10 Years Stories #6 – Where Inclusion Became Action

The Borough That Taught Us What Accessibility Really Means 

We’d built accessibility features into TrailTale from the beginning—adjustable text, screen reader compatibility, clear navigation. We believed in inclusive design. But Bolton Council showed us we’d been thinking too small. Accessibility wasn’t just about technical features; it was about whose stories we told and how we told them

Bolton is a borough in Greater Manchester with a powerful history often overlooked. Starting in the 1960s, immigrant communities arrived to work the mills that drove Bolton’s economy. These weren’t just workers—they were community builders, culture shapers, people who transformed the towns around Bolton into the diverse, vibrant places they are today. Yet their stories remained largely unheard.

The council had a vision: create a trail that truly 
represented Bolton’s communities, one that celebrated this immigrant heritage 
as central to the borough’s identity, not a footnote. They commissioned ‘Bolton 
Communities’—a route that would give voice to those who’d been overlooked.

To create it authentically, we needed to listen. Community 
leaders at the large Bolton Mosque welcomed us with extraordinary hospitality. 
They showed us around their impressive building, shared their experiences, and 
trusted us with stories that mattered deeply to them. It was collaboration in 
its truest form—not extracting information, but building understanding 
together.

Then Bolton Council challenged us further: “People who 
are vision impaired deserve to experience these stories too.” They were 
right. We’d created audio narration for convenience, but what about necessity? 
We fully narrated the Bolton trails so visually impaired visitors could 
experience every story independently. We added Alt-Text descriptions to every 
image, ensuring screen readers could paint pictures with words. And crucially, 
we developed alternative walking instructions to accommodate people with mobility 
issues—offering routes that avoided stairs, steep inclines, or difficult 
terrain.

Bolton wasn’t stopping at one trail. They commissioned ten 
routes across their towns—each celebrating local heritage. Horwich, Farnworth, 
Westhoughton, Smithills—larger communities with industrial legacies. Kearsley, 
a smaller gem with a lovely historic trail revealing its quieter past. Each 
trail honoured what made these places special. To top it all, they commissioned 
a cycling trail that circled the north part of the borough, towns, heritage and 
magnificent views.

But perhaps the most innovative step came next: We filmed 
all these stories into route movies, featured on YouTube. For people who can’t 
leave their homes—whether due to disability, health conditions, or other 
circumstances—these videos opened up Bolton’s heritage completely. Virtual 
access became genuine participation.

Bolton taught us that inclusion isn’t a checkbox—it’s a 
commitment. It’s asking “whose stories aren’t being told?” and
” who can’t access what we’ve created?” then actually commissioned us 
to do the work to change both answers. 

We built the features. Bolton benefited from them and together we utilised 
them with purpose

#TrailTale10YearsStories #Story6 #BoltonHeritage #InclusionInAction