We have some exciting news! The Mayfield Secret Garden has been included in SustainAble for All’s Accessible Eco‑Trail Map, created in partnership with Forth Valley Sensory Centre and FEL Scotland. Emma and Alex were invited along to the launch today to share information about Friends of the Mayfield and hear about some of the other groups and projects featured on the map.

The Eco‑Trail Map highlights climate projects, community initiatives, and green spaces across our region. But what makes it special is the way each location connects back to someone who took part in discussions or training around sensory accessibility. The Friends of the Mayfield group were invited to take part in Sensory Awareness training delivered by project leader, Jenn Pow. We learned about simple improvements we could make to our site and meeting place. The library has also invested in some audio equipment, recommended by Jenn to make our talks and workshops more accessible too. We will be making changes to our signage and are working to gain funding to make the whole of the Secret Garden fully accesible.

Forth Valley Sensory Centre and FEL Scotland brought their deep understanding of sight and hearing loss. Their guidance ensured the map didn’t just list locations, but considered how people with sensory needs might experience them. This meant thinking about:

Clear, readable information
Navigation that works for a range of abilities
Sensory‑friendly features and potential barriers
Ways to make climate action more inclusive

Visit the map to find out more and discover some really special spaces in our area. We hope that by being part of this project that we will get the opportunity to invite more people into our group.

A special thanks to Jenn for all your time and advice.