In July 2024 Artist, Dominic Smith worked with a group from West House, a care and support provider based in Cumbria for people with disabilities. 

The workshops aimed to engage the group in a creative environmental exploration that would contribute to the Raise: Cumbria Community Forest Plan.

Pinhole photography is a slow process that offers participants a hands-on way to capture and map aspects of potential woodland spaces. It involves looking, planning, and framing each photograph. The process created a structured space for participants to consider their surroundings and contribute valuable insights about their interaction with local woodland.

The first workshop took place at Longland Lake Country Park, in Cleator Moor. This site is already established with good access for wheelchairs and people with limited physical mobility. It was also decided during the initial site visit that it would be helpful to see an established woodland site to discuss its sensory impact and accessibility. During this visit, the group took several pinhole photographs and recorded their thoughts about the environment. 

The second workshop took place at the at the site where the Ehenside School had been at Cleator Moor. A similar method was used on day one. The group toured the site, took photographs using pinhole cameras, and recorded their thoughts on the site, its accessibility and the impact the visit had upon them.