Bucket list theme park trip comes true for group

A group of adults with learning disabilities have been able to tick off one of their bucket list wishes after being taken to a theme park.

The trip to Butlin's Minehead was organised after group members took part in a film about the importance of talking about death.

At the time, Briony Lane, 40, from Taunton, expressed her wish to go to a theme park before she dies.

Ms Lane said it was a "dream come true".

"Magical," she told BBC Radio Somerset.

"We enjoyed planning what we wanted to do and we all had lots of fun.

"I enjoyed sharing the day out with my friends."

Briony's friend Kai also took part in the day.

"I got to do art and that," he said.

"It was amazing, we had a brilliant time."

Ms Lane and her six friends were welcomed by the site's iconic Redcoats before taking part in festive arts and crafts, including pottery painting and Christmas decoration making and then enjoying a live show.

Ms Lane said the dinosaur-themed live show and "free lunch" were some of her highlights.

Craig Goodwin, resort director at Butlin's Minehead, said: "We're delighted to have been a part of such an amazing day with the My Day Care Services and NHS Somerset teams.

As soon as we were made aware that visiting a theme park was on Briony's bucket list, we knew we had to fulfil her wish."

Rachel Donne-Davis, a health psychologist and part of the Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) team at NHS Somerset, said: "Fulfilling Briony's bucket list wish demonstrates how something positive can come out of talking about difficult topics."

Ms Lane attends My Day Care Services in Taunton five days a week and director Lucy Durman said they were not only "thrilled" to spend the day at Butlins", but also "incredibly proud of being part of this powerful film".

"It has been a rewarding journey," she added.

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