#29 Harvey Matthewson - Facing Fears

Our second guest on this new series of Inspire-Ability is Harvey Matthewson. Anyone that has visited Aerobility in recent years will likely recognise Harvey and his laugh, as he has gone from being a front-desk volunteer, to the Ground Services Manager for Aerobility as well as managing the charity’s Equal Skies Charter advocacy initiative. In the first of three episodes in conversation with Harvey, we learn how his early years were formative both for himself, but also his family. He shares with Harriett the barriers that he faced in primary school, as his cerebral palsy began to affect his speaking and writing, and marked him as the odd one out. Despite this, Harvey describes how his “character building” childhood was no different to most, and how no adaptations were made if they could be avoided.

Harvey also discusses with Harriett the personal changes that occurred when he left the “safe space” of primary school, and entered a secondary school with a specialist unit for disabled students. Although he initially felt in-between his able-bodied and more disabled classmates, Harvey eventually came to realize that, as he says: “it is okay to have a disability”. With this realization came the acceptance that he was able to let other disabled people in, and he reflects on this being the first time he learned the importance of open communication and cooperation. 

Lastly, Harvey describes how he feels like his life was transformed by a trip to Africa, and one big step outside his comfort zone. He embarked on his journey as a shy young man who was afraid to leave home, with a drastic fear of flying, and he returned to the UK having taken fear “out of the equation” with a new motivation in life: to learn how to fly.

Episodes released every Friday afternoon. Available as a subtitled video format on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcolE-AfelXHlfWWw-KR74A 

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