Finlay and the High Ropes

The story below provides an example of the genuinely life-changing effects that Caldecotte Xperience can have on children and their families:

Finlay is eight years old and attends a mainstream school. He has a rare condition called Renal Coloboma affecting the kidneys and optic nerves, this means that he is significantly visually impaired and struggles with bed wetting. He also has some social difficulties and is very reluctant to try new things. His parents felt anxious about allowing him to try new things and were very concerned about an upcoming school residential visit to Caldecotte Xperience (CX).

To help ease their worries they were invited to the centre for a ‘pre-visit’ which reassured them that Finlay’s needs would be understood and supported. During his stay at CX, Finlay completed EVERY activity alongside his peers and stayed the night without wetting the bed. Finlay’s mum reflected on how she felt the experience had benefitted him some months later:

“Finlay thoroughly enjoyed his visit to Caldecotte Experience…he shared that he had had a moment when he was doing the high ropes when he felt scared, but it was okay because the instructors made him feel brave enough to try so he succeeded in completing the activity. Because of his night in the Yurts where he felt really relaxed because of the ambience, he slept really well and didn’t have an accident either.

“This whole experience has been the springboard he needed to improve his sleeping, have less accidents and show more resilient behaviour. He is braver and feels he can try things. He is making us prouder that we ever thought possible. Before, we held him back because we felt insecure, but this visit opened up our eyes to what he is really capable of. Now he can do anything he puts his mind to and if he gets a bit scared we remind him of how brave he was doing the things at Caldecotte Xperience and he shakes off his insecurity and goes for it. We know that we won’t hold him back ever again and that Fin can do everything that anyone else can do.”

N.B Photo and name has been changed to protect identity