Art exists in many forms. In mainstream education often we are taught that blind people cannot engage in art in a meaningful way simply because we cannot see as well as other people. I want to challenge this narrative. Join me as we explore the many different journeys of a V.I. artist and how it is taught. Here is a firsthand account of someone who has been a V.I. person their whole life and does art. 

Hello, I am a 20-year-old visually impaired student at RNC, but I am also an artist. My journey began from the moment I was able to lift a pencil. I have been doing art for my entire life, but was told it was too strenuous for my vision both by my doctors and family members. However, this did not stop me from pursuing my dreams and passion. Art is as a form of expression and identity. This led me to eventually studying Art and Textiles at GCSE. Even though all my teachers advised me not to because, due to my vision, I would not be able to keep up with the course. However, I persevered and walked out with top marks. It was a challenging journey, however it was possible. This achievement gave me a newfound confidence within my abilities and my vision. Knowing that I proved them all wrong, all the people who told me that I could not do it. 

Then with my newfound confidence I moved on to study A Level Art, Photography, and Psychology. There were many challenges within my courses especially Photography with all the diverse types of editing, but I figured out ways around it. 

I used A.I. to determine colours or clarify images and for my final project I took advantage of my visual impairment and made it about my identity and how I see the world. It was similar with Art - I had to adapt the course slightly to make it more accessible. For my final piece I did identity and made a portrait out of acrylic and varied materials based on a canvas; for this I scored a grade A and this was the same way I worked in all my other courses. 

The year after, my family relocated to a different city and I started in a college. There I studied A Level Textiles and A Levels in Law and Graphics. I found this school to be much more accessible and easier to use than my previous college due to it making the courses much more accessible and adaptable; I also scored top marks in these courses as well. 

Through my experience, I believe that everyone can access art. Members of society, no matter your disability, no matter your condition, no matter your mental state, art is a means of creation, passion and emotion. I believe everyone should be presented with this opportunity to gain experience for themselves and their creative spirits. I hope to go on to study at a university, Fine Art and Design and eventually move on to a career within this sort of field.

Here are two pieces of my work...

I went on a College trip to Barry Island on Saturday 21 June 2025. I knew that a lot of Gavin & Stacey was filmed there. What I really wanted to get out of the trip was to visit the locations. What I found is that I was visiting the filming locations as I went around Barry, rather than having to go on a specific tour. 

It was raining when we got off the coach, and we all got wet. The rest of the day was mostly sunny and we had to put suncream on. When I was walking around, I was thinking about the locations used for filming. A lot of us were talking about it and one of the group went to visit the house while we were there. He said it was a completely normal house, considering it was such a famous location. It is a terraced house on the top of a hill, looking down to Barry Docks. 

At Barry Island there is a fair. A bit of Gavin & Stacey was filmed there. We also went to Marco’s, the ice-cream place. This was another filming location. We used Marco’s as our meeting place before going off in groups to the beach or the fair. 

It was very busy in Barry - there were loads of families. We queued for fish and chips for half an hour. We had to eat them on the bus home because it took so long to queue.

After her recent visit to Barry Island, Jessie, a huge fan of Gavin & Stacey was thrilled to visit some of the show's locations. Our Visionaries Chief Editor sat down with her to find out what makes the show so special. Here's what Jessie had to say...

What is it about Gavin & Stacey that has resonated so strongly with audiences? 

I think it is the love story, which is a long-distance relationship and how they have adapted to living together, especially how their relationship has changed over time, and their different backgrounds. 

What makes Gavin & Stacey unique?

A lot of the storylines – for example one of the characters gets pregnant, but they are not in a relationship (they are two best friends) and they work it out together. The storyline about the fishing trip – you don’t know exactly what happens on the trip but it is mentioned. How they got together through work, living in different parts of the country and making it work. 

What is a memorable episode, and why? 

