News
Introducing our champion for outdoor accessibility, Will Behenna
We are delighted to introduce you to Will Behenna, our new SIA champion for outdoor accessibility.
Will is the founder of the inclusive paddleboarding project and the beach access project. With a passion for adventure, he is determined to make the outdoors more accessible for other disabled people.
As an avid paddleboarder, Will began looking for ways to get out on the water independently. Spurred on by his own experiences, he went on to set up the inclusive paddleboarding project. The aim is to enable people with medical / mental health conditions and disabilities to access blue space using a paddleboard and a range of seats, kneeling supports and paddle systems.
Will has also recently launched the beach access project, which gathers evidence from disabled people documenting their experiences of accessing the beach. The project aims to raise awareness of beach accessibility, and bring together a consortium of groups, organisations, and individuals to drive the changes that are needed to make beaches and blue space accessible to everyone.
Looking to the future, Will has his sights set on all blue (lakes, rivers, sea etc) and green (parks, forests, paths etc) spaces. Starting with beaches and expanding from there, he aims to raise awareness, amplify disabled people’s voices, and create more accessible outdoor spaces.
“I am excited to be working with SIA and being a champion of outdoor accessibility. Together we can drive the changes that are needed to make green and blue space more accessible for people with medical conditions and disabilities, and their friends and family.”
Meet Will
I’m Will Behenna, the founder of the inclusive paddleboarding project and the beach access project. 35 years ago, I broke my back in a cycling accident while training for a triathlon in my hometown in Cornwall.
My spinal cord injury left me paralysed from the chest down and a full-time wheelchair user. At the age of 16, I had a lot of adjustments to make, and my recovery took many twists and turns. And with amazing support from family and friends, I was able to start rebuilding and start moving forward again.
However, my injury didn’t affect my spirit of adventure and 9 months after my accident, I was back kayaking. Since then, I have paddled on lakes, canals, rivers and seas in numerous countries and enjoyed every moment.
I developed a career in sports development, and training and education. My passion has always been out on the water; whether sailing, scuba-diving or kayaking and helping others to do the same.
Due to my injury I’ve had to adapt each kayak I ever paddled. I tried carving backrests out of foam blocks to provide a more structured postural support and using airbags as footrests. But nothing was satisfactory enough for my ideal seat.
However, the introduction of paddleboards opened up the possibility of being able to go out paddling independently. In 2023 I achieved this, having made a foam seat which attaches on to the paddleboard. Using a range of adapted and modified equipment I was able to get out on my local river without any support.
I set up inclusive paddleboarding in the same year and acquired funding to build a range of equipment to support people with a range of medical and mental health conditions and disabilities (who have difficulty standing) to go paddleboarding. I have found it increasingly frustrating that so many blue spaces including beaches, rivers, lakes and canals are inaccessible for so many people with medical or mental health conditions and disabilities.
Finding places with accessible parking, pathways, toilet and changing facilities and safe and easy access onto the water is consistently limited. The beach access project and the survey are the start of a journey to enhance and improve beach access to enable people with medical or mental health conditions and disabilities to play a meaningful and active role in beach life and blue space.
More information
Find out more about Inclusive Paddleboarding.
MAKING UK BEACHES ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
Please complete the beach access survey before 30 September 2025:
complete the beach access survey
Find out more about the beach access project:
Wimborne wheelchair user wants to make UK water accessible – BBC News and join the Facebook Group.
Feeling inspired?
Check out our brand new accessible adventure challenge that is coming to the Peak District this September. Click on the image below to find out more:
