Meet Alfie, Activity Place customer and accessibility ambassador! Alfie has been attending activities here since summer 2024. He and his mum, Sam, have given us a snapshot into his journey to finding out about The Activity Place, the joining process and how he has discovered new sessions which have become an important part of his schedule. "I love the gym, the massage and the mindfulness and the sound bath. Those are my favourite things so far. I haven't tried anything else yet as I can only come during school holidays. I am at college full time. But when I leave college next year, I will come a lot. I have done some boxing and competed with other people which is very exciting." - Alfie For Alfie's mum, finding out about The Activity Place came at a crucial point, during Alfie's transition from children's services and into the world of adulthood. Sam knew that the transition to adult services would mean a drop off in access to physiotherapy, which was a significant worry for her. Managing pain is crucial for Alfie, who has severe dystonia and quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Sam first heard about the Activity Place from Alfie's Evelina neurologist and his local paediatrician and got in touch to enquire. Sam spoke to Faye and she guided Alfie and her through the registration process, starting with the tour. "Alfie at this point was very excited about seeing the hoist in the gym and access to an Innowalk. For me as Alf's mum/parent carer, this place is a gold mine of activity that Alfie can access." - Sam, Alfie's mum On top of college and The Activity Place, Alfie is also the Visit Horsham Accessibility Champion! Alfie and Sam have a Facebook page, 'Don't Pass The Buck' where they both share their experiences of accessibility, being a parent carer and promoting access and inclusion. The page was started when Alfie was 5 years old, and it is thanks to Sam (alongside other local mums and supporters) and Alfie's tireless championing of access and inclusion that Horsham now has two changing places toilets, a wheelchair swing and a level access roundabout in Horsham Park. Visit Horsham, the organisation which promotes local business and community in Horsham, shared Sam and Alfie's Facebook posts and the organisation asked Alfie in 2025 to be Horsham's Accessibility Champion. Sam and Alfie have campaigned tirelessly, with their petition to install Changing Places toilets in all town centres reaching over 40,500 signatures, and have campaigned in local and national media, councils and at Downing Street. On Wednesday, Alfie and Sam are going to the Palace of Westminster, having been invited by UP movement for adults with cerebral palsy and Action CP jointly to attend parliament with Catherine Atkinson MP and Baggy Shanker MP for the World Cerebral Palsy Month Parliamentary Reception. "I am almost 20 years old, I live in Horsham, West Sussex and I am the Visit Horsham Accessibility Champion. I volunteer at Horsham Library Reading Challenge every summer for six weeks once a week and College have just set up me volunteering at the Horsham Football Club women's games (it's not so noisy at the women's games and I have very sensitive hearing) as a welcome person at the stalls." - Alfie Joining The Activity Place whilst Alfie is still attending college has enabled him to get to know the team and start trying out the different activity sessions we offer, so far Alfie has used the Gym, Massage, Mindfulness and Sound Bath. All of this in preparation for leaving college next year. We can't wait to see more of Alfie!