to more inclusive and welcoming spaces across Gloucestershire.  

Get in touch  

If you would like to learn more about Barnwood’s Accessibility Fund or are interested in making an application to future rounds, please get in touch with Ged Cassell, Funding Policy and Evaluation Manager at ged.cassell@barnwoodtrust.org