Looking forward to 2026 - Upcoming Events Announcements!
What’s New? The Outdoor Connection 2026, Social Dates, New Content and More
Hi Everyone,
At this month’s Disability Campaigners’ Social, we took the time to have a longer personal check-in sharing where we each are emotionally, as individuals. One of the things that came through from the conversations shared, was that this year has been far from easy for many of us, but that there is hope to be found in the plans that are already being made for the new year. It’s definitely something that I can relate to!
As the end of 2025 approaches, we are excited to be looking ahead and building plans for 2026. From our online socials to in-person events, there is plenty of work already underway behind the scenes.
Last week, The Outdoor Connection 2026 was announced, leading the way as our first in-person event of the year. Look out for all the details, and information on how you can register your interest below.
We’re also excited to have dates confirmed for The Summit 2026, running from the 10th-13th July. Now in its 6th year, The Summit is a residential weekend for outdoor community leaders focused on POC audiences.
Alongside news of The Outdoor Connection, in this month’s newsletter you’ll also find two new content series, our Online Social dates for 2026, some of our newest additions to our Online Directory, and four funding opportunities we have handpicked to highlight from our new funding page.
Whether or not you already have plans underway for 2026, I hope you are also making space to reflect on your year and finding hope in the work of the community. If we don’t speak to you before, we hope you have a lovely end to your year and look forward to seeing what 2026 has in store for you!
Today’s newsletter comes from Frankie, All The Elements Communications Director. Find out more about me and the rest of the team on our website.
Save The Date - The Outdoor Connection 2026
We are excited to announce that The Outdoor Connection 2026 will be taking place on 24th-26th April 2026 - register your interest to attend here by 5th January 2026.
The Outdoor Connection is a face-to-face event bringing together community leaders who are working to support access to nature and the outdoors. If you are thinking of setting up a group, or you are already running a project or organisation in your community then this event is for you.
It is free to attend, travel expenses are covered, overnight accommodation is provided and a daily rate contribution for attendees will be paid. Places are limited and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis, with priority given to members of the Outdoor Citizens’ and All the Elements’ communities. Please register your interest by completing this form by the 5th January 2026.
The Outdoor Connection 2025 was an amazing weekend that brought together the experts and community leaders who are shaping the future of an inclusive, accessible and representative UK outdoors. With community leaders facilitating sessions and sharing their expertise, we ran six workshop sessions, three networking activities, five activities and additional one-to-one sessions across the weekend. You can watch our 2025 summary video here to find out more, created by Ben Ankobiah. The itinerary for The Outdoor Connection 2026 will be announced in the new year - watch this space!
To find out more about previous Outdoor Connection events and to read articles from previous facilitators on topics from safe space policy to cross sector collaborations, visit our website.
Introducing Two New ATE Content Series -
5 Minutes With…
Launched at Kendal Mountain Festival, this new content series is designed to introduce more people to the work of our wonderful community members.
Leaning into our grassroots side and providing an alternative way to amplify voices at in-person events, we wanted to find a way to share people’s stories that worked online, but that would be equally at home printed and turned into zines that we could share at events and beyond.
In this first print run, we interviewed four incredible community members and distributed just under 200 zines at Kendal Mountain Festival!
But don’t worry if you missed out picking up a hard copy - you can find the interviews with our incredible community members by clicking the button below.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities - Community Spotlights
Every year we pick different awareness days to celebrate, using them as a way to amplify the voices in our community. This year we developed a community spotlight series to celebrate International Day of Persons With Disabilities which is on Wednesday 3rd December.
Within the All The Elements Community there are some incredible disability campaigners, activists and changemakers. This series shone a light on their work to celebrate their achievements and to champion the importance of disability inclusion in the UK outdoors. Our highlighted community members are working on everything from influencing governmental policy to introducing people to the outdoors and helping them explore in ways that meets their needs.
