Bendrigg Trust gave my son adventure.

All packed and ready to go.

I waved my 16 year old off for a week of adventure sport at Bendrigg Trust Outdoor pursuits centre in Kendal, Lake District.

A big deal in our world as he’s not usually away from us for too long let alone a whole week where adventure waits but this is a huge opportunity and we wouldn’t have him miss it.

Along with 6 others of his class mates and 5 teachers the bus left loaded with suitcases, wheelchairs and very excited teenagers ready for what lay ahead.

5 days later I picked him up; a bag full of washing, red eyes and sloping shoulders but the smile on his face said it all.

Experiences allow us to evolve and there was a wonderful energy of this happening in our kids from this week; night time walks with head torches. Caving indoors and outdoors, canoeing where the ice needed to be broken on the water as they paddled. Rock climbing, abseiling and zip wiring. Sharing a room with a pal and cooked breakfasts every single day, what wasn’t to love!

The Bendrigg Trust is designed to deliver high quality adventure opportunities to individuals who are disabled or disadvantaged in some way. For 40 years they have encouraged the development of confidence and supporting the continued learning of independence from learning to trust themselves, working as a team and making their own bed and taking care of their belongings.

It’s hard letting go, the anxiety of will he be understood when he voices his needs? Will they know when he’s anxious and he needs them to be present with him whilst he calms down? Will they know to be patient when he’s unsure but wants to try and know when to help him slow down when he’s going too fast and could hurt himself?

Of course a small group of his teachers were there but I had nothing to worry about, he was heard, he was encouraged, he was given every opportunity and he loved it.

Thank you

Thank you Bendrigg Trust for creating a lifetime of memories for him that’ll he can hold on to, be proud of and always look back on.