Joshua in bid to raise funds and send pals on Disney trip
A group of disabled young adults are fundraising for a “once-in-a-lifetime” trip to Disneyland.
The group, aged between 18 and 27 years old, all live at Lewis Martin Court, a residential home for adults with disabilities and learning difficulties in Cardiff.
For many of them this will be their first holiday.
Student Joshua Reeves, 20, is leading the fundraising efforts for the group and hopes to see a smile on everyone’s faces if they get the money to jet off to Disneyland Paris in November 2018.
He said: “Most of the residents that come here have never been away before. So we started fundraising group to raise money to go away for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
“It would be brilliant to get this holiday. I would love to see the smiles on people’s faces.
“I’m more the kind of person who likes to see everybody else smile and be happy. Some of them have never been on a plane before.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I hope we get the money and the donations.”
Joshua, who studies media at Cardiff and Vale college, moved to Lewis Martin Court a year ago.
He has cerebral palsy and cannot walk but, despite this, he wants to be as independent as possible.
He is a keen filmmaker and works on campaigning for disability awareness.
In 2016 he appeared in a BBC documentary called The Unbreakables, a TV programme about students with complex disabilities, where he launched his awareness campaign called ‘Don’t call me special.’
He now visits schools to talk to children about disability.
Joshua said: “My condition affects me on a day-to-day basis. I can’t walk, but I can use my arms and I’m used to it because I was born with it.
“I moved to Lewis Martin Court to have a social life and to get to know people around Cardiff.
“It’s a great place to promote independence and living away from home and becoming who you are.”
Around 14 of the residents hope to go on the trip and they have set a fundraising target of £15,000.
To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/ lewis-martin-court