Hi Everyone!
My name is Helen, my partner and myself are taking on Tough Mudder, South West 2015.
I am a seamstress for a local charity - Dressability - They specialise in altering and adapting garments for children and adults with disabilities.
Before I started work there, I didn't have much experience in helping people with disabilities and the needs they have.
Really early on I found out how important the work is that we do. For me, it's just doing a sometimes fairly simple alteration to a garment, but for those receiving it, it can be life changing!
One story that really brought it home to me was that of a middle ages man, I went to visit him at his house. He had had a stroke and as a result lost a vast range of mobility in his left arm and leg. Simple everyday life tasks, like opening your trouser button and zip, buttoning up a shirt were now near impossible for him. He didn't want to live in tracksuit bottoms and really wanted to be able to wear his smart trousers and jeans going out without needing assistance to undo buttons or zips when going to the toilet.
I took away a pair of smart trousers, and a pair of jeans.When back at the workshop, I removed the button on the waistband and the zip, changing them for velcro and magnetic fastening.
When I took them back, he was literally overjoyed at the result. This alteration had changed his life, enabling him to keep that bit more independence in his life.
I can't even think how many people this issue must effect, and this example is the tip of the iceberg for the amazing work that Dressability do.
Myself and my partner (Aaron) will be running the gruelling 12 mile obstacle course to help fund raise for this amazing charity as well as raise awareness.
Thank you for reading my story.
