Hunstanton Soapbox Derby, disability inclusion and Joe’s Family Restaurant: Coastal Mummy Lynn News Burnham Market column

The Coastal Mummy by Burnham Market blogger Rebecca Fisher

Inclusion and disability understanding seems to be something that is in the forefront of a lot of people’s minds and it is something that we see spoken about online a lot too but it isn’t until you have a disabled child that you realise that it means the world.

Just small changes can change your whole perception of a place, of people and of a day. The world is getting better with inclusion and just understanding disability in general. To be inclusive is to not leave someone out and to include a person in every aspect. To think about that person and what they might need or feel.

From experience, I find that it can make or break a day for us. My daughter has autism and has a condition which causes hypoglycemia and seizures. It is something that we as a family are still learning about so when we go out and about as a family, we are always on the lookout for the signs of illness.

I guess this is an informative article but also to sing the praises of a local business. It is more important than ever to share the good stories of smaller local businesses. Shout them from the rooftops as they say.

On the day of the Hunstanton Soapbox Derby Race, Cleo had an episode of very low blood sugars while we were in Joe’s Family Restaurant. Her glucose alarm was going off and we were on the lookout for signs that could lead to a seizure. As a family, this is always stressful and incredibly worrying. We have to act quickly to get Cleo’s sugars up and that isn’t easy when you are out and about in West Norfolk. The staff in Joe’s Family Restaurant helped us avoid a medical emergency and that is something that needs to be spoken about. They acted quickly and helped us with everything that we needed. They reassured Cleo as well as us as a family.

I can’t explain how much we appreciated how the staff acted and it means the world to us that we know that we can visit Joe’s Family Restaurant and the staff are very understanding. Thank you so much to the wonderful staff.

I firmly believe that if someone is doing something right then to shout about it. There can be so much negativity especially online.

When you have a disabled child, you have to think of everything and sometimes, even that isn’t enough. Every moment of our lives is making sure our children have everything that they need.

It is times when strangers help that it really shows you that other people understand and are happy to help. We will never know everyone’s story, what they are going through or what they have been through. When somewhere is more inclusive and understanding of disabilities, it can change how we feel and how we see the world. Inclusion can make a huge difference to us.