The winner is…

Tense Excitement filled the air, faces with big open eyes and lip stretching smiles peered at Emily as she read out the winner

The winner, (slight pause for effect), is… Chase Water.

To you, that may bring on a pouting face, maybe a sense of disappointment, but to Michalina, Jahid, and Luke it was a big happy, eye popping, excited YES.  You see there’s a lot of fun and practical learning in getting to this point.

If you look after an adult with learning difficulties/disabilities, autism, behavior that challenges you’ll know that going to the supermarket can be a major expedition.  It’s not just a shopping list and remembering the shopping bags.  Oh no, it’s planning how to handle 10, 20 possibly 50 different scenarios’, going when it’s quiet, handling the disapproving looks and remarks that flick the anger button in milliseconds.

It’s getting the adult with learning difficulties/disabilities, autism, behavior that challenges ready, accepting of what you are going to do and then doing it, on some days not so easy.  You see a trip out can have many challenges.

Now, planning a day out can be a big thing, consequently, a spur of the moment day out doesn’t happen that often!  But when it does it creates such a happy atmosphere and excitement you can see, hear and feel it.  Yes, it takes some experience to manage but that is what we have.

Decommissioned trains, platforms, and suitcases, trunks and things from them good old days to explore and have pictures taken with.  A bit of history, learning about the past and then a walk to the old look out point to see what was happening on the lake – no herons today but lots of fluffy grey goslings calmly paddling and occasionally dipping their heads into the lake.  A bit of nature too.

Good walk back to the adventure centre time for a bit of fun and even more time for a picnic, exercise, healthy eating all out in the fresh air.

Chase water, it’s not disappointing.  It comes with some interest to help with learning. It comes with some fresh air based exercise and lot and lots of lovely green nature filled space, a good day out in many ways now do you see why it can generate eye popping excitement?  Or do these adults know there’s something special in what a lot of people take for granted?