By Gary Coulton
Photo: Lucy Ross

Leader – “Beyond Words – Big Paddle Challenge 2022”

More information

There’s more information on our challenge at Our Go Fund Me site: www.gofundme.com/f/beyond-words-big-paddle-2022

You can keep up with our progress on our FB site at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondwordsbigpaddlehq

The Beyond Words –
Big Paddle Challenge 2022

We’re raising funds to support the brilliant charity Beyond Words.

www.booksbeyondwords.co.uk

Through their marvellous picture storybooks, they help people with learning disabilities such as autism and Downs syndrome to navigate a confusing and unfortunately all too often hostile world. Their library of storybooks tackles real-world life skills. Helping readers understand what it’s like to go to the hospital or dentist, lose a loved one, look after their health, join a drama group, fall in love, and join a drama group. New books are always coming on stream. They are used in schools, hospitals, prisons and for refugees. Their next target is to expand them into the wider community.

Beyond Words Community Book Clubs

Our efforts, and the donations we raise, will fund the growing network of Beyond Words Community Books Clubs currently centred in the SE of England but looking to widen. Maybe even go international eventually.

Members attend weekly (face-to-face or online via Zoom) to discuss a book and its implications. They have fun, meet people and learn. They make friends, countering the isolation and loneliness they typically experience. Book Club members are empowered to become more independent. Some are able to hold down jobs for the first time because of their newfound confidence.

Why our paddling challenge is spread over a year?

It struck me that people with a learning disability live with their challenges every day of their lives. They can’t do an intense day then go back to normal. So, doing a one-off big event seemed inappropriate. Instead, we’ve chosen to put ourselves into their shoes a little. To push ourselves mentally and physically throughout the year. Sometimes paddling five times a week to make our distance targets. It gives us just a small idea of what it’s like to be in discomfort every day.

Who are the paddlers?

We are not elite athletes. We are recreational marathon kayakers prepared to push ourselves like never before for a good cause. Most of us work, run our own businesses or study. Several of us are retired. Some in our fifties, sixties and seventies. It’s true we already paddle quite long distances, but I for one will be doubling my annual average to achieve 1,000 miles.

It looks like our collective Jan total will be about 700 miles.