I have a problem.  I have eternal opportunism written into my DNA.  My glass is (almost) always half full, because if half empty I’d have walked off the end of that metaphorical short plank a long long time ago; or as Malcolm says, it keeps the men in white coats at bay.

So how about you?  Do you have clear and set anticipations for the year ahead?  Or do you seek to embrace possibilities and opportunities as they present as is my wont?  Maybe they have already presented!

At the beginning of 2025 some beautiful uplifting writing has caught my attention such as Kinder Times by Jim Thomas, and The Power of Love – Actually, by Dennis Pittoco.  Whilst simultaneously so many continue to experience the trauma and hurt of box ticking by so called ‘social care’ such as Isaac Harvey MBE, an incredibly inspirational guy rising to the challenge of living a positive life in spite of immensely challenging disabilities.  I loved his writing last year on experiencing the speed and exhilaration of sit skiing in the Colorado mountains – in all likelihood the same place that I am now.

Talking of which, why are we here?  Because back in 2000 I reached out to the fledgling internet community in the days of Mosaic and Sinclair computers asking where in the world we could find a place where Jen (with her intellectual disabilities and Down’s syndrome) would be welcomed and supported to ski in a way that could work for her.

Our introduction to skiing was pure accident.  We’d headed to a favourite haunt in Switzerland to celebrate the Millenium with friends who skied.  It snowed every night, was beautiful every day.  So we played along and allowed ourselves to be introduced to fiendishly uncomfortable boots attached to unwieldly planks.  It didn’t take long and it’s fair to say we all got the bug.  But it was clear that the expertise Jen needed didn’t reside there at that time.  Every response pointed resoundingly to Winter Park, Colorado and the NSCD (National Sports Centre for the Disabled).  So here we are still loving being together here 24 years later.

The simple reality is that when Jen has a great time the rest of our family can too.  All of our lives have been enriched through friendships, chance encounters on chair lifts, unexpected opportunities and support, fun and camaraderie with the backdrop of sublime beauty that presents in the Rockies; and all as a result of Jen and her learning disabilities.  This has been the story of our lives.

Here and now I can share that opportunism has come full circle as after 2 weeks of fun in the snow Jen has returned to the UK to her dancing family DanceSyndrome whilst we continue to thrive and work in this beautiful corner of the world.

Blackwells.biz shares our positive mindset in practice, in the living of life.  It is a journey we’ve created through hard work, focus, perseverance, along with a healthy dose of luck.  We’re forever opportunistic, open to possibilities presenting in the right place with the right person at the right time.  This is our cultural norm and is evident within Jen and Anthony, our children and teachers who have journeyed alongside us for the past 43 years.

We’ve experienced many trials and tribulations but with the support of each other and our connected networks we are now flourishing in a way we could never have countenanced.  2024 was the most extraordinary year yet here we are now in 2025 kickstarted by time and space with Jen, sharing precious moments with friends, and this week Northern Power Women has publicly shared the success of 3 applications being shortlisted as finalists.  This is extraordinary!

It’s official, I’m a Disruptor for Good!  Becky Rich who like Jen happens to have Down’s syndrome is an Agent for Change – which is phenomenal, and DanceSyndrome is a micro organisation, described as ‘an organisation dedicated to nurturing an inclusive culture as a key component of its growth strategy and creates an environment where diversity thrives, with a sense of belonging and empowerment for every individual.’ Every word is true and embedded within DanceSyndrome, the charity we are proud to have founded.

There are always ways to stay focused on the half full glass. Sometimes it needs a twist of the head to see things from a different angle, but in our experience, choosing to think differently has enabled opportunities to open up in often quite magical ways.

We continue to believe in the art of the possible for everyone and hope that being seen alongside other incredible people and organisations in these awards helps to get our message about the art of the possible to more people.

We always welcome your thoughts, please do leave a comment below.