In the 2024 Christmas special, in the final scene when one of the main characters is getting married, everyone in the crowd except one person stood up. Halfway through the ceremony, Gavin said you are making a big mistake. It shows that Mick respected him for his choices and he did it because he cared. I found it moving. Even though they are not related by blood, he always saw him as family. There is still that bond and I know how that feels from my own experience. This scene was so good that this episode was nominated for a BAFTA. 

Which character do you believe is the true heart of the show, and why? 

Smithy, who is Gavin’s best friend. He displays so much energy and humour, and he really brings emotional depth to the show especially when Gavin and Stacey get married. 

Do you find Gavin and Stacey's relationship dynamic realistic and relatable, or overly idealised? 

It is realistic and relatable. The characters of Gavin and Stacey are inspired by real life people. James Corden has a friend called Gavin, who met his wife through work. 

Discuss the role of the supporting characters (e.g., Nessa, Smithy, Pam, Mick, Bryn, Gwen). 

Nessa and Smithy are Gavin and Stacey’s best friends but they are like family. Pam and Mick are Gavin’s parents, Gwen is Stacey’s mum and Bryn is her uncle. Their role is to explore the different kinds of relationships families have. There is a lot of falling out but they work through the conflicts in the end. They show how a close family unit operates. 

Which secondary character do you think is the most compelling, and why? 

Uncle Bryn. He is so funny. There is one scene where the family are having an argument, and he steps in and tells them off. Another funny story which is on-going throughout Gavin & Stacey is the fishing trip between Uncle Bryn and his nephew Jason; we still don’t know what happened on this trip as it was never revealed. 

What do you think is the ultimate appeal of their dynamic? Do you believe they are truly meant to be together? 

Yes it is a major plot point, because of how different they are. He doesn’t really know a lot, he doesn’t really think. She acts like she is older than what she really is. They are just really different people, but I believe they are truly meant to be together. 

How does the show depict family relationships and friendships? Are they always healthy, or do they showcase realistic flaws? 

They do make it very realistic. Gavin and Stacey have arguments, but the arguments feel real; the outcomes from the arguments feel like real outcomes which would happen in an offscreen relationship. For example, when Stacey thought Gavin had a problem at work and got annoyed with him as she felt ignored. Gavin thought they were going to break up, so he rushed down to Barry Island (which is just over a 4-hour drive from where he lives in Essex) to tell her that he loves her. 

What is your favourite aspect of the show's humour? 

The jokes and humour throughout the series is funny and cleverly written. Some popular and iconic quotes: ‘What’s occurring?’ (Nessa) uses this when she wants to know what is going on? ‘That’s well lush’ (Stacey), ‘Oh my god, Dorris is dead’ (Stacey),   ‘Oh, my Christ!’ (Pam),    ‘Chicken Bhuna, Lamb Bhuna, Prawn Bhuna...‘ (Smithy),   ‘Gavalar’ (Smithy), ‘I’m Bryn which means hill in Welsh’ (Bryn), ‘My Pete’ (Dawn), ‘Would you like an omelette’ (Gwen),   ‘Theres the salad, so leave me alone’ (Doris). 

Does the show successfully balance its comedic elements with moments of genuine emotion and drama?

Yes, definitely. It does this really well. 

When Stacey gets married, Uncle Bryn reads a message from her dead father. You go from that to Smithy crying when he makes his best man speech. 

When Stacey and Gavin came back from their honeymoon and Bryn had made himself a t-shirt which said, ‘my niece went to Greece and all I got was this lousy t-shirt’. Bryn found the t-shirt joke funny, but no one else laughed at this. 

Dawn and Pete are at the Italian restaurant and Pam, Mick, Gavin, Stacey, Bryn, Gwen and Nessa Walk into the restaurant and ask Dawn and Pete who they are with, and Dawn and Pete lie saying it is a work colleague but instead it is something else. 

Another moment of emotion and drama is when Stacey and Jason catch Gwen with Dave Coaches and Gwen and Dave tell Stacey and Jason that they are in a relationship. Stacey calls Bryn and Bryn rushes over to confront Dave Coaches as Bryn and Dave do not get on with each other. 

