Portland Charity’s fully-accessible Woodland Adventure Zone at the college is to be expanded.

The forest adventure allows access for wheelchair users and people with disabilities, providing an exciting experience for everyone.

There is a 90-metre zipline, 7m climbing tower, woodland walks, and bushcraft area, which have been used by schools, corporate groups, families, and Portland’s learners and citizens for the last two and a half years.

Now the second phase of the development will see new activities, which are tailored towards people’s mental health and wellbeing, introduced.

Mansfield Building Society’s Charitable Trust has promised to donate £20,000 towards the project.

Some of The Mansfield’s staff were invited to Portland to see how the facility is being used, following a donation at the initial development stage of Woodland Adventure Zone.

Now the trust will support the charity by funding one of the projects in stage two, a handbike trail.

Handbikes allow disabled people who struggle with their mobility to participate in activities many take for granted.

There is a lack of handbike trails in Nottinghamshire and the college said its Woodland Adventure Zone is the perfect place for a new one.

Dr Mark Dale, Portland Charity principal and chief executive, said: “After the amazing success we have had from the first phase of the Woodland Adventure Zone, we are now looking forward to starting on phase two.

“This generous donation from Mansfield Building Society will allow us to redevelop our current gravity trail into an inclusive handbike trail, providing all disabled people more opportunities for exciting adventures in our beautiful forest.”

Vickie Preston, head of HR at the building society, who is pictured with Mark, added: “Portland College is doing terrific work, developing its Woodland Adventure Zone to create a fully-inclusive forest adventure that is a real asset to the area.

“We’re thrilled that this latest donation from the Charitable Trust will help deliver a handbike trail so that people with mobility restrictions can enjoy the superb surroundings and improve their health and wellbeing.”