Matthew Robinson, 46, who has Trisomy 18 and is autistic, has achieved his entry level certificate in sailing after eight years’ experience.
Matthew was diagnosed with the conditions when he was a child, as well as complex learning difficulties. After growing up in Canada and moving to the UK, he has been supported by a Salutem Care and Education supported living service in Peterborough for nine years.
His local sailing school started providing lessons for individuals with disabilities and complex needs in 2014, and Matthew has been an avid participant ever since.
Matthew requires round the clock support, so when he first started sailing, he had a support worker and a sailing teacher with him on the boat. Now, he has the confidence to steer the boat by himself and is able to go out on the water with only the instructor.
Sailing is one of Matthew’s passions however, because it is a seasonal activity, he can only go out on the boat between April and October. When asked about what he thinks of his experience with sailing, he simply stated: “I love it.”
John Godden MBE, CEO of Salutem Care and Education, said: “Well done Matthew, what an amazing achievement. It is inspiring to see that he has such a passion for sailing.
“At Salutem, we are all about making the individuals we support comfortable and push them to get involved with as many activities they can. We are looking forward to getting Matthew back on the water and to see what he can achieve next.”
Salutem Care and Education supports children, young people and adults with learning and physical disabilities, mental health needs, challenging behaviours, and autism at more than 120 homes, schools, day services, transition services and colleges nationwide.
We pride ourselves on delivering person-centric care, support, and education to enable the individuals we support to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives.