On Saturday 7th October, Mindy Goose led a walk for the Love Arts Festival 2017 called Art, Access and Urban Walking, developed from a walk she led for Jane’s Walk Leeds in May. The aim was to spark conversation about accessibility in urban and green spaces and to document it creatively through photography, writing, sketching, or spoken word. Participants discussed how people use public spaces, how rarely they explore beyond their neighbourhoods, and accessibility issues at the shopping park.

Mindy lives with a neurological illness that affects her mobility, energy, and causes pain, which makes networking and attending events difficult. On the day, she felt anxious and limited by these challenges. Living with a chronic illness means constantly considering accessibility, energy levels, and travel distance, not just physical access. Social isolation can impact mental health, so leading this walk was an important way for Mindy to explore and highlight these issues.