Monthly blog round-up: May
Activity Alliance features a blog post every Friday – sharing the experiences of disabled people involved in sport and exercise at all levels, and those who support disabled people, on their journey to being more active. Today, we take a look back at our blogs throughout May and look forward to June’s stories.
Shona - becoming more active
The beginning of May saw our fourth blog post from disability, beauty and lifestyle blogger, Shona Louise. In her latest blog post she tells us she can now confidently swimming is a part of her routine.
"It’s now been four months since I started this journey of beginning to swim again, after years of not being in a swimming pool, and I really can’t believe how quick the time has passed. It almost feels like I’ve been swimming for four years, not four months. I can confidently say that swimming is now firmly part of my routine and I’m enjoying every single session."
Read Shona's latest blog here.
Eilidh - blind skier
May aslo saw us here from 10 year old skier, Eilidh. She told us how she loves the feeling of being free when she is on the slopes.
"I started skiing in January 2016. It makes me feel amazing and I love being free on the slopes, independent and feeling the cold wind in my eyes."
Kai Gill - powerchair footballer
Kai spoke to us about his love for powerchair football and how being active has impacted his life.
"Five years on and I can honestly say I’m so glad I went along, as I have come to love the sport. It’s given me so many opportunities."
Mieke Dix - snowboarder
Mid-May saw us hear from snowboarder Mieke Dix, who told us how being active has been beneficial in helping her combat depression.
"Being active has and continues to improve my physical health. However, the biggest effect is on my mental health. I’ve struggled with suicidal depression since I was a teenager, and it can be a monumental task to get myself to the slope or rink. However, give me an hour on the slope or a few laps around the rink and this helps me feel better."
Julia Winter - sailor
The end of May saw us hear from Julia Winter, a 53 year old sailor with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome who explains ho taking up sailing pushed her beyond her comfort zone and boosted her confidence.
"Before becoming disabled I never participated in any sport and was very inactive. I am now a dinghy sailor. I love the water and spend every opportunity I can sailing. I enjoy racing and recently took part in Challenger Class Association UK National Championships and came away with a silver cup."
That's all for our May round-up. June will see us hear from Shona again and how she is getting with her swimming journey. We will also feature football focus stories as part of the build up to the World Cup and FA Disability Cup finals weekend.
If you're interested in writing a blog about your experiences of sport and exercise, please email news@activityalliance.org.uk or call 0161 228 2868.
