Karen Davy campaigns for wheelchair access to Bude Sea Pool in North Cornwall

Karen Davy, a cold‑water swimmer from North Cornwall, became paralysed after a spinal‑cord injury in 2024 and now uses a wheelchair. Because the Bude Sea Pool can only be reached via steep staircases, she can no longer use the facility that she has frequented since 2016.

Davy has launched a campaign to make the pool wheelchair‑friendly, arguing that improved access would benefit local residents and visitors, increase revenue for the Sea Pool Trust, and position Bude as a destination for people with limited mobility. She notes geographic challenges such as crumbling cliffs and exposure to the Atlantic, but hopes the site can be adapted.

The effort has drawn responses on social media, with many people reporting similar access difficulties.