‘Today I took delivery of a new bike, but for me it’s not just a bike, its actually my lifeline and my new found therapy.
My son has ASD, ADHD and mental health issues. He has good days and bad, but his bad days when he has them he describes as fatal. As his Mum I have never seen myself as his Carer, just his Mum.
Sometimes his lows mean he no longer wants to be in his own head and he looks for ways in which he can end things, as a Mum that breaks my heart. But in order for me to balance my own mental health and wellbeing and to support him to the best of my ability, along with working every day, I found during lockdown, going for a bike ride every morning before he got out of bed really helped me deal with whatever the day threw at me whether it be work or helping keep my son ‘safe’ and on a level.
At the beginning of lockdown I dusted my old bike down out of my garage and was away to go. Some mornings I would ride down the Canal, just enjoying the me time, or do a circle of the town. I’d even got my son to come out with me some evenings too. At the beginning of this week my bike gave up and literally fell apart, as id probably ridden it to death and far more than it was ever designed for, as it was a teenagers bike! I put it back in my garage and sat on the floor and literally cried, as I felt a sense of panic come over me. Yes I know I could go out running or walking but biking had become ‘my thing’.
I just wanted to say a massive thank you, I’m so grateful for the support from yourselves, since I found out that I was eligible for funding for a new bike & accessories, I’ve felt lots of emotions Happy, relived, guilty (as maybe there were others more deserving than me) and of course excited and grateful.
You do an amazing Job and if I can in the future help in someway to repay your kindness please let me know. Thank you from me and my son, he now has one happy Mum 😊’