Episode 09: Neuro-Inclusive Holiday Parks

Episode 12: Hoists That Make Holidays Happen

This episode is our last of season one, and we're so excited to share it with you. It's been estimated that less than 70 rooms in the entire UK have ceiling hoists. Yes, you read that right. For families with complex disability needs, that number tells its own story. In this episode, we sit down with Claire and Steve Welsh, founders of Holistic Thinking Holidays, a business providing accessible holiday accommodation across England and Wales for families with complex needs. They share why the holiday sector is so far behind, and why the purple pound, worth a casual £14.6 billion to UK tourism, is going unspent simply because there's limited places for people to spend it. The demand is there. The need is there. It just needs the industry to catch up. We're talking ceiling hoists, profiling beds, wet rooms, dogs welcome, the works. This episode has some shocking facts, some home truths and it will stay with you. Holistic Thinking Holidays (HTH), founded by Claire and Steve Welsh, provide affordable and well-equipped holiday accommodation on holiday parks across England and Wales for whom "wheelchair access" just isn't enough. They now provide a stress-free holiday option across 13 locations that cater for the whole family without an inflated price ticket, in an environment that provides something for everyone in a multi-generational group, regardless of their complex needs. Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sDPdaVqYm5fNhnAgV7J5dLNk4m1js3BeeAKvHuXdoW8/edit?usp=sharing] Follow Claire on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠ [linkedin.com/in/claire-broughton-welsh-80612b200/?skipRedirect=true] Follow Steve on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [linkedin.com/in/steve-welsh-396b6271/?skipRedirect=true] Follow Holistic Thinking Holidays on LinkedIn. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/holistic-thinking-holidays/] Find Holistic Thinking Holidays' website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠. [https://holisticthinkingholidays.co.uk/]⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/inclusivetourism/] Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybwalters/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://instagram.com/bloomify.design]. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingeniouscornerco/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ingenious.corner/]. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://subscribepage.io/Exploring-Inclusive-Tourism] to be notified when episodes go live!

Episode 11: Adventuring Our Way

This week, we sit down with Cheryl Everitt, founder of A Wheel and Away, a travel consultancy empowering people with disabilities to explore the world with greater independence. Cheryl is a mum to two children, both of whom use wheelchairs, and together they’re a family who truly embrace travel. From Morocco to Vietnam to America (and everywhere in between), she shares their adventures, the spontaneity of it all, and why travel has always been a non-negotiable for them. Cheryl shares why the smallest changes can have the biggest impact for disabled travellers. And why so many businesses are still missing them. Whether you're a traveller, a family carer, or part of the tourism industry, there’s so much to take away from this conversation. Cheryl is the founder of  A Wheel and Away, an absolute passion project designed to support people with disabilities to travel more independently and adventurously. She is also a proud mum to two young people, Molly and Stan. Both use wheelchairs due to a neuromuscular condition and it was their own family travels that were the catalyst for the business. She gets excited about finding new and interesting destinations and ensuring that travellers have the right tools to make informed choices about their own adventures. Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nwjRmk-4xV1ek9tjGaMAk5niAV-q4C7e0g8gemAkcGs/edit?usp=sharing] Follow Cheryl on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-everitt/] Find A Wheel and Away's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠. ⁠⁠ [https://awheelandaway.com/] Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/inclusivetourism/] Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybwalters/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://instagram.com/bloomify.design]. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingeniouscornerco/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ingenious.corner/]. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://subscribepage.io/Exploring-Inclusive-Tourism] to be notified when episodes go live!

Episode 10: Curating Gîte Holidays with Empathy

This week we sit down with Kathy, a gîte owner... who also happens to be Amy's mum! In Episode 10, Kathy shares how a little awareness and curiosity has helped her create genuinely welcoming experiences for all of the guests at her French gîtes, and how little things make a huge difference. Kathy, an ambulatory* wheelchair user herself, also shares the destinations on her own travels that got accessibility right, the cities that still have a long way to go, and how slowing down her pace of life in France has had a bigger impact on her health than anything else. Warm, honest and full of brilliant travel insight, we cover quite a few topics, and learn a lot. Kathy is a former NHS Nurse and Midwife, as well as a daughter, mum and wife! She and her husband Mike left Kent in October 2024 to begin a new adventure in France as Gîte owners. She has fibromyalgia and other chronic health and pain conditions, and has found her health has gotten so much better being out of the hustle and bustle, and into the French living. She loves to travel and as an ambulatory* wheelchair user, she has had to adapt her travelling to fit her needs, and has seen some great and less great examples of accessibility along the way, making her passionate about bringing empathy into her own holiday business. Find out more about accessibility at their gîtes: https://www.gitesdumarigne.com/accessibility [https://www.gitesdumarigne.com/accessibility] *An ambulatory wheelchair user uses a wheelchair part-time to manage pain, fatigue or safety. Note: This episode was recorded in Summer 2025 . Kathy's health has continued to improve since recording and she relies on her wheelchair much less now! Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1781w86yrj-DHlcvLrs5MLGsQ2eCncESDW0DxFamMiWU/edit?usp=sharing] Follow Kathy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-walters-54bb6020b/] Find Kathy's website ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠. ⁠ [https://www.gitesdumarigne.com/] Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/inclusivetourism/] Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybwalters/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://instagram.com/bloomify.design]. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingeniouscornerco/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ingenious.corner/]. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list [https://subscribepage.io/Exploring-Inclusive-Tourism]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

Episode 09: Neuro-Inclusive Holiday Parks

What would it mean to finally find a holiday where your family felt truly safe and welcome? It's Autism Awareness Week 💚 and this conversation couldn't be more timely. In this episode we chat with Karen Mason, founder of My Safe Place Southern, who is pioneering sensory-conscious, neurodiverse-friendly holiday accommodation in the UK holiday park sector. Karen shares why millions of neurodiverse families are being left behind by the UK holiday park sector right now, and what she's doing about it. Karen grew up in Hertfordshire as one of six siblings and went on to build a 35-year career in the holiday park sector. Alongside her professional life, Karen supported three neurodivergent family members and cared for her father through dementia—experiences that profoundly shaped her perspective, and inspired her to create change. She founded My Safe Place Southern, bringing together her deep industry knowledge and personal passion for inclusion. Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PeiadDmwBjcxLjVlLvDkdkkkaF3yp4LKXNpH5Gt33-I/edit?usp=sharing] Follow Karen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-mason-a8ab1057/] Find Karen's website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. [https://www.mysafeplacesouthern.co.uk/] Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/inclusivetourism/] Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybwalters/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://instagram.com/bloomify.design]. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingeniouscornerco/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ingenious.corner/]. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [subscribepage.io/Exploring-Inclusive-Tourism]to be notified when episodes go live!

Episode 08: Our Airport Stories

Special assistance isn't just for physical disabilities. But how often does it actually feel that way? One person can make or break a travel experience. And in Episode 08, we're talking about exactly that, as we share many stories about our airport and airline experiences. We're getting candid about the frustrations, the wins, and why staff training and genuine empathy can change everything for travellers with disabilities, visible or not. Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jj9jTDKOd3DEy4hO3lOCix-4YB58_vlhLxsDHsToe7w/edit?usp=sharing] Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/inclusivetourism/] Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybwalters/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://instagram.com/bloomify.design]. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingeniouscornerco/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ingenious.corner/]. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [subscribepage.io/Exploring-Inclusive-Tourism] to be notified when episodes go live!