The MightyMatthew Charity Cycle is back for 2021. We live in hope that the Covid restrictions will relaxed by September, so we are planning for a one day cycle back to the Hodson Bay Hotel in the midlands where we will have an overnight stay and celebration. Click on the link to get all the details – https://matthewhayestrust.org/index.php/2021-mm-cycle/

Matthew’s struggles through Covid…

April is Autism Awareness month and is a good time to put a few words together about how Matthew has managed through this pandemic.

We don’t want to complain much, as I know everyone has been through a very trying time, but we need to say that all circumstances are different through this madness. Last March, Matt’s day care centre, Abhainn, closed for the obvious reason, Covid 19. So Matt was sent home from his day care centre with no explanation that could reasonably be explained to him, not to return for four  months. He is now back to 2 to 3 days a week.

Yes, I know all of our kids had similar strange circumstances thrust upon them but with a special needs young adult with complex anxiety issues this, to say the least, was extremely difficult. Matt needs to know everything he’s doing nearly hour by hour. You can’t explain to him why he can’t go swimming, to the cinema, horse riding, trips on the bus, cafes; all the amazing skills he’s been working on for the last few years.

Matt’s world crashed and he didn’t understand why, which brought serious behavioral problems, top of his list; self injurious behavior, which is very difficult to witness.

The worry of Matt getting covid was overwhelming at one stage, if he had to go to hospital and we couldn’t go with him, or he wouldn’t understand isolating or not getting out of the house. If we ourselves got covid, who would look after him. The list is endless and still applies.

He’s a 22 year old man now, phyically very strong, but when his frustration gets the better of him his tendency towards self injurious behaviour can do some terrible  damage in no time at all. I know all of this has affected his mental health in ways he desperately longs to express but is utterly unnable to do so.

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We have heard many horror stories throughout this pandemic of young adults just like Matt having to go into full time residential care, some under extreme circumstances because unfortunately their parents could not manage anymore. Matthew is a gift, our love for him is immense and eternal but love doesn’t make the journey easier. It makes us stay on it, despite the constant echoing in the back of our minds. What are we going to do?

With all that said, we would have not survived without you, the Mighty Matthew Crew, who have cycled and supported for the last 5 years and raised money for the Trust.

We were lucky enough that some of our home care team were prepared to stay on and keep going with Matt through the pandemic. Only with their help have we managed to survive, so a Massive Thank You to all of you. I know the cycle didn’t go ahead last year but only for you we’ve no idea where we would be.

It’s been a strange year but all you can do is keep going forward in as positive a frame of mind as possible. As John Spillane would say (sing!) Well done everyone.