Ryan’s story: Freedom at Fethneys Residential Care Home
Ryan Stray lives at Fethneys, our residential service in Worthing for up to 10 disabled adults. Ryan discusses meeting famous actors, becoming a famous Pompey fan, and why Fethneys is a great place to live.
I am in my late twenties and I’ve lived at Fethneys for 11 years. We have a good bunch of residents, and some great support workers helping us. I like it here.
Freedom to do things for myself
The best thing about being at Fethneys is the freedom – the freedom I’m given to do whatever I like and go wherever I want.
I have cerebral palsy and use a powerchair full-time. I love heading out by myself in my powerchair. I’m a well-known figure at Worthing railway station, where the friendly passenger assistance team will put down a ramp so I can get on the train. And then I’m off. I like to travel all over the country – seeing friends, going to big events and watching live sport.
I love football and I'm a huge Portsmouth fan. It's hard to beat the brilliant atmosphere at our home ground, Fratton Park. Often I’ll meet up with my dad; sometimes I’ll just see other Pompey regulars.
I have full capacity to make the decision to travel on my own. Other residents with similarly high needs will often prefer to go out with support staff, and that’s absolutely fine. The staff are happy to respect my choices. They’ll help me prepare everything to make it work. It’s helped me develop confidence.
A friendly rivalry
I get on well with residents – especially Ashley, a West Ham fan who has been here for a while. We both have always had a good sense of humour, and we make each other laugh. Given the recent results of our football teams, we probably need this!
Sometimes we go together to watch local sports teams. These include both Worthing FC (a 4-2 victory against a West Ham under-21 side was particularly sweet) and Worthing Raiders Rugby Club. We bond over our shared obsessions with several PlayStation games to!
Comic timing
I really enjoy comic books. I’ve often travelled to London for ComicCon, the big bash for the superfans. I’ve timed it well and met some big actors. Jason Momoa, who starred in Dune and Game of Thrones, was a good guy. Jenna Coleman, who starred in Captain America and Doctor Who, was really sweet.
Acting ambition
I’d love to get into acting! I studied drama at school, receiving good feedback from my teachers. Recently, I decided to sign up with an agency that works with disabled people. I recorded an audition tape and sent in headshots. It’s a few months later and I’m waiting to hear back. I know it’s a really challenging field with lots of hopefuls.
I’d love any job, really. I had a temp job at Tesco handing out sweets to the general public. I enjoyed that. Another fun job for me could be working in a phone shop; I am pretty good with technology.
Making the most of tech
I use technology to help me in my daily life. It makes so many things more accessible for me. The voice assistant AI – on my phone and other devices – is a useful option for me. I can just say what music I want to play, or what message I want to write to friends, and it will do that.
An unexpected act of kindness
The public are often helpful to me when I’m out and about, wherever I go in the country. But one particular day, one particular Portsmouth match, is etched in the memory. And it’s thanks to the generosity of sports fans and the public.
In August 2022, the train strikes meant I thought I’d miss a big home match against Bristol Rovers. I knew I couldn’t afford a taxi, particularly a long journey from Worthing to Portsmouth. Some very nice fans said I should set up an online fundraising page. I posted it to social media, not expecting anything out of it.
I was amazed to discover the page had gathered loads of really kind donations to fund an accessible taxi. I couldn’t believe it, and neither could my dad. The Portsmouth News wrote about my story, and BBC News covered it too. I remain hugely thankful to everyone who contributed. And I’d say to any disabled person who has a transport problem like this:
