Inclusive sensory rich story of Natural Heritage on Bodmin Moor

Brought to you by The Sensory Trust

Project Overview

The Sensory Trust, supported by the Natural Beauty & The Beast Community Grant Fund, set out to make Cornwall’s nationally important landscapes more accessible to people who may face barriers to experiencing them in person. The project focused on creating inclusive, sensory-rich resources that would enable people of all ages and abilities to connect with nature and heritage through touch, sound, scent, objects, and storytelling.

Originally developed to explore the natural heritage of Bodmin Moor, the project evolved to create two bespoke sensory story packs, one focused on two sections of Cornwall National Landscape, Bodmin Moor (Section 12) and the other on The Lizard Peninsula (Section 08). The packs were designed to provide meaningful and accessible experiences for people with a wide range of access needs, including disabled people, those living with dementia, and individuals unable to visit these landscapes in person.

What took place?

Following research into both landscapes, the Sensory Trust developed two sensory story packs that brought the sights, sounds, textures, and stories of Bodmin Moor and The Lizard into an accessible, portable format. Each pack combined simple storytelling with carefully selected sensory elements, creating immersive experiences that could be used in a variety of settings.

During project delivery, the originally proposed community engagement and training sessions in Bodmin, Launceston, and Liskeard libraries did not take place. Instead, resources were focused on the production of the two sensory story packs and the delivery of a dedicated training session for the Cornwall National Landscape team.

The training introduced staff to the principles of sensory storytelling and demonstrated how the packs could be used to engage diverse audiences, helping ensure the resources could continue to be used and promoted beyond the life of the project.

Outcomes

The project delivered a number of lasting benefits:

• Created two sensory story packs, one exploring Bodmin Moor and one exploring The Lizard.
• Improved access to Cornwall’s natural heritage for people who may face barriers to visiting these landscapes in person.
• Provided an inclusive way for individuals with a range of disabilities, health conditions, and support needs to engage with nature and place-based stories.
• Increased awareness of sensory storytelling as a tool for nature and heritage engagement.
• Equipped the Cornwall National Landscape team with the skills and confidence to use and share the resources through a dedicated training session.
• Produced resources that can continue to be used with community groups, schools, care settings, and other audiences long after the project’s completion.
• Created a lasting legacy that supports greater inclusion and accessibility across Cornwall’s National Landscapes.

Conclusion

The project successfully demonstrated how sensory storytelling can remove barriers to engagement with nature and heritage. By creating accessible resources inspired by Bodmin Moor and The Lizard, the Sensory Trust enabled more people to experience and connect with Cornwall’s landscapes, regardless of their ability to visit them in person.

The resulting story packs and staff training have created a lasting legacy that continues to support inclusive access, helping ensure that Cornwall’s natural heritage can be enjoyed by a wider and more diverse audience for years to come.