About Us

Northern Access Advisory CIC works to improve access to nature in ways that are inclusive, responsible, and rooted in long-term care for land and communities.

Our core work focuses on access, inclusion, and environmental stewardship. We support landowners, public bodies, and community organisations through access-focused auditing and advisory services, including walked site assessments, trail audits, and guidance on inclusive access and environmental management. Our consultancy work is advisory in nature, helping organisations think strategically about access, inclusion, and long-term land stewardship.

Alongside this, we deliver supported outdoor activities that put inclusive access into practice. Through group outings, allotment growing, and tandem cycling, we support adults to access and enjoy natural and green spaces in ways that work for them. These activities help inform and strengthen our access work by grounding it in lived experience.

Across everything we do, we take a whole-system approach, recognising that access, inclusion, environmental care, and land management are interconnected. We believe access to nature should be for everyone, now and into the future.

Our Team & Support Network

Northern Access Advisory CIC is led by Ellie Rawden, Director and Environmental & Inclusion Advisor. Ellie leads the organisation’s delivery and operational work, focusing on engaging community groups, enabling inclusive access to nature through supported outdoor activities, and undertaking site-based and organisational audits centred on environmental management and inclusive practice.

Her work combines practical delivery with technical expertise, ensuring that lived experience and real-world engagement actively inform strategic thinking around access, inclusion, and environmental stewardship.

Volunteers, Partners & Supporters

Northern Access Advisory CIC works alongside a growing network of volunteers, delivery partners, and supporters who contribute to both practical delivery and organisational development. Supported nature-based outings and tandem cycling activities are delivered with the support of experienced practitioners and community collaborators, enabling people who face barriers to accessing outdoor environments to engage safely and confidently.

We are developing an active partnership with an experienced cycling practitioner (organisation name to be confirmed), widely recognised within the cycling community for inclusive cycling delivery and extensive experience supporting visually impaired riders. This collaboration strengthens our ability to provide meaningful, supported access to outdoor spaces through shared expertise and aligned values.

Governance & Advisory Development

Governance is being strengthened through the development of a small CIC board, bringing together individuals with expertise in finance, safeguarding, health and safety, organisational development, land management, and inclusive access. The board will provide strategic oversight while ensuring that the organisation remains grounded in community need and environmental responsibility.

Alongside this, a lived experience advisory group is being established, bringing together people with disabilities and others who face barriers to accessing nature. This group will play an important role in validating our work, shaping priorities, and supporting inclusive access initiatives across Teesside and North Yorkshire.

Our Approach

Northern Access Advisory CIC operates at the intersection of people, place, and practice. By combining grounded community engagement with technical environmental expertise, we contribute to a growing regional conversation around inclusive access to nature. Our approach recognises that meaningful access requires collaboration between communities, land managers, and environmental stakeholders, and we work to support solutions that are practical, sustainable, and informed by lived experience.