“It was a relief to get away and be somewhere different as a family."
Stacy's Story
“Reverend Christina rang me up and said, ‘When was the last time you went on holiday?’
The call came shortly after Stacy and three of her children, Simeon, Starzia and Maliayah, had settled into a new home. Their previous home had problems with the gas and water supply, which made it unsafe, and the move had taken a toll on Stacy.
It’d been hard work for everyone, so it was a relief to get away and be somewhere different as a family.
Stacy’s children were all incredibly excited for the trip to Coopers Beach in Colchester. They had never been to the seaside, but Stacy was nervous. She experiences anxiety regularly and was worried about the length of the drive.
Last summer, I didn’t do anything because my anxiety was so full on. I spent the whole summer in the house. That’s hard for my kids. I didn’t want to go, but I said to myself, ‘No, I am going to go and take my family.’ It was a massive achievement for me.
Stacy’s children kept her entertained on the drive, and it was not long before they arrived at the seaside and got settled into their caravan.
The beach was what we were most looking forward to and, even though it was a bit muddy, we all loved going for walks every evening. My kids loved to chase the tide out, but my two youngest fell over and got covered in mud!
For the first time in a while, Stacy felt she could just breathe and enjoy some quality time with her children.
“One evening we went out and picked shells off the beach together. We came back to the caravan, and my 14-year-old daughter, Maliayah, started to wash them. Suddenly, I heard her scream. She said, ‘Mum, there’s something slimy in here!’ She hadn’t picked up any old shell, it was a clam!
This trip has given my kids memories, something for them to tell their friends and talk about years later.
During the holiday, Maliayah started to help out with the chores, so Stacy could relax and enjoy the trip too. Stacy recalled:
Life as a single mum is hectic. I don’t have anyone to share the job load with me, I do it on my own. But Maliayah stepped up and did the cleaning on the holiday. I didn’t even have to ask. That was so nice. She made me laugh though when she said, ‘I think I can be self-reliant now.’ She enjoyed that responsibility.
Stacy’s nine-year-old son, Simeon, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and he can sometimes find it difficult to control his emotions.
“I was worried about how he’d manage, but he did so well on the holiday. His favourite thing was swimming, and both he and my youngest daughter had a ride on these jet toys around the pool. They just loved that.”
Stacy came home from the holiday feeling much more confident in herself. She now feels excited to challenge herself more.
“When I got back, I couldn’t take the smile off my face for days. That was the furthest I’d been away from home in eight years. I went through some really difficult things as a child, and I’ve been doing a lot of healing over the last ten years. This holiday has been part of that and showed me what I can do.
Now this summer, I plan to do lots with the children. We can go to the beach near home. I know I can do it. If I feel anxious, I can stop, take five or ten minutes, and then continue. It’s given me the confidence to push myself.