Josh’s story: a dream adventure at Legoland

Josh’s story: a dream adventure at Legoland

Josh is 12 and plays an important role in supporting his family. He helps care for his mum, who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, and his twin brothers, who both have autism and ADHD. Josh helps out in many ways from planning the day and going shopping with his dad, to assisting with meals, laundry, and making sure his brothers are safe. He also helps with getting them up and out of bed, as well as offering emotional support and coping with challenging behaviour at times.

Despite his caring role, Josh is still a young boy who sometimes feels overwhelmed:

“I often feel upset and stressed, and I know it’s not my brothers’ fault - it’s just a lot sometimes.”

Josh also spoke about his love of Lego, which helps him relax and have fun. At a local young carers' group, Lego sessions are his favourite activity. With encouragement from the carers' centre, Josh and his dad applied for a Time to Live microgrant and were successful. Josh knew exactly what he wanted to visit: Legoland - something he had always dreamed of.

Thanks to the grant, Josh and his dad were able to enjoy a short break together, including travel, a 2-night stay, and an unforgettable trip to Legoland. While they were away, family members stepped in to help care for Josh's mum and brothers, giving him and his dad the chance to truly switch off. The break gave them time to rest and reconnect without the usual pressures of caring.

This break gave Josh the chance to simply be a child, bringing him joy, rest, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Josh's dad said:

“Having a grant that we could use for a break that Josh really wanted made such a difference. We were able to relax, spend quality time together, and just be ourselves without constantly worrying about what was happening at home.”

Overall, this experience highlights the powerful impact of the Time to Live grant in giving Josh something truly meaningful to look forward to and cherish. The break not only allowed him to fulfil a lifelong dream of visiting Legoland, but also provided precious time to rest, have fun, and reconnect with his dad away from the pressures of caring.

Find out more about Time to Live here.