Andrew's Story: Swindon Downs Syndrome Group

Projects Global's Make Some Noise has supported in your area deliver life changing work and help to give children a brighter future. Projects like Swindon Downs Syndrome Group.

Swindon Downs Syndrome Group supports children with Downs Syndrome and their families through activities, family trips and training days. With your help Make Some Noise plans to fund a Salamander Course, a five-day course run by the Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. On the course the children work as a team, learning fire-fighting skills with hoses, alongside getting the chance to climb, abseil and practice search and rescue. It’s a great opportunity to learn new skills in an environment other than school, helping improve the children’s self-esteem and confidence.

Andrew is one of the children who has benefited from the Salamander Course. Andrew can get very anxious about taking on new activities and for many years didn’t want to go on the course. After seeing how excited his friends were after attending, Andrew decided to nervously give it ago. Since his first breakfast morning with the firefighters, Andrew hasn’t looked back. He slid down the fireman’s pole, entered a smokey building, rescued a (toy) cat from the top of a building and abseiled down the tower.

Andrew’s become a different person since attending the Salamander courses. His awareness, confidence and ability to interact with others have all improved. He would never have taken on these challenges without the support and hard work of the Wiltshire Fire Service and the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group volunteers.

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