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Testimonial
Lloyd Neale was
very lucky to be sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cockermouth for six
days at the Calvert Trust near Keswick. The Trust has been
developed to provide a facility for disabled people, young or old,
whatever their problem to participate in outdoor activities. We
have included a Diary below with photographs to help give you an idea
what was achieved. A special thank you the Calvert Trust
and to the Rotary Club of Cockermouth.
PLEASE
NOTE THAT SIMILAR ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE LAKE DISTRICT FOR ALL
TO ENJOY.DIARY
OF LLOYD NEALE, INCOMPLETE PARAPLEGIC L1 USES WHEELCHAIR
BUT WALKS WITH
ELBOW CRUTCHES
CALVERT TRUST
KESWICK ROTARY DISTRICT 1190 COURSE
Please
click on pictures to display full size on screen.
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| Outdoor
activities were horse riding, trap driving, sailing, kayaking,
canoeing, abseiling, rock climbing, orienteering, swimming and
archery.
(Please
note that the names below have been changed.) |
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| Saturday
10th April 1999. Arrived at 4:35 in
the afternoon and met Simon, Skiddaw Team Leader. He showed me
where to park and carried all my clothes, etc in for me. I had a
choice of sharing a room or one to myself. As I snore loud I
thought better one on my own. It’s a twin bedded room ensuite.
Very nice and very warm. Just as well as there is a cold spell
coming. We are due for horse riding tomorrow. Skiddaw Team has
Andrew, an incomplete paraplegic in a chair like me but who can
walk with elbow crutches. Also James who has a painful neck at
the back and is on Morphine. There are a lot of youngsters, in
fact all age ranges.
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| Sunday 11th
April. Awoken by Peter knocking on room door.
Just about awake anyway but thanked him. 7:45. Breakfast at
8:30. Made it OK. Bit difficult getting to a table as alongside
another wheelchair. Very good cooked breakfast and pot of herbal
tea. Everyone friendly and chatted. All met in dining room at
9:30 - James had already got lunch together. So loaded up in
special van with rear entrance ramp and off by 10:00. Driven to
Lattrigg Road in Keswick to a stable. Met Pat and Sandra. James
took pony and trap while Andrew and I tried out Archery. Very
good and even hit the target. Stayed in barn and had two teams
with 10 points for bull plus 10 if you hit a balloon. Highest
from 3 arrows was 60 and I got 40 with one arrow missing
altogether. James was best at 50! Then James came back and it
was my turn in pony and trap. Pat explained everything. She had
reins as well. Down a lane and kept needing to stay left as cars
go by. Pony called Danny, quite a coincidence as our own dog is
called Danny. At the far end had to turn round on the spot as a
cul-de-sac. Danny did most of it. On the way back had to go up a
lane then sharp left and through a narrow gateway! More arrows
whilst Andrew actually rode another horse. He looked good. James
and I were too heavy. Then lunch - two rolls, cake, crisps,
fruit and drinks. Simon in charge while Michael drove, Peter
from Rotary Club helped plus Laurie from Keswick and one other
volunteer. Tried a crossbow as well. May take up with Christine.
Off to WHINLATTER Pass but opposite to centre. Parked by
Mountain bike hut and Orienteered up a path. 15 things to find
in all. Very good and I managed to walk about a mile and used
the wheelchair back. Rained near the end but good fun. Back to
base and changed waterproof jacket as the zip did not work. Then
swim and sauna. Chatted to Andrew about our injuries.
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| Monday
12th April.
Today was geared for a walking day. We all wore waterproof
jackets and trousers. We stopped at White Horse pub off the A66
past Threlkeld. It now started to hail down. But I walked with
one of the helpers pushing my wheelchair. Russell drove the van
to the pub at Mungrisdale and then walked back to meet us
midway. We were James, Andrew in chairs, Peter rotary with sight
failing, Laurie from Keswick Rotary and Michael and Simon from
Maryport. Simon is zany but very helpful and fun. The walk was 4
miles and I split it into lots of walk and chair work. Needed
help on steep hills although Andrew kept on going all on his
own. Arrived at pub about 1:30. Laurie bought the drinks which
was kind of him. Ate food from Calvert Trust. Looked at
waterfall there as well. Then on to WHINLATTER Pass and looked
round centre. Simon twice threw himself down a kids slide. Poor
Tony at 6’ 5" could not see a table lower down and walked
into it and knocked everything over. We then walked down a
logging road back to the van. About a mile. There was a very
steep hill and I was glad I was walking. James had electric
breaking from motors on his hair but Andrew flew down and only
just made it round a corner. If I had been in my chair I would
have roped up and had the helpers slow me down.
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| Tuesday
13th April. Taken
off at 9:30 to Bassenthwaite Lake to the boat house. Very
changeable weather, low cloud, but lovely infra-red heaters in
boat house so warm as toast. Paul, Russell, Laurie and John all
lashed two canoes together and towed them up to one end of the
lake at Peel Whyte. Meanwhile we all put on life jackets and the
van took us up to meet the safety boat and canoes. I went front
left, 3 in a canoe, so 6 in all, Russell at right front then
Andrew and lastly Laurie. Behind me was James and Paul. Simon
and John were in the safety boat with the cameras. Very
changeable weather, rain, sleet, dry but great fun. Wind helped
blow us along. Took about an hour and a half to reach the boat
house where we all had rolls for lunch. Simon is quite a ham.
Whilst eating hell of a snow storm, couldn’t see the other
side of the lake. The Instructors talked about going elsewhere
as the weather was so bad but all three of us, James , Andrew
and I, all wanted to canoe on the lake. Then the weather
improved and I went in a double kayak, a Kiwi, with Paul.
Laurie, Russell and Andrew went on their own and Peter and John
teamed up in another Kiwi. Real fun paddling about learning the
different strokes and how safe the kayak was. Glad I was in a
double. James was in the safety boat with Simon. Had a race up a
little bay, 360 degree turn, then back again. We did a 180
degree turn and Paul shouted to keep going as the single kayaks
turn much faster than us in a double. Russell kept coming
alongside and Paul pushed the front of his kayak down and I did
a slingshot off his bow and pushed him back. Then Simon threw
plastic yellow ducks and balls in the lake over a distance and
we had to collect the most. We won with 8 in all. Unfortunately
we didn’t see Laurie come across us and we nearly capsized
him. He did ship a few gallons of water. Really great time. We
then popped back to base and changed trousers as they were wet.
They drove us up to Surprise Point, near Ashness Bridge for a
breathtaking view of Derwentwater. Lovely blue sky. Brief stop
in Keswick then visited Cumberland Pencil Museum. You go through
a mock tunnel first as a Graphite mine. Paul , Russell and Simon
wore helmets and kept banging their heads and prating about.
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| Wednesday
14th April Please
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