20 million views, national recognition and an inclusive ice rink: Disabled adventurer celebrates landmark year with 'Wheels on Ice' takeover
Northampton Market Square’s festive ice rink will host a dedicated inclusive skating session this December, as disabled Army veteran and national accessibility campaigner Nick Wilson, known as Disabled Adventurer, marks a landmark year of impact with a celebratory “Wheels on Ice” takeover, in collaboration with Access Outdoors CIC and West Northants Council.
The inclusive session will take place on Tuesday, December 16 from 6pm to 7pm, offering wheelchair users and disabled people a calm, welcoming environment to enjoy the ice safely and confidently, an experience that is often assumed to be inaccessible.
The event comes as Nick celebrates a year that has seen his accessibility work reach unprecedented scale. Over the past 12 months, his real-world accessibility videos, filmed from his wheelchair using 360-degree cameras and drones, have surpassed 20 million views, helping disabled people across the UK make informed decisions about where they can go, explore and participate.
What began as one person documenting access barriers has grown into a movement, with an online community of more than 80,000 people and growing recognition at both regional and national level.
Nick was recently named on the Disability Power 100 list of the UK’s most influential disabled people, presented with a Special Recognition Award at the NNBN Awards, and shortlisted as a finalist for multiple regional and national awards for his work around disability inclusion and accessibility. “This session isn’t just about skating,” said Nick Wilson, Disabled Adventurer. “It’s about celebrating how far this work has come, and showing what’s possible when disabled people are included properly, not as an afterthought.”
The “Wheels on Ice” session reflects the wider aims of Access Outdoors, a Northamptonshire based initiative founded by Nick, and working with people who have disabilities, to improve accessibility across outdoor and public spaces through honest information, training, and practical inclusion.
To mark the occasion, Nick is personally funding 40 tickets for the local disability community as an early Christmas gift, which are available to book via Eventbrite and expected to be in high demand.
Once the free allocation is filled, disabled skaters can still attend the session at a specially reduced rate of £7.50 for this date and time only, with carers and support workers able to skate for free when supporting a disabled person. “Disabled people aren’t asking for special treatment,” Nick added. “We’re asking for access, transparency, and the chance to take part in the same moments everyone else enjoys - especially at Christmas.”
The session is supported by West Northamptonshire Council, Northampton Town Council, Northampton Town Centre BID, and Discover Northamptonshire, demonstrating how collaboration can turn inclusive planning into real-world experiences.
Limited free tickets are available on Eventbrite - you can search for Wheeling on Ice with Disabled Adventurer or follow this link: https://bit.ly/4rUwYmG
Once the free ticket allocation is taken, anyone with disabilities wishing to book discounted tickets for £7.50 can call 01604 491005 and quote SEND. Further information can be found on Disabled Adventurer's Facebook page.