A holiday that became so much more

"I never thought I could swim again."

A holiday that became so much more

For Elizabeth (Liz) Kehoe, a holiday to Porthcawl was much more than a few days by the sea.

It was a chance to rediscover her confidence, reconnect with cherished memories, and prove to herself that life still holds new adventures.

Supported by Ategi's Supported Living team, Liz had not been away for a very long time. Her last trip had been to visit her daughter, making this holiday especially meaningful. Although excited, she also felt understandably anxious.

"I'd been waiting a long time for a holiday," Liz said. "It felt refreshing to get away from my normal routine."

Because Liz uses a wheelchair, travelling somewhere unfamiliar brought understandable concerns. She worried about falling, becoming unwell, navigating different bathroom facilities and whether new people would understand her quiet, slow speech.

Rather than allowing those worries to become barriers, Liz, her family and Ategi worked together to carefully plan every aspect of the holiday. From choosing an accessible caravan to discussing what mattered most to her, Liz remained at the heart of every decision.

The destination was easy to choose.

Porthcawl held a special place in her heart, filled with treasured memories of spending precious time with her daughter and granddaughter after years apart. Returning there gave Liz the opportunity to revisit those happy moments while creating brand new memories of her own.

From the moment she arrived, Liz embraced every opportunity.

She spent time exploring the promenade, enjoying the fresh sea air and taking countless photographs of the coastline. One afternoon, with support from staff, she safely transferred from her wheelchair to sit on a large stone overlooking the sea, quietly taking in the view.

Like many memorable holidays, it was often the unexpected moments that brought the biggest smiles.

After walking along the beach, Liz returned to the caravan and removed her Crocs, only for what seemed like half the beach to pour onto the floor.

"I accidentally brought the beach home with me!" she laughed. "Look... it must be a souvenir!"

There were seaside treats too.

Vanilla and strawberry ice cream, fish and chips overlooking the sea, a visit to her favourite beachfront café for cheese toast, salad and a cup of tea, and the familiar cry of "Seagulls!" from staff as everyone instinctively protected their lunch before the birds could swoop.

Shopping became another opportunity for independence. During a visit to ASDA, Liz chose exactly what she wanted to buy, making her own decisions and enjoying the freedom to spend her holiday exactly as she wished.

Perhaps the greatest surprise came in the swimming pool.

Having not swum for many years, Liz wasn't sure what would happen when she entered the water.

Then something wonderful happened.

"I never thought I could swim again."

Rediscovering that ability became one of the defining moments of the holiday, reminding Liz that some things are never truly lost—they simply need the right opportunity to return.

Another memory that remains close to her heart happened while walking along the promenade.

Liz met nine-month-old triplet girls, one of whom delighted in playing peekaboo with her while smiling from ear to ear.

"Meeting those triplets reminded me so much of my granddaughter and baby Jack. It made my heart so happy."

The encounter brought back treasured family memories while creating another that Liz knows she will never forget.

Throughout the break, Liz enjoyed simple pleasures that many people take for granted: listening to live musicians in the town centre, clapping along to the music, visiting the fairground, winning arcade tokens before using them to win a sweet, watching the sunset from outside the caravan and buying thoughtful gifts for family and friends—including an Elvis T-shirt to remember her late brother.

One of everyone's favourite moments came when the group wanted a photograph together.

With nobody nearby to take the picture, one support worker set the timer on an iPad before sprinting back into position. Everyone burst into laughter as they raced against the countdown, determined that nobody would be left out of the photograph.

Those pictures became treasured keepsakes because they captured exactly how the holiday felt—shared, joyful and inclusive.

Perhaps the most significant achievement wasn't a single activity at all.

For the first time in a long while, Liz had complete control over her own holiday. She decided when to wake up, what to wear, where to go, what to eat, how much spending money to take and which activities she wanted to enjoy.

Those choices helped rebuild something incredibly important: confidence.

As the days passed, staff noticed Liz becoming increasingly relaxed. She chatted happily with people she met, adapted well to unfamiliar surroundings, used different bathroom facilities with growing confidence and embraced experiences that once felt daunting.

One support worker reflected:

"What stood out most was seeing Liz step outside her normal routine and embrace every new experience with such joy.

"I saw a real change in Liz's confidence throughout the holiday. She became more relaxed, more independent and so willing to try new things."

When Liz returned home, she brought far more than souvenirs.

She returned with greater confidence, increased independence, reduced anxiety and renewed optimism about the future.

She has already spoken about wanting to take more holidays, go bowling again and continue making new memories.

One conversation especially stayed with her support staff.

Speaking about her father's upcoming milestone birthday, Liz smiled and said:

"My dad is turning 90... I'm aiming for 100!"

It perfectly captured the renewed outlook she had gained.

Looking back, however, what Liz treasures most isn't the beach, the swimming or even the ice cream.

It's the people.

"What I'll remember the most is how much time the staff gave me. They were so caring and selfless. They spent their time out of hours just to make sure I had the most memorable holiday."

For Liz, the holiday to Porthcawl wasn't simply time away.

It was proof that, with the right support, it's never too late to rediscover confidence, embrace new experiences and continue living life your way.