Recently Added to The Website
🌱 Here are some of our newest additions to our Online Directory - four groups and organisations working to make the outdoors more accessible and representative:
All Aboard Watersports - Bristol, Bristol (Disability, Limited Financial Means, Women, Young People): Offer a wide range of water-based activities, with the goal of making watersports fully accessible. They aim for at least 50% of participants to be people who identify as having a disability, long-term health condition, experiencing social isolation, socio-economic disadvantage, or facing other barriers to accessing watersports. Find out more >>
Bristol Deaf Watersports - Bristol, Bristol (Deaf and Hearing Impaired): Organises accessible kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and rowing sessions where instructors use British Sign Language. Find out more >>
Peak District Mosaic - Peak District, Derbyshire (People of Colour): Community-focused charity that creates and sustains engagement between the Peak District National Park and new audiences. They organise free activities such as group hikes, climbing, and archery at various locations across the National Park. Find out more >>
UpCYCLE LDN - Brixton, Greater London (Ethnically Diverse, Young People): Runs bike maintenance and cycle skills courses, where young people can get a refurbished bike for free and learn how to maintain it. Find out more >>
We’re always adding to our resources as we come across new groups, press, podcasts, books & research - tell us if we’re missing something by filling in this quick form (or you can also drop us an email!)
Check out the full online directory here.
Funding Opportunities 🚀
We have four new funding opportunities that could help support your work, recently added to our new Funding Opportunities & Resource Page:
Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant - John Muir Trust
Funding to support individuals on an outdoor adventure.
What’s Available: £500 - £2,000
Deadline: Thursday 15th January
Funding Type: Project based
Registration Status: People with a Scottish interest or link
Loction: UK
This grant supports projects that involve travel to wild places. Eligible projects must be adventurous and include an educational or scientific purpose. The project should be a life-changing experience and lead to a commitment to practical action to conserve wild places.
The Grant Committee will favour independent self-led experiences (over commercial expeditions or pre-paid/charity trips such as pay to volunteer expeditions). Priority will be given to individuals whose financial need is greatest and grant recipients will be required to provide a short project report following their return. Find out more here
Ernest Cook Trust - Communities Grant
Funding to support organisations whose work connects young people from underserved communities to the outdoors.
What’s Available: £500
Deadline: N/A - Open fund
Registration Status: UK Registered Charities, Community Interest Companies, Non-profit organisations or Charitable Incorporated organisations
Location: Gloucestershire, Bristol, Swindon
This grant supports organisations who encourage young people aged 11-19 years (or up to 25 years old for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) from underserved communities to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature.
This grant provides support for the following:
-Work that promotes nature connection
-Transport expenses for visits to outdoor learning venues
-Purchase of outdoor clothing to help young people engage in outdoor learning
Find out more here
Tesco Stronger Starts
Grants for organisations that support the mental and physical wellbeing of children and young people.
What’s Available: Up to £1,500
Deadline: N/A - Open fund
Registration Status: Registered charities, Community interest companies, Friends of groups with a constitution, Social enterprises and more
Location: UK
The focus of Tesco Stronger Starts is to support children’s groups who lack funds and resources, helping them to provide activities that boost young people’s mental and physical wellbeing. Find out more here
The Sport England Movement Fund
Supporting projects that help remove barriers to participation in physical activity within local communities.
What’s Available: £300 - £15,000
Deadline: N/A - Open fund
Registration Status: Sports clubs, Charities, Community Benefit Societies, Not-for-profit companies and more
Location: England
This Sport England funding prioritises projects which increase physical activity through supporting people to get active, stay active or increase the exercise they do. Priority will be given to projects that engage specific groups, including (but not limited to) individuals on low incomes, disabled people or those with long-term health conditions, people from culturally diverse communities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Find out more here
If you know of funding that you think would be useful to the community, please email us at hello@alltheelements.co.
Online Socials
We have just released our 2026 Online Social dates!
Our first Online Social took place back in February 2021. Nearly five years on, we’re proud to see how this community has grown, with hundreds of people joining us over the years to collaborate, learn and share their work on diversity in the UK outdoors. A big thank you to everyone who attended one of our socials this year. We look forward to seeing you again, and welcoming new faces in 2026!
2026 General (Online) Socials:
What: Our socials are the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals working to create change in diversity in the UK outdoors. Our community covers all diversity areas, all activities and all outdoor sector roles - all we ask is for you to join us with an open and collaborative attitude. Click on the links below to register!
Where: Online
When:
Monday 26th January, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Thursday 26th March, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Monday 25th May, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Thursday 24th September, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Monday 23rd November, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Are you a Disability Campaigner? Keep an eye out for our 2026 Disability Campaigners’ (Online) Social dates, coming soon!
To see all our events in one place, visit the Events Page on our website.
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Have a great day!