What we learned from hosting Lois and David
We would never have imagined when we started providing accessible holiday cottages that we would inspire guests to move house, but this is what happened to one family that we got to know.
Holiday inspired house move
I first met Lois and David in 2019. From then on, they returned to stay with us regularly, at least half a dozen times over the years. Sometimes they came as a couple, staying in Little Bench and sometimes Dad joined them too, turning their breaks into family holidays in Garden Bench.
“The Sara Stedy is essential for us. Please can we swap to Garden Bench? I decided it would be easier to book a cottage with room for Dad so he can come with us. Now we all have a holiday to look forward to!”
David had been a chef, and food was still a joy for him. When they stayed with us, they loved heading down to The Haven by the Lymington River to eat out, enjoying good food and the calm of the quay. Those moments felt important.
David was living with Parkinson’s, and over time I could see his condition slowly deteriorating. With each stay, his needs increased, and I became more aware of how much the right environment mattered, not just for David, but for Lois too. It was during their stays with us that Lois began to notice something. She shared how she always seemed to have more energy here. She could do more with David on holiday than she could at home, even though nothing about her had changed.
At first, that didn’t make sense, but a discussion about the importance of "things" lead to Lois making small changes at home. She removed rugs and unnecessary furniture so David could move around more easily. Without the"clutter" or "sentimental items their home became safer and more manageable. But still, the difference in how she felt on holiday remained.
"We have so many happy memories and lovely photos of our holidays at Our Bench. Your accommodation is amazing.”
Lois and David
Over time, it became clear why. Here, Lois could park close to the cottage door. After a day out, a walk along Lymington Quay, or lunch in a local restaurant, she could push David in his manual wheelchair straight into the cottage, over a level threshold, without strain or fear. At home, their family house was on a steep hill. Getting David down to the car meant Lois acting as a brake, holding the wheelchair back. Coming home meant saving enough energy to push him back up and inside. That effort was part of everyday life, repeated over and over again.
On holiday, those barriers simply weren’t there.
“Dave and I found the holiday at Little Bench life-changing. It opened my eyes to what is possible despite Dave’s illness.”
Lois & David – Little Bench
When they arrived, the essential equipment, a shower chair with commode, an overbed table, and most importantly, a Sara Stedy, were provided as standard, which meant coming away was easy, Lois did not have to pack the car with everything alongside David’s wheelchair - just the essentials, Staying at "Our Bench", everything was already in place, ready for them when they arrived.
Lois realised that what felt easier on holiday wasn’t about having time away. It was about accessibility, the layout of our cottages, and her own energy. That realisation led to a huge decision. Her home was on a hill, with a steep driveway and road, every trip outside the house took a huge amount of energy, after reavisiting, Lois & David chose to move house, relocating to a more suitable area so that everyday life could be easier for them both.
Their holidays didn’t just give them memories. They changed the way they lived.
Hosting Lois and David taught me something I’ll never forget. Accessibility isn’t just about equipment. It’s about energy, dignity, and removing the daily barriers that quietly exhaust families. Sometimes, a holiday shows what’s possible, and that realisation can change everything.
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