I really enjoyed rowing at the gym on the rowing machine and that made me curious about rowing as a sport generally. I didn’t see myself as a potential rower at first as I thought you needed to be able to swim and to be able to walk to do it, and I think the biggest surprise for me about rowing has been that it’s not just for able bodies. When I found out there was help available for disabled rowers to learn to row on the water, I decided to try it and I found the Lea Rowing Club. Rowing here has really brought me happiness and a sense of belonging. The club is inclusive and caters for my needs as well as being wheelchair accessible, and my coach Ash is very supportive and treats me like any other member. Working with Ash to learn new skills is really enjoyable and the sense of community at the club is really important to me as I could not have started or continue to row without the support from the Lea. My favourite thing about rowing is the satisfaction of working hard to get ready for competitions and the positive effect it has on my own mental wellbeing. I am aiming to improve all the time and my aspiration is to be able to row independently on the water one day.