Peter Mwangi supports Edward in Wokingham. Edward loves to kayak. The only problem is Peter had never considered kayaking!
Edwards is a man who loves to be outside doing something every day. He particularly loves the water. Before lockdown, his support worker used to take him kayaking, however, she had moved on from Dimensions.
As we came out of lockdown, Edward couldn’t wait to restart his weekly kayaking. So in May, Peter took to the water with Edward at the Wokingham Waterside Centre for the first time.
“I had no experience whatsoever, but I knew how important it was to Edward, so I took a deep breath and took the plunge.”
“Support work is about the person you support and doing the things they want to do. So although I was a bit nervous, I was determined to learn. The coaches at the water centre could not have been better, I was able to learn whilst supporting Edward to do something he loves.”
“Now every Tuesday we’re out on the Thames. Some weeks the centre is very busy, as it’s popular with the local schools, but we’re out there doing something we both love. I’ve learned so much, including how to get out of the way of bigger boats - coping with their wake can be exciting!”
“The smile on Edward’s face is brilliant, he’s having a great time and so am I. When we get home, Edward likes to have a nap after lunch, so I know how much effort he’s put in.”
Edward’s mum Doreen explained, “Lockdown was not good for Edward, he really struggled with not being able to see friends and family. Before he had a job, he loves to go out. It’s great to see that he’s getting out again. He loves the water, his brother used to take him kayaking when we were on holiday, but he’s also been sailing and swimming.”
Peter said, “I started this for Edward, it was something new and until I started I didn’t realise how much I’d enjoy it too”.
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