At the heart of Magna Vitae, Trust for Leisure & Culture, is a commitment to inclusivity—And a dedication to ensuring everyone feels welcome, supported and empowered. This story of Matthew Ryan-Tennyson, a visually impaired gentleman and long-standing member of our venue in Mablethorpe, exemplifies this mission and our ongoing journey toward making our facilities accessible to all.
Matthew has been a valued member of Station Sports Centre, Mablethorpe for 18 years. During this time, he has grown close to team members who have always offered him support and assistance, guiding him through the venue or helping him safely use machinery. Steve, one of our Duty Managers, even helped Matthew with swimming sessions before the new venue opened, ensuring a safe environment for Matthew to enjoy swimming.
“I have been coming for a very long time and the staff have always been very helpful”.
For many of us, we may take for granted how we can easily navigate our surroundings, especially when it comes to physical activities. For Matthew, the simple act of participating in sports—especially swimming—can be daunting. Imagine stepping into a new venue and unfamiliar environment, without being able to visualise the space around you… Unable to note the depth of the pool or the distance to the nearest wall… Nor the movement of other swimmers! This uncertainty made Matthew understandably apprehensive about navigating our newly built venue. While he had grown comfortable in the old facility, the unfamiliarity of the new space heightened his concerns about safety, particularly in an activity like swimming. We understood this challenge, and it fueled our commitment to make Matthew’s experience—and that of others like him—as comfortable and safe as possible.
Ahead of the official opening, Steve invited Matthew and his wife, who is also registered blind, for a private tour of the new venue. He invited James, a representative from the Royal Institute of Blind Society (RNIB), to join the tour. James conducted a training session for our staff, teaching them how to better assist visually impaired individuals and create an inclusive, welcoming environment. This training was invaluable for our staff members. With the expanded venue came new challenges, both for Matthew and our staff. Though the adaptation process has not always been easy, we remain deeply committed to ensuring that Matthew—and all our members—can navigate the facility comfortably.
To broaden our support, on the third Wednesday of each month, representatives from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) will join us at the venue, providing a meeting point for those who are registered blind. These sessions offer a vital resource for support, education, and confidence building, allowing visually impaired individuals to make the most of our inclusive facilities. Our first session was held on Wednesday 18th September and it was great to see so many people attend. The next session will be held on Wednesday 16th October. If you would like further information about the sessions, please contact james.hassall@rnib.org.uk or call 01509 277298.
Duty Manager, Steve Evans commented,
“It is great to have James using our facility as a meet-up point for those with sight-loss. We hope it will help encourage more people to come into our venue and experience what we have to offer with our support. I look forward to continually working with Matthew to help make our venue as accessible as possible.”
RNIB Community Connection East Midlands, James Hassall told us,
“It was a great success and opportunity for Visually Impaired people, to meet and chat about concerns that they have. The conversation was lively, informative, and helpful in so many ways. It is a great opportunity to make new friends in a lovely, relaxed environment and share while having a drinking and something to nibble on. We look forward to new people coming along to the group. All are welcome to come along and find out more. Thank you to all who attended.”
Matthew’s journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusivity and adaptability. His determination to stay active despite his visual impairment, along with the support from our staff, has made his fitness journey a rewarding and inspiring experience. We hope that Matthew’s story will encourage others to visit our venues and become part of our growing community. As Matthew says,
“This is a big learning curve for everyone. It is called Leisure & Learning…Learning off the community as well as the other way round”.
Together, we are committed to building a more inclusive future for all.
If you want to know how to offer some support to blind and partially sighted people in our venues and in the community, take a look at RNIB’s Be Helpful Guide.
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