When it comes to planning outdoor adventures, everyone is always talking about the benefits of green space in the great outdoors, but spending time near blue space at the water’s edge is not to be cast aside. People love the sound of running, rippling and swashing water, and spending time by the waterside provides a reflective space to sit quietly, clearing their head away from their busy schedules.
Our residents at Hollybank Trust are no strangers to blue space, making use of the pond area and spotting wildlife that meet up and cool down in the calming waters or beside the water’s edge. Whether it be through sailing activities, or our Hollybank Trust hydrotherapy sessions in the Bradbury Centre, many of our residents love letting any worries and woes float away as they glide delicately upon the water. This summer, our residents have had the opportunity to get back out on the water themselves again.
Earlier this summer, the residents from ELMS at Hollybank Trust visited Yeadon Sailing Club. The members of the team at Yeadon Sailing Club helped use hoists to get our residents into the sailboats, and together they took a gentle journey out on the calm waters. The sailors adapted the boats and seating area of the boats to accommodate the needs of the participants, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Support workers, parents and personal assistants or carers accompanied our residents out on the water and enjoyed the experience with them, and this all hands-on-deck approach with everyone working together made for smooth-sailing!
At Yeadon Sailing Club, as planes from Leeds Bradford Airport flew overhead, the group reminisced about memories from their favourite holidays.
A parent of one of our adults at Hollybank commented on how much their loved one loves visiting the beach, feeling the sand and sea between his toes and trying out sailing during their holidays away in Devon. When the opportunity for this particular resident to go sailing landed right on his doorstep, both him and his family were overjoyed.
Another adult has also recently been on a trip to Centre Parcs with his family, where they took a dip in the accessible splash pool together, which has been adapted for individuals with disabilities, in the Subtropical Swimming Paradise area.
Another one of our residents in attendance has travelled both near and far by boat; as well as trying out these local sailing activities in Yeadon, it’s all aboard cruise ships for her and her family during their holidays to Spain.
A personal assistant of one of the adults who tried out sailing commented that this particular adult who she cares for is soothed by sensory experiences, and often uses therapeutic disability aids to listen to the soundscapes of nature. Being out on the boat allowed this adult to listen out for these tranquil sounds in real-life nature herself.
All four adults who attended the sailing trip love going for a splash in the hydrotherapy pool on a weekly basis, and ELMS often host seaside sensory days with sand and water play to help residents engage with waterside activities. One of the adults in particular who attends ELMS is always engaged in the seaside activity, as the popular coastal town of Blackpool is one of her favourite places to visit.
The sailing trip was organised to provide a unique and inclusive opportunity for individuals with disabilities to connect with nature in a different setting up close. The event was a resounding success, and the ELMS organisers from Hollybank hope to return to Yeadon Sailing Club when they can!
Hollybank Trust is a registered Charity: 1043129
