My name is Victoria and I am 37 years old and I have Down’s syndrome.
I have always used the saying ‘I am more alike than different’. I live in a supported living house in Darlington and I love it.
My sister Emma got me thinking about Ibiza a lot as she had visited the island with her friends and they told me about an amazing beach club there called Ocean Beach. I really wanted to go one day…it sounded amazing, music, a DJ playing, cocktails, dancing. Just up my street.
In April 2019 a group from Darlington including me and my friends and support staff had a short trip planned to go to Ibiza to celebrate one of the staff’s big birthdays.
Little did I know that my sister Emma had actually been in touch with the gentleman who owns Ocean Beach, Wayne Lineker, Gary’s brother, to ask if there was any chance as a special treat he could let us have a look around the club with my and my friends who also have Down’s syndrome. It was April and the club wasn’t actually even open.
To my surprise, Wayne said ‘Of course!’…it was no problem at all and that he’d open the club specially for us and the support staff and treat us to lunch in his restaurant.
I was totally shocked, overwhelmed, excited. I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy.
The big day came and we were met with champagne on arrival and given a full tour of the club. I was on cloud nine. Wayne himself took us around the club personally. On the way to the restaurant I chatted with Wayne and told him how I loved rapping and he asked me if I could do him a rap, so I just gave it my best shot and it turned out to be brilliant. I could tell Wayne loved it. I love drama and acting and music and I just couldn’t help myself to show him what I could do.
We all enjoyed a lovely three course meal in his restaurant and drinks all paid for by Wayne and we left on a total high.
For me this was the start of our amazing friendship.
We stayed in touch, me, my sister and Wayne and would message each other about what we were up to and he even came all the way up to my home town to visit me and my family. Wayne loved my rapping and he said he was going to try and make me an international rap superstar, and he said he wasn’t joking.
In November of 2020 I travelled to London with my sister Emma to record a song that I would actually be rapping and working on. I have to say I felt like a complete superstar…I was loving every minute of it. I got to meet others working on the song who welcomed me into the team with open arms and it had the perfect title – ‘Better Together’. The title says it all. We are all better when we are together no matter who we are. I sing along with Clark King. We were going for it, we decided we were actually going to release this song and make a music video along with it and all proceeds will go to the Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA).
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Fast track to September 2021 and Wayne arranged and paid for my mam, sister and two best friends Emma Watson and Penny Watson and their support staff to stay in Ibiza whilst filming the video for the song ‘Better Together’. All I can say is it was like living the dream. I had the best holiday ever and we filmed all over the island. It really was so much fun. I can’t wait to see the completed song and video.
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Wayne even took time out of his busy schedule to see me in my drama group’s show in November 2021. The group is called Northern Stars. We really have a strong friendship and he’s just like family to me now.
‘Better Together’ was released on World Down Syndrome Day (21 March 2022) and all the proceeds will go to the DSA.
Please take a look and a listen. I promise you it will be amazing.
Thank you to Victoria for sharing this piece which was originally published by Down’s Syndrome North East (DSNE).