The Christmas specials are hugely popular. Do you think they successfully capture the spirit of the original series, or do they feel like a different beast? 

The first one yes they do, but the thing that disappointed me about the finale was that I was expecting a lot more of a Christmassy feel to it. Smithy was getting married to his girlfriend so they had a party. Smithy missed his suit fitting, there was a hen party. Then Smithy realised that he didn’t want to be with her, he wanted to be with Nessa. So he left his girlfriend at the altar and then Nessa was going to go and work on a cruise ship so all of them get in cars to drive to Southampton to stop Nessa going on the ship and to tell her that Smithy loves her.  

What was your opinion on the cliffhanger ending of the 2019 Christmas special? Did it leave you satisfied, frustrated, or hopeful for more? 

I wanted to know the answer straight away. The cliffhanger was that Nessa asked Smithy to marry her, and we had to wait 5 years until we got his answer. In 2024, Smithy was getting ready to marry another girl, but didn’t. 

If there were to be more episodes, what storylines would you hope to see explored for the characters? 

Maybe if Nessa and Smithy have another child, or if Gavin and Stacey’s kids are a bit more grown up, maybe a bit more about Nessa and Smithy’s child. 

If you could ask the creators (James Corden and Ruth Jones) one question about the show, what would it be? 

What happened on the fishing trip? I need to know! 

Ultimately, what is the lasting appeal of Gavin & Stacey for you? 

It’s something very different. You don’t expect two families to be as close as what they were. For me, it’s how two people managed to make it work when they’d only known each other eight weeks before getting married.

For most people, walking through a city is automatic. You look around, follow the signs, cross when the lights change. For me, it’s different. I don’t see the streets of Hereford - I feel them. My long cane is my guide, my protection, and my freedom. Every tap against the pavement tells me something: a kerb, a step, a change in texture. It’s how I see the world. 

Hereford isn’t a huge city, but it has its fair share of surprises. Some parts feel like they were made with blind people in mind - smooth paths, wide walkways, decent crossings. Other places? Not so much. Uneven pavements, cars parked across dropped kerbs, quiet roads with no audio cues. These are things most people don’t notice, but for me, they decide whether I feel safe or stressed. 

Still, I’ve learned to make it work. I’ve got my routes - the safe ones I trust. Supermarket runs, trips to the station, walks into town. My cane taps ahead of me, checking everything before I do. It’s not just a stick - it’s how I protect myself, how I move forward without hesitation. 

The people in Hereford are mostly kind. If I get turned around or end up in a tricky spot, I don’t hesitate to ask for help. But I wish I didn’t always have to. I wish more public spaces were built to include people like me from the start - not as an afterthought. 

Getting on buses is a whole other story. Most drivers are great, but there’s always the worry - will they stop in the right place? Will I find a seat? Will I know when to get off? These things take trust, confidence, and practice. But I’ve got all three. 

Using a cane in Hereford has taught me to be brave. To speak up. To navigate life differently - and with pride. I’m not just getting from A to B. I’m showing the world that being blind doesn’t mean being stuck. It means finding your own way - and owning it.

I interviewed a student on the 24 June 2025 about a graffiti piece made to promote the sports curriculum at RNC. Kai Codrington, a V.I. student decided to incorporate art within the sports department at RNC by creating a commemorative piece in spray paint to promote and market the sports available to V.I. students within the College. 

I witnessed his memorial piece while passing by and found myself intrigued by the colours and designs. Why was it created? For what purpose? and how was it done by visually impaired students? I tracked down Kai and requested an interview to which he accepted, and we sat down, and I asked him many questions to learn more. 

What was the inspiration behind the piece? 

Kai responded with his ambition to continue art, as well as his interest in sport, and merging the two seem like an intriguing idea, so he proposed the idea to the on-site art teacher, and they collaborated and produced this project together. This was a wonderful opportunity to bring two completely different areas together to show that any kind of subject can be merged given the right kind of creative spirit. 

How much vision do you have? 

