Story added: 13th June 2024

Hope's Story

Hope Rogers has been a Foundation participant for almost eleven years now, originally joining our disability dance and swim sessions as a child. With mum, Julie, noticing almost immediately the positive impact the programmes were having on her daughter, it wasn’t long before Hope was a regular on an array of different programmes, including Realising Potential.

Julie initially had problems getting her daughter involved in social settings, saying:

“Hope used to be by my side 24 hours a day before coming to Realising Potential. She really struggled with her confidence and independence I think, but since coming she’s made new friends and is always keen to try new things.”

Hope didn’t always find it easy in new social situations. She initially found it difficult to speak to the other people on the programme.

“When I first started, I was really shy,” she told us, “but the more I came along, the more confident I felt – it’s really made me come out of my shell.”

The bond Hope now shares with the rest of the Realising Potential cohort means the programme is always at the forefront of her mind. Recently, Hope was in hospital having a major operation, and post-op, the only thing worrying her was whether she’d missed her football session!

The positive impact that Realising Potential has had on Hope recently inspired her to give something back to the charity, as she took on our Coastal Walk Challenge for the second time in as many years.

“Everything the Foundation has done for me has made me want to raise some money – I was just glad to have my brother there at the end, to help get me through it!”

Across the last two years, Hope has raised over £1100 for the Foundation, which will help grow and improve programmes like Realising Potential that have been so pivotal to Hope’s development and growth.

Hope also has dreams beyond Realising Potential and the Foundation, with her long-term goal of becoming a football coach something she’s working hard towards.

“It truly makes me happy to see Hope happy”, her mum told us, “it’s all she goes on about, every single day – the programme really has had a massive impact on her.”

Want to find out more about Realising Potential? Click here.