Swimming at Center Parcs

I often get the feeling these days that I'm on the outside looking in all the time. tThis is nearly always true of anything I might do with my son, who now being 3 would like to do more exciting things. When planning anything, its very rare that any sort of establishment might even consider for a second that disabled people might have children or be part of a family and would want to or be able to take part in anything vaguely physical. So that's why once again and for the last time I want to pat Center parcs on the back.

For a start, it seems to me, that most activities are pretty accessible to anyone with a disability. Granted I cant see myself Nordic walking but I could take a horse ride for instance. This time round though my best efforts at being very active were scuppered by the fact that I'm now 7 months pregnant which is pretty much the case for most women by now. But the one thing I did do was go swimming, the first time in a few years and what fun we had!. My main concern was how to get into the pool. No worries there, I was allowed to change in the first aid room by the really excellent staff and then because of the ace design, I was just able to wheel myself right to the poolside and allow my husband to throw me in!!!!! The thing I was most impressed about was the overall design. At most local pools you get these shallow foot baths that you have to walk through to clean your feet, these always involve a step. But this pool was the first time Ive come across something that was done entirely using slopes. Not one step in sight, really I was amazed, I don't know why it cant be done elsewhere though, probably no one thinks about it.

So I did a bit of swimming, Actually I've never been a great swimmer at the best of times, and now I just sort of bob about with legs in the air. But its fun, and I'm able to experience my sons own joy at his own attempts at 'swimming' which is truly priceless.