Julie McElroy

Climbed various Mountains across Scotland – Ben Lomond, Ben A’an

March 2007 – BBC: Across the Andes: Beyond Boundaries (broadcast May 2008)

February 2008 – BBC: Beyond Boundaries: Where Are They Now (broadcast April 2009)

November 2007 – First Wheelchair Ascent on Ben NevisKen Hames and safety team pushing me up Ben Nevis. We reached 4,406ft (summit)

May 2008 – First Wheelchair Challenge up Ben Nevis

July 2008 – Awarded Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award

December 2009 – Ascent on Helvellyn, in the Lake District in minus conditions.

Worked with disadvantaged disabled children in India in October 2011.

Julie’s Record Achievements…..

Achieved the John Muir Conserver Award in 2011.

Sirius Environmental Leadership Scholarship from Wilderness Foundation – 2011.Dougie Vipond invited me to contribute the BBC Scotland Show, Adventure Show (broadcast March 2012)

Delivered my 3rd and 4th (final), Disability Wilderness Initiative with 14 participants achieving the John Muir Discovery Level Award in September 2013.

For the last two years, worked with the Evening Times and Glasgow 2014 on the ParaSports of the Commonwealth Games.

Julie’s Record Achievements…..

In the course of meeting the four challenges of the Award - has trekked in the Himalayas, joined the Lomond Mountain Rescue Team on manoeuvre, climbed Helvellyn, England’s third highest mountain, paddled the length of Loch Shiel and led other disabled people on a three-day expedition on Arran.

John Muir Award 2011

Current Mission:Trying to engage more disabled volunteers in environmental outdoor projects enlisted the ‘Disabilities Wilderness Initiatives’

Two years on, four projects have been achieved with the National Trust for Scotland: Arran; Kintail; Mar Lodge and Ben Lomond

The focus of the ‘Disabilities Wilderness’ was to try and engage with more disabled people and encourage them to participate in the Outdoors and improve accessibility to the wilderness.

This informal, interactive project provided an opportunity for Outdoor organisations and practitioners to share practice and gain knowledge about engaging with disabled people which will help them identify priorities for future events within their organisation’s charter.

Arran, Shore Lodge - 2011

Kintail, Northwest Scotland2012

Ben Lomond, Ardress Lodge 2013

Mar Lodge, Aberdeen 2013

• Inspire disabled organisations and outdoor organisations to come together and share best practices.

• Disabled organisations and outdoor organisations should come together to design and build a tool kit that is serve universally for all.

@JulieMcElroyEmail: enquiries@juliemcelroy.com