Kai states that he is partially sighted, however his vision seems to fluctuate during his life. He started off with worse vision and began art during that time and it has improved gradually over the years, and he has continued his art throughout this period. This shows great strength and determination to continue something that you seem to struggle with a lot. It is extremely easy to give up on something when you find it hard but showing perseverance to pursue this shows that you have inner strength and Kai stated that it was well worth the struggles to succeed now. 

Who is your greatest inspiration? 

Kai stated that his greatest inspiration at College has been the art teacher as well as the sports coaches due to them showing him that art is accessible and enjoyable for people with visual impairments and there is no restrictions or limits to what he can achieve. 

As for the sports coaches, he states that they showed great enthusiasm for sports as well as making it fully accessible for those with various levels of vision and it is amazing to work with all these various levels of vision all put into creating an equal playing field. 

This is a truly incredible way to see the world and how the art teachers and sports coaches have impacted Kai's life, showing him that two completely different forms of study can be incorporated together to make such a unique and wonderful piece of work. 

How many other students were brought in to do this project and what are their levels of vision? 

Kai states that there were 20 other students brought in to do this project, all varying in levels of vision, some fully blind, some partially sighted, but all were included and accepted within this project and encouraged to complete their own section of design. However, they were all supported when required, they were all shown where their areas of painting well and they used their hands to touch where paint needed to be applied. 

I think that working with these various levels of vision and bringing people together to work on one project shows what a unique and wonderful environment RNC fosters.

What made you pick the bright colours throughout your work? 

Kai states that the bright colours were to make it easier to see for visually impaired students and make it more eye-catching for fully sighted people when they are using the facilities of thePoint4. This was used for a marketing campaign for the sports side of the College. 

This is always a wonderful idea to be used as a marketing scheme to catch the attention of external visitors coming in to use the facilities, making it more eye-catching and showing that there are many forms of design and media that can be incorporated into something as solid as sports. 

What inspired the design? 

Kai states that the design was meant to be shown as bold eye-catching, colourful and unable to be looked away from - to which he succeeded. This is a successful collaboration between sighted and V.I. people due to the vibrant colours appealing to everyone – everyone was considered which was an ingenious idea. 

Why did you choose this medium? 

Kai states that he chose this medium because he loves spray painting and he thought that this would be a fun and creative way to express emotion, as well as it being able to cover a large surface area and create many spectacular designs and patterns, making it easy and accessible for visually impaired people. 

This is a wonderful idea to use as a medium for this type of project due to it being extremely easy and accessible for the visually impaired who have never tried out before, as well as being fun and expressive. 

Do you want to go into marketing in the future? 

Kai states that he potentially may go into graphics in the future, depending on his aspirations because he also wishes to pursue sports to a deeper degree, however the artistic side of marketing seems very appealing to him. I think it would be a wonderful and an  inspirational story to see a visually impaired person committing to such a large and diverse career, bringing a new perspective and vision to the world of marketing. 

This graffiti project was phenomenally successful all around and I feel it should be repeated at some point in the future for a different topic area, for just a leisure activity, but in a way that shows art has been revived at RNC.

Episode 1 – Armitage Returns 

Jo clutches her coat and coffee cup, and rushes to get to her class. She hurries into the building grabbing her key fob out of her bag, and as she bends down to scan her way in, she looks up and catches a glimpse of a faint shadowy reflection in the glass. 

It is a tall, imposing figure, with a dignified bearing, his form subtly faded at the edges; his appearance translucent. He has a full, neatly kept beard and deep-set eyes, hidden behind smoked-glass spectacles that disguise the clouding of his pupils. 

His face bears the contemplative look of a scholar, with fine lines at his brow from years of thought and care. Jo steps back alarmed, jarred by the ghostly figure in front of her. She drops her coffee cup in fright – it shatters at her feet. The figure appears to be staring  through the glass, directly at her. 

She doesn’t know that he cannot see her. She pauses and re-composes herself, scanning her key fob to let herself into the building, the sobering sound of the beep brings her back to earth. She opens the door - the lobby is unusually empty, still and silent. Confused, she makes her way tentatively up the stairs, her hand tightening on the banister as she moves quickly upwards. 

