Toren’s Story
Toren joined us as a teenager on our first “Reflections of the Future” programme back in February 2020 with an aspiration to engage in the waterways. He has gone through remarkable personal growth over the last few years with us and has become a valuable member of our team.
“When I was a kid I went on my grandma’s boat a few times, I remember sitting on the hatch, passing swans, dropping teddies in, I liked the whole Rosie and Jim thing, it started a lifelong dream to live on the water, move around wherever I wanted.
Before I found out about Canal Connections I had bad mental health, I’m autistic, had a lot of anxiety and sensory issues. I dropped out of school, I dropped out of college, I taught myself blacksmithing when I was 14, but couldn’t leave the house.
They are very good people here, very welcoming, able to adapt to my sensory needs. Coming here was a two and half hour train commute each way, so I put my headphones on and made the journey, some days I couldn’t but most days I did because it was worth it.
It is very peaceful on the water, watching the world go by, 4 mph is enough for me, calming, you are forced to slow down, focus on little things, small adjustments, a little bit of rocking calms me too.
You get to see Leeds from a different point of view, you can be in nature even in the city, a lovely environment, not stressful, just nature and the force of the river. They’re a big part of Britain the canals, it all needs to be preserved, I love that heritage, I don’t think we should lose touch with that, it is a very beautiful thing that could be lost so easily.
I didn’t have a clue about tying knots or how to drive a boat, but they got me all trained up and in lots of things not involving boats, woodwork, blacksmithing, as well as running trips. Before I had difficulty going to the shops, it was scary interacting with just one person, now I am a fully licensed skipper, interacting with the public, I never saw that happening.
It is amazing how just that little experience of taking people out can affect them, puts a big grin on their face, they come back, they’ll grow up and appreciate the water, I only remember a couple of trips on my grandma’s boat, but that sparked off everything. Now I live on my own boat, I blacksmith, I’ve made all my own tools and alongside working here I sell things I’ve made. At the moment I'm making a heron sculpture for them. I love working with community boats.” Toren.
