Young Adults Peer Support Group
This Peer Support Group provides a welcoming, safe and friendly opportunity for young adults aged 18 - 30 living with inherited sight loss to meet up to share experiences, tips and information.
Are you aged 18 to 30 and living with an inherited retinal dystrophy? If so, then get ready to make waves! We are pleased to invite you to join the Retina UK team and our young adult community for an adrenaline-fueled day of white-water rafting, lunch and a focus group at the legendary Lee Valley White Water Centre! Whether you're a seasoned thrill-seeker or trying something new, this is your chance to tackle the rapids with a crew that gets it. We are also offering and encouraging you to join us the evening before for a social get together over dinner and an overnight stay at the Premier Inn, Enfield just a short distance from Lee Valley.
White Water Rafting Experience and Focus Group
The Details
- When: Saturday 25th April 2026, 12pm – 5pm
- Where: Lee Valley White Water Centre, London.
- What: Guided rafting session, full safety briefing, and all gear provided, followed by lunch and a focus group.
- Who: Young adults (18-30) living with inherited sight loss.
Why Join Us?
- Accessible Adventure: Experienced instructors will be with us every splash of the way.
- Community Vibes: Connect with peers who share similar journeys in a high-energy setting.
- Pure Fun: Experience the rush of the Olympic course!
Overnight Stay & Dinner at the Inn
Come and join our young adult community for a relaxed evening of good food and great company!
- When: Friday 24th April
- Where: Inn on the Park (Cookhouse + Pub), Premier Inn Enfield
- Hotel Check-in: From 3:00pm
- Pre-Dinner Drinks: Meet at the restaurant at 6:00pm
- Dinner Served: 6:30pm
Enjoy a restful night at the Premier Inn Enfield, where you’ll be able to wake up refreshed and fuel up for your whitewater adventure with a unlimited breakfast, the ultimate way to power up before hitting the rapids.
Useful information
- This event is funded by Retina UK for members of our Young Adult community living with inherited sight loss.
- You are welcome to bring along a sighted companion or supporter however they would not be able to take part in the White Water Rafting experience and they would need to pay for their meal/breakfast if joining us on the Friday evening/Saturday morning.
- Overnight accommodation will be paid for by Retina UK for our Young Adults and their sighted companion if willing to share a room. If your sighted companion requires their own room then this would need to be self-funded.
- Travel expenses – We are aware that our community are travelling from all over the UK and travelling safely is our priority, therefore we do have some funding to assist with travel expenses for yourself and sighted companion which can be discussed on an individual basis.
RSVP
Places are limited so to avoid disappointment please complete the registration form below to let us know if you can make it by Monday 16th March so we can secure our rafts and book hotel rooms accordingly. We will then follow up with further communications regarding accommodation bookings, meal choices, dietary requirements and the completion of a white water rafting waiver form.
Volunteering opportunity
The day after our activity is the London Marathon and we will be raising funds and awareness for Retina UK at London Underground stations, Victoria, Piccadilly Circus and St James’s Park. If you are interested in volunteering the fundraising team would love to hear from you, please contact [email protected] for more information. Please note that we are unable to cover accommodation or meals for this opportunity but will be able to reimburse you for your Tube travel on the Sunday.
If you have any questions or queries regarding this event or need assistance registering, please feel free to contact Mark Baxter on 07889 595783 or email [email protected]
We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you there!
Venues
Premier Inn Enfield, Innova Park, Corner Of Solar Way, Enfield EN3 7XY
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Lee Valley White Water Centre, Station Road, Waltham Cross EN9 1AB
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