Mental health campaigner and disabled adventurer Nick Wilson has made history by becoming the first person to reach the highest point of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) without any physical support, using a specially designed all-terrain mobility chair.
On Thursday 18 July, 2024, as part of Disability Pride Month, Nick successfully climbed the Llanberis route to reach the Bwlch Glas, a staggering 1000m up, in his RockClimber™ chair. This achievement aims to raise awareness and action towards current accessibility and independence challenges faced by wheelchair users, while showcasing the impact of inclusive design and engineering in making the world more accessible for all.
The RockClimber™ chair is a revolutionary concept that combines extensive motorsport design experience with bonded aluminium construction and 4-wheel drive capabilities. After experiencing a steering failure during Nick’s first attempt in June, the team made necessary enhancements to the chair, including new steering, brakes, wheels, and tires, to ensure its success.
The project, supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), highlights the importance of inclusive design and engineering in improving accessibility in urban and rural environments for people reliant on wheelchairs. With over 650,000 registered wheelchair users in the UK, there are still barriers that these individuals face in their daily lives.
Nick, who is also a member of the IET, stated, “While many people in the disability community won’t want or feel the need to go up a mountain, they can feel like they’re trying to do just that on a daily basis, with so many accessibility obstacles. By achieving this, we’ve demonstrated how inclusive design and having the right equipment can help to make the world more accessible, whilst showing what’s possible when you keep fighting and never give up, however dark things may seem.”
Elliot Dason-Barber, Rock Engineering Director and IET member, expressed his pride in the team’s accomplishment, stating, “Our goal was always to design, and manufacture, a power-chair that would give Nick the capability to scale Snowdon truly unaided, and I think we’ve shown we’ve done that. It has been a real privilege to help Nick achieve his goal, but Rock Engineering has also had the opportunity to develop its own experience in inclusive engineering and demonstrate its capabilities in vehicle design.”
The IET’s Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Dr Laura Norton, also congratulated Nick and the Rock Engineering team, stating, “This is a fantastic achievement for Nick and the Rock Engineering team – as well as for inclusive design, which is so important today. Accessibility needs to be prioritised, and engineering and technology play a pivotal part in enabling this. We hope in the future that a single chair solution will be available to many more wheelchair users, breaking down barriers and allowing for greater freedom and independence.”
The success of the climb is dedicated to the loving memory of Nick’s father, who suddenly and unexpectedly passed away during their initial attempt in June. Nick’s father’s dying wish was for him to not be informed until after the attempt, as he believed in the RockClimber project and its importance to Nick. The team dedicated their success to Nick’s father’s memory, ensuring that his legacy is not connected to a failed attempt.
This groundbreaking achievement by Nick and the Rock Engineering team is a testament to the power of inclusive design and engineering in making the world more accessible for all individuals.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.