21st birthdays are often marked by the gift of a key, as it is the age that signifies the door to adulthood. Can you help Otis find the key to opening his own future?

Otis is blind and disabled and yet his dream is to travel, with his buddy (and enabler) Joel, to experience what it would be like to visit another country for a music event or festival .....and his family would like to support his 21st birthday wish.

Until now, Otis has needed so much support that it has been difficult for him to access the wider world in a meaningful and independent way. But this is changing! Bestival, last summer was his first time away (on his own, with enabler support) as a young man doing what he loves best, listening to great music in a festival environment with folk he connects with.....

He is such a people person and is slowly learning that this is one of his great strengths. He came home a changed person!

This year Devon Council have cut his social funding because he is now in College full time, and Otis is not yet able to get a job in order to fully finance this aim.

So, our wish is to support Otis to learn the skills needed in order to make this trip a reality in summer 2019! Over the upcoming year we hope for him to have scheduled sessions with his enabler to identify a fun and suitable "Otis friendly" event to attend next year.

The challenge too will be for Otis to consider ways to earn and save approx a third of the costs of the trip himself, to develop essential budgeting skills as well as learning how to plan the necessary logistics, being the lead traveller! The adventure will be entirely organised, planned and driven by him, as a result learning what it means to travel and experience the world as an independent young man with minimal support....but support is still needed, and this is where you (hopefully) can help!

We hope this project will empower him, giving him something to work towards, to focus on and look forward to and as a result he will learn some of the lessons that 'normal' young people get to have....with lots of fun along the way!!

For those of you who may ask us what Otis wants for his Birthday?.....

This is it.

We will account for every penny raised, which will go toward: enabling/session costs between now and then, for the event itself, ticket costs, flights, food, fares and anything else needed. Updates and photos will follow to those who contribute to let you know how he is getting on.

So if, and ONLY if, you would normally send Otis a birthday prezzie, please would you consider contributing to this adventure instead?

We hope to give Otis his first key to the door of the world, something that he would not normally have the chance to open and step through without a lot of love and collective support from friends and extended family!