My Story
Why I Created We Care Home Away at The Courtyard Garden
Travelling isn’t always easy, especially when you’re disabled or caring for someone who is. I know that not just from experience, but from a lifetime of it.
I’ve lived with a spinal cord injury for 39 years. I’m a mum to an autistic son. I cared for my mum, who had chronic lung disease, and my dad, who lived with Alzheimer’s. Over the years, I’ve travelled with a deafblind friend, worked in health and social care for nearly two decades, and ran my own care agency. All of that shaped the home I’ve created here in Normandy.
I saw for myself how hard it was for my mother to travel in her wheelchair and how easily confused my father became as his health deteriorated, so the communication cards and adapted cutlery were particularly useful for him. My own son required a quiet place from time to time with his noise cancelling headphones and opportunity to switch off and focus on his game station.
From Dream to Reality
In 2019, I started to search for a property in France to convert into a bespoke tourist destination, using money from investors. After a long and exhaustive troll through various locations while trying to raise funds, The Courtyard Garden suddenly became available in February, 2025. Using my own money, I went about improving access and developing the basement so that I could offer families the opportunity to enjoy everything France has to offer.
Built from Lived Experience
The details here matter:
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I added a ceiling track hoist because I need one myself now.
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The coloured dots on white switches came from travelling with a friend who’s deafblind.
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A quiet bedroom with soft grey walls, noise-cancelling headphones, and a games console exists because my son needed a space to decompress.
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Communication cards and adapted cutlery helped my dad when his Alzheimer’s progressed.
Nothing here is generic. Everything has a purpose.
Recently diagnosed with breast cancer – I am currently undergoing treatment – but one thing it has done is demonstrate the power of being able to travel independently, breathe in the sights and sounds of the beautiful French air, visit new places, shop in local markets and enjoy French cuisine.