We had an amazing time at our recent Paralympic-themed national residential weekend.

A total of 89 people, including 25 AAC users, came together to enjoy a variety of fun activities, and to connect with the 1Voice community.
We were especially pleased to welcome five new families who experienced a 1Voice weekend for the first time.

Volunteers helped with registration and showed people to their rooms. The relaxed ice-breaker activity after dinner worked well and allowed people to get to know each other.

On Saturday we split into four activity groups. The highlight for many was the Boccia tournament led by our very own Patron, and former Paralympian, Beth. Other activities included Paralympic parade preparation, giving an opportunity to design flags and sports kit; an obstacle course; and a press room activity where people conducted pre- or post-sporting event interviews. We are looking forward to seeing the end results when the editing of the interviews is complete.  

Parents’ workshops were held alongside the group activities and provided an opportunity to ask questions and gain support from others. Thank you to our role model Helen, who shared her experience of independent living and to Adam and Toby who shared their experiences of being physically active.

The evening started with some games and ended with an all-request mini disco. The fire dance performance was spectacular and something that will be remembered.

Our closing ceremony took place on Sunday with a Paralympic parade. Thank you to Lana for telling us about how she achieved her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award; Stefan who showed us the film he has made about accessible skiing; and Ian who shared his love of sailing.

The weekend was slightly smaller this year due to several event clashes, however its impact was just as great.

Completed feedback forms gave a score of 9.11 out of 10 when asked if the weekend met their expectations.

Quote from a 1Voice volunteer:

“I get a great sense of well-being from attending 1-voice. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. Having the opportunity to meet so many individuals who use AAC, across so many age ranges, in a social context is a unique and precious experience.”

We’d like to say a big thank you to the National Lottery who gave us a substantial grant towards the cost of this year’s event, and thanks to the National Lottery players for making our project possible.