West Kirby’s Mikey Pinder has credited wakeboarding with transforming his life and helping him deal with his autism.
Now, he is hoping to transform the lives of many more by launching his own autism-friendly sessions at The Adventure Dock Co, the inflatable water park based within Royal Albert Dock Liverpool.
Mikey, 33, was initially introduced to watersports back in 2016 as a way to help with his own autism. Having found his passion for wakeboarding at the nearby Liverpool Wake Park, Mikey has gone on to compete in the Grassroots Tour competitively.
He will now lead the new inclusive splash sessions to encourage more people with autism and ADHD to try water-based activities.
Mikey Pinder said: “In the last few years wakeboarding and watersports have changed my life, giving me more confidence, so these new sessions are a wonderful opportunity for me to now give others the chance to enjoy the same experience.
“Many kids have complex issues and many are dealing with sensory issues or ADHD and autism. I have found something that helps me and I want others to benefit too.
“I am so grateful to Adventure Dock for bringing me along to do this and I am excited to see as many people as possible tackling the course over the upcoming months.”
Tim Woodhead, creator of The Adventure Dock, said: “Mikey Pinder has been a great friend of our sister site, Liverpool Wake Park, for many years now and he is absolutely the best person to take these sessions forward. Having seen his passion for the water grow, along with his confidence in the sport, has been a real inspiration. We hope that with his help and we can share the joy of water sports with more people across the region.”
Set to run with a reduced capacity of 20 per session, fun and adrenaline-based thrills are, as always, a guarantee at Adventure Dock; with the usual favourites such as the Ninja Jump, Figure 8 and Moon Jumps obstacles included in the course.
Those attending the fully-inclusive adventure sessions must be able to swim at least 25 metres un-assisted or with the help of a career, with the Adventure Dock Co providing all of the safety equipment needed including buoyancy aids, helmets and wetsuits all within the ticket price. With a ratio of one carer for each participant, these sessions not only offer an accessible activity for those with additional needs aged eight or above, but also value for money as carers can take part for free.
Mikey Pinder’s Adventure Sessions will start from September 5 from 12:30 – 13:30 and will take place every Wednesday at the same time up until October 24. Tickets are just £20 per person with limited capacity, so advance booking is definitely recommended.
For more information about Adventure Dock and to get your tickets booked now, head to https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/Online/the-adventure-dock-mikey-pinder