She hurries up the stairs - two flights - the hollow echoes of her footsteps reminding her that she is completely alone. To her horror she hears a tapping sound, like a walking stick hitting metal. She wants to call out, but the paralysing fear stops her. Finally, reaching the top, she pulls the door towards her and trudges through to the safety of her room. She pushes her door. It’s locked. She can still hear the echoes of the tapping from the stairs. She turns in a panic. The lift by the staircase opens. She remembers she’s forgotten to speak to the silent character, her fear induced by the events of the morning having led her to forget. “Morning, Armitage” she says in a low, fearful tone. 

The lift closes. She turns to her room and tries the handle again. Her door opens. The relief and surrealness of the moment overwhelm her. She looks in the direction of her chair. Lamp on, shutters clattering, wind howling. Armitage sits, weightless, motionless, in her chair. Braille documents are scattered like autumn leaves over the floor. Her stomach twists into knots. An urgent gust slams the door behind her...

[to be continued next time]

Shakshouka (Turkish Eggs) 

Ingredients:

1 x tin chopped tomatoes 

6 x eggs

Smoked back bacon

Spinach

Shallots

Parmesan

Sourdough toast 

How to make:

Using a lidded frying pan, fry off the tomatoes, shallots and chopped bacon pieces. Poach the eggs. Place the poached eggs into the tomato mixture, adding a sprinkling of parmesan. Put the lid on the pan and leave on a low heat for 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and serve warm on sourdough toast.

Journalist Subhana recently sat down with Leanne Moore, a Teacher and Trainer of Assistive and Digital Technologies at RNC. Subhana was particularly interested in Leanne's experience as a visually impaired Art student at university. Their conversation explores the unique challenges and triumphs Leanne encountered during her studies.

I did a year in Sheffield, and then after that because Sheffield was too big a city and I didn’t enjoy Sheffield itself, I went to Cheltenham - The University of Gloucester - for two years. 

So how did you find that one in comparison to the other one? 

The one in Sheffield was quite theory heavy, it was very academic, and at the time it was one of the top ones for Art so lots of seminars, lots of lectures, lots of talking and not much in the way of actual doing, which wasn’t really what I wanted. 

Cheltenham's Art History was probably 30 per cent theory, the rest was practical. So that was quite good, lots of exhibitions, practicals, trying new things. 

So how did you find the actual practicality of it, being V.I. yourself? 

I’ve done Art so I understood how the courses worked to an extent, with the different types of media and materials you need to use.

What did you find to be the most accessible? 

Printmaking, tactile, colour graphs, etching, sculpture so everything I did was tactile or 3D which did incorporate some 2D elements as well. 

Were there any visual elements to your work or was it mainly tactile? 

Both. So I only ever use a couple of colours that I’d been told work together well. That was more to make it visual. And I understand the concept of colour to represent stuff. 

How much vision do you have?

Light perception. 

Did you ever try light boxes?

Yes, I worked with light, with slides, big random colours and then it was all chopped down into tiny bits that others couldn’t see, and then they could be projected. 

Why did you pick Art to study at university? 

Because I enjoyed Art while I was at school, it was all very tactile and making things out of gloves and wire and I quite enjoyed that and making a mess. As I was choosing A Levels, I picked Art, Music and English Literature. I was told to drop art due to being V.I. but I went on to do just Art at college.

Did you go to a mainstream school?

Yes.

How did they find Art at a mainstream level? Were they for or against it? 

They were definitely for it, it was a small school there were 200 kids in the whole school, so I think it was a lot easier as there weren’t many children in class, there was about 15 in the group which for mainstream is tiny. 

What kind of support did they give you when you studied Art at university? 

At uni I had a support worker and notetakers, making sure everything was prepared in advance and assignments were modified - we found ways. I think it was the Art History lectures that I found more challenging. Making sure that everything was sent in advance and describing the visual elements.

