'Disabled people shouldn't be scared of exercise'

"People with disabilities shouldn't be scared of trying to exercise" - that is the message from 15-year-old Zac Hollinshead, who is registered blind, autistic and has Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI).

For two years he has been attending personal training sessions and said he was now "better at getting my body to do things".

The teenager from Flitwick, Bedfordshire, said before he started his exercise regime he struggled with co-ordination, but the sessions had made him "stronger" and his mental health had improved.

The UK's Chief Medical Officers said disabled children and young people should be getting 20 minutes of exercise a day and doing strength and balance activities three times a week.

Zac has attended New College Worcester, a residential school for the blind, since March 2023.

Before then "life wasn't so good for Zac, he was out of school, at home and very isolated, he just felt quite invisible", said his mother Suzanne Hollinshead.

His family were "concerned about his mental health" and struggled to find the right activity for him, but when they discovered a gym based in Stagsden, near Bedford, it became "a lifeline", she said.

The gym, run by Laura and Harrison Barnes, at first offered him free private training sessions, and he has since become "a completely different young man".

Zac loves musical theatre and '80s music, so his sessions get filled with audio that helps him "connect", and "before we knew where we were, he was rowing on the rowing machine and pedalling on the bikes", his mother said.

"It was an absolute joy to see and as a parent, when you've seen your child not be able to engage in much at all throughout their life and you don't know how to help them, those small magical moments are completely life-changing.

"He's just a different young man. He's confident, he's self assured, he's funny."

Zac could not agree more.

"I feel stronger and loads better at getting my body to do things," he said.

"I don't feel silly, and when I was out of school this was very good for my mental health."

His message is simple - "don't be scared to give it a try".

Zac has also helped raise £4,075 by taking part in charity gym event to buy a defibrillator for the site, and raise funds for two charities that have helped him - Look UK and the CVI Society.

"Now I've done this fundraiser, I'm going to do another one to raise awareness of how difficult it is to have a visual impairment and other disabilities," he added.

Tim Hollingsworth, chief executive of Sport England, said: "Our research shows that providing children and young people with positive experiences of sport and physical activity is key to building healthy habits, and we know that disabled young people who are regularly active live healthier, happier lives."

Laura Barnes said: "Sometimes people with special educational needs, a lot of the focus goes into their disability and what they struggle with or what they have difficulties with.

"When they're here, it's all about what you can do, what you can achieve, which then has a really good positive impact on their confidence, their self esteem, their overall wellbeing."

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