Advantage Make Williams holiday dream a reality!

William is 42 years old and has Aspergers Syndrome. He has never been on holiday as an adult and we wanted to raise enough money so that he can go to Paris, something that he has always dreamed of doing.

William had a very difficult time before he was supported by United Response. He was moved from house to house with little choice about where he lived and he was often placed in inappropriate housing with people that he did not get on with or who did not have his best interests at heart. As a result, William was moved 27 times in 18 months, which left him very unhappy, lonely and frustrated. Now, with United Response's help, William lives in his own house as part of an innovative shared ownership scheme with United Response. He gets support from United Response with practical tasks like cooking and paying his bills and really enjoys living on his own and he is much happier.

William has only ever been on holiday before as a child because of his lack of self confidence but since his confidence is growing, he has been dreaming of a trip to Paris enabling him visit all the major attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Unfortunately, because William is required to pay for his support worker to go with him on any trip, even simple holidays are prohibitively expensive for him. As a result we have been fundraising to enable him to go on holiday and do the things and see the sights that so many people take for granted.

United Response had already raised £300 for William but now, thanks to all the hard work from the staff at Advantage, we are able to pay for the full cost of his holiday!

A trip like this is a life changing experience for William. As well as being given the opportunity to visit another country, he can explore new and exciting things and develop his confidence. So a big thank you and well-done to all the staff at Advantage.

This is only the beginning of what we can achieve and is a nice reminder of how just a small amount can change someone's life so dramatically!

Budget

Transport to Airport                        £50.00
Flights, accommodation                  £400.00
Paris 6-Day Adult Pass                   £230.00
Staff Support                                £1,000.00
Food and refreshments                 £280.00
Total                                           £1,960.00

Of his holiday to Paris, William Said "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Advantage for the £1.7k which they have donated towards the cost of my forthcoming holiday in France. For many years now I have wanted to take a holiday in France but it has not been possible for me to do so simply because of the expense involved. I look forward to making preparations for my holiday which hopefully will take place in August/September 2008. Upon my return I shall send you some photographs of my holiday. Thanks again for making this possible".