I knew of a person with V.I. in Sheffield, she was born totally blind and went on to make a career from Art, so it is not unheard of, but I didn’t do much with Art afterwards. 

Why did you not do Art as a career? Why did you choose to become a teacher?

I didn’t choose to become a teacher. I quite enjoyed working with people training them on tech. 

With Art it’s hard to get into as well. You have to be confident and be in the right place. It’s who you know. I mean I enjoyed it while I did it. I wanted to do Music Therapy before that. I have a creative side it would seem! 

Did you have a guide dog in university? 

No, I had a cane. 

Did you find it difficult navigating your cubical / studio? 

Not really, we had our own cubical anyway, the walkways were always clear, but people’s areas were a mess, and it was fine, I had somebody with me to support anyway. It wasn’t too bad.

How big was your cubical? 

It was as big as this room - although it was smaller in the first year. You got bigger spaces as you moved through the years.

How exactly did the Art course go? Did you have a final piece you had to do or did you have to submit some course work at the end alongside an essay? 

You had Art History, which was a certain percentage of the final grade, for the theory stuff, and then your second and third year, you had grades for each module - a certain percentage and then the final exhibition was the rest of the marks. 

The grades are then averaged out to give you your degree, which I got a 2:1. Best to have grades from different modules just in case. If your final degree show isn’t great you can still achieve – I panicked as I had done final works using wax, and it was flaming June – the wax was industrial, so it was fine. Your first year almost doesn't count, so it doesn’t matter what your grades are.

What does Art mean to you? 

Gosh I don’t know [laughs], what does it mean to you? 

Subhana: Well to me it's identity, expression, emotion – it’s who I am. 

Leanne: Definitely expression a way of communicating, without verbally saying anything… if people get it; but it can be a talking point as well. 

That’s true, if you could go back in time would you do it again? 

Erm, now I’d probably say no. if you’d asked me 10 years ago I’d say yes. It was definitely an experience. I lived on campus for the first year and then did a house share - a three bed terrace with six of us living there. It was a lot of fun. In the last year, I established a good friendship group and had a nice house - four of us lived there. There was a massive kitchen, very sociable. 

Why did you chose to move up to Hereford? 

After my degree I went back to Cumbria. I was made redundant a few times, then was accepted onto a a lottery funded project at Action for Blind People, which was a two year contract where I was trained to teach people how to use assistive technology. 

When the contract ended I was looking for work and at that time there was a government funded programme to get disabled people back into work. I took a 6-month course at RNC for adult students. I had the opportunity to do a placement and got involved with Cisco, teaching students AT and just progressed… and stayed here. 

If you could describe your journey in five words, what would they be? 

Challenging, scary, exciting, fun, worthwhile!

Sonali Shah is about to leave RNC to go and study for a degree at Birkbeck College. In this recorded interview, Sonali answers questions on her experience at RNC, her advice to new students and how she dealt with the transition from the start of her time at RNC to leaving. 

NOTE: Sonali takes time after hearing a question to compose her answers. She is aware that sometimes there are long pauses before she answers, but she has requested that these pauses remain, as they show that she – and all of us – are individuals who have the right to express themselves and be seen fully.

On Saturday 7 June I went as part of a College trip to Llandrindod Wells Lake to do varied water sport activities. We left College at 8:30am, meaning that I had to be up stupidly early. We all climbed onto the minibus, in eager anticipation of the day ahead, and listened to an excellent music playlist playing loudly throughout the bus. We arrived at the Lake around 10.00am and were greeted by the very friendly staff. The group was taken to a brand-new cabin, where we dropped our bags and had some hot drinks before getting kitted up to go in the Lake. After this, we were escorted to the Lake's edge. The water was a murky green, brown colour and looked as though it was not the cleanest water owing to the amount of birdlife on the water. 

