Page 15 - CL winter 2023 for web

friendship

It is wonderful to see how open and
entertaining Natty and Olly are with
each other, says Hayley Goleniowska

They love getting dressed up in
their own flamboyant way, and there
is never a hint of embarrassment if
Natty chooses a tiara or Olly an
umbrella hat. On one video call,
Olly wore Elvis-style sideburns and
Natty was dressed up to the nines,
inspired by Strictly Come Dancing.
The best too, picking out fun badges,
Both are incredible gift givers
temporary tattoos, lovely cards or
of friends pieces of jewellery they know the

other will love.
Olly is the longest-standing and
closest friend Natty has and around
whom she has a certain ease.
Somehow, when you have a learning
disability, those special friendships
y daughter Olly bring an honesty to the are even rarer and more precious. n
Natty, who is relationship table that the rest of us l This is an extract from Hayley
almost 16, would do well to adopt. Goleniowska’s Downs Side Up blog
met Olly After meeting Natty for the first
about six time, Olly drew a beautiful
years ago. picture of the house he
MOlly is a hoped they would one day
dashingly handsome young man a call home together; he
couple of years her senior. labelled it No 3 by the Sea.
He’s witty, amusing, caring and No hiding his feelings
shares her love of acting out until a socially acceptable
Mamma Mia and taking silly period of time had passed or
selfies. He tells her she’s beautiful, playing cool mind games –
and loves her just the way she is. he just told her what he felt.
And, just like Natty, Olly has Natty is in Cornwall and
Down syndrome. Olly in London. They speak
They met when Olly’s mother, about once a week, usually
actor Sally Phillips, was creating via video. We meet several A Positive Influence
her award-winning documentary times a year.
A World Without Downs. Nowadays, their phone
I have watched their friendship calls start with an exchange Lancashire Learning Disability Consortium is a group of
unfold with envy, for Natty and of “I love and I miss you” – not for profit provider organisations in the north west
phrases that most of us of England.
squeeze in just before
hanging up at the tail end of Our members support and represent people with a
our conversations. learning disability to live their lives as they choose.
Olly carries Natty if her LLDC provides a collective, informed and knowledgeable
legs are tired, provides a voice, sharing innovation and positively influencing the
shoulder for her to rest on
and is super protective of commissioning and delivery of services in Lancashire.
his smaller friend.
Hayley Goleniowska each other giggle with funny l Lancashire Learning Disability Consortium
 www.lldc.org
The duo adore making
t @TheLLDC f @TheLLDC
stories or reciting lists of the
daftest words they know.

Community Living winter 2023 vol 36 no 2 15