The first activity

Once everybody had been given a buoyancy aid and these had been put on and checked by the instructors, we started our first activity. We got into groups, most groups having three students and one member of College staff. I was in a group of four students with a staff member. We were each assigned to a pedalo, which we were helped into by the instructors. Soon we were off. The pedalos had two seated spaces in the front with pedals and three seat spaces in the back. To start off with, I was sat in the back. This was extremely pleasant, as I could sit back and relax. I was able to enjoy the sun that had finally made an appearance, and I could feel the breeze on my face and in my hair. After a while, we swapped over, and I was in the front pedalling. This was extremely hard work, as I had to pedal hard and keep up with the other person. This put a lot of pressure on all my leg muscles and felt like a proper workout.

After a while, we realised that we were being chased by another group of students in a pedalo. They were aiming to catch up with us to get near enough to start a water fight. The race was on! We pedalled as fast as we could, with the people in the back shouting encouragement and sometimes criticising our pedalling efforts, as the other team started to catch up with us. This was extremely stressful, although also exciting. Eventually, the other team caught up with us. However, they had lost heart by the time they had caught up with us. They did splash us, but it was quite a pathetic amount of water, and I did not actually get that wet. 

After this, we floated around the Lake for a bit. This was much nicer, as my legs were now burning from the exertion and I was quite out of breath. We then spotted another group, who were also just floating about on the Lake. As one of the members of my group said, it looked like the other group needed some excitement. It was suggested that we should sneak up on them and try to splash them, to liven things up a bit. However, we decided that this might be a bit mean and a group decision was made to just float around a bit more. Then, out of nowhere, the group from earlier who had been pursuing us turned up and went after the other group. The two members of my group who were sat at the front were urged to pedal as fast as possible, to avoid being splashed again. This was extremely fun, as there was strong anticipation that we were going to be drenched in lake water. It then appeared that the group that had been chasing us had decided to splash a group of children who were not part of our College group. This turned into a proper water fight, with people being properly drenched. After this we decided it was time to head back to land and we travelled smoothly back into the bank, despite the protests of the two in the front seats who were complaining of fatigue.

Rafting

We all shared one giant raft which had already been built for us. The raft was constructed out of wooden poles and sheeting tied firmly together with lots of strong rope. We all clambered on and were pushed onto the Lake gently by the instructors. Initially, I was sat in the middle of the raft at the back. As I was in the middle, and only the people on the outer sides were required to paddle, I did not have much to do for the first part. At this point, with the sky darkening steadily, it started to rain. This meant that we all got soaked, even though we didn’t go in the lake. I then swapped over with another student and was now sat on the right side of the raft. I was given a paddle and had to use it to help steer the raft. This was fun, although extremely difficult. To get the raft to travel where we wanted it to, we had to use our paddles at the same time. A couple of people on the raft started to sing a sea shanty, pretending that we were sailors or pirates out at sea. I joined in enthusiastically with the singing, although other people were less excited about this. 

When we had got a bit further out into the Lake, the instructors gave us a challenge. We all had to stand up at the same time. This was difficult to do, as we had to make sure that we did not move suddenly and all at the same time. If we had done this, then it might have caused the raft to tip over and capsize. Luckily, the raft stayed stable despite a few wobbles, and we all managed to stand up without any catastrophes. We were then told to race the instructors who were in a motorboat. This did not go very well, as one side was more powerful than the other and the raft kept drifting to one side. We were in danger of going into the reeds on several occasions but managed to steer away. 

During our lap of the Lake, the motorboat zipped past us causing some waves. I found this quite disappointing. Although the raft bobbed up and down a bit there was not much motion, and I wanted more! I said that the wave power was a bit pathetic, causing some of the people around me to raise their eyebrows at me. We eventually got back to the bank, and we got off. We could have had a little bit longer on the raft, but we were wet and cold and opted to go back to have lunch. 

The staff had made us some nice food for lunch. During this time we chatted, and the rain increased in intensity, making us feel worried about going back onto the Lake. We were worried that it was going to be wet, and despite assurances that the water was really ‘like a warm bath’ we were not convinced that the water was going to be a comfortable temperature.

The afternoon activities 

It was time for us to head back onto the Lake. We had a choice of whether we wanted to do kayaking or paddleboarding first. I chose to go in a kayak. The boat was a lot smaller than I expected and was a bit wet after all the rain. I was then told to keep close to the bank whilst other people got into their boats. For a while there was a bit of mucking about, with a lot of crashes between those who were already in our kayaks and hadn’t quite mastered the knack of the paddle. After a while, I found a rhythm to the paddle, and it became a bit easier. Whilst paddling about, there was an aggressive looking swan in my path that was giving me an evil stare. I decided to turn the kayak around and paddle in the opposite direction. I also got my paddle swapped for a slightly different one, which made things easier. This new paddle had parts on the end at the same angle, meaning that it did not have to be turned as much as the other one. 

Once everyone had got into their kayaks, we set off on a lap of the Lake with the help of instructors who were in their own boats. I found it hard work, especially to keep up with the group, and to get the knack of how to use the paddle to steer the boat. It was easier when travelling forwards to start paddling by leaning over my toes. 

We then had another challenge. We had to go under a viewing platform over the Lake, where people could stand and look out at the birds on the lake. The gap between the supports for the structure was very narrow, and when we went through it, it was necessary to hold the pole of the paddle lengthways to fit underneath. The structure was surrounded by reeds and plants, and it felt like we were explorers going on an adventure. 

We then disembarked our kayaks by the edge of an island in the middle of the Lake. This part was very shallow and once out of the kayak I could easily stand up. The bed of the Lake started off gravelled and then turned into mud and reeds further out. 

Unfortunately, the borrowed waterproof shoes I was wearing were slightly too big and one of them came off whilst I was swimming about. This was extremely embarrassing, and it was difficult to get the shoe on again once it had been retrieved by one of the instructors. Beneath my socked feet, the bed of the Lake felt quite squishy and slimy, and the water was tepid. 

After getting back into our kayaks, now properly soaking, we headed back towards land. The instructors then asked us who would like to swap onto a paddleboard. I was initially reluctant, as I have bad balance, but eventually I decided that I wanted to be adventurous, so I gave it a go. 

The paddleboarding

Once I had transferred from a kayak to a paddleboard, I was ready to start. First, I was told to get onto my knees and just experience the motion of the board. This was a weird sensation, as I had never done it before. To get the best balance, it was best to put my knees either side of a strap in the middle of the board. This was set on top of a square of slightly different material to the rest of the board, so it was quite easy to know where to go. Once I felt confident on my knees, I was then advised to try standing up. I felt nervous about this. I was given a paddle, which could be extended to be made longer or shorter. The pole was held in the middle of the board, and I was advised to use it to help me to stand. The board was being held by an instructor to keep it steady. I found it easier to raise my left leg first and then my right leg, and before long I was standing up. I was also told to keep looking towards the horizon to give me better balance. 

I then started to paddle about the Lake. At first, I was extremely tentative, but I started to feel more confident. It was an exhilarating feeling, standing up and watching over the Lake. The instructor was impressed by my efforts. Then as I paddled about, I was knocked into by a kayak. I fell onto the board, slamming my right leg into the board. Luckily, I managed to save myself from going into the water. 

It would have been extremely pathetic to have got off then. I decided to have another go at standing up on the board, and with the help of the instructor I managed it for the second time. This time it was a bit easier, as I had a bit more confidence. I still felt a bit nervous paddling about. After a while the instructor told me to paddle towards the bank, which I did. I was about to collide with the wall of the bank when someone grabbed the board to stop the collision, meaning that I fell off the board and plunged into the water. This was unpleasant, as I got lake water in my eyes and up my nose, making me cough and splutter for a bit. I decided that I had now had enough and headed back to get changed into some dry clothes for the journey back to College. 

Overall, the Lake trip was extremely enjoyable. I got to try out some new activities, have a laugh with my friends and enjoy myself doing something more adventurous than usual. On the way home I felt extremely tired and worn out from all my exertions. I would definitely recommend a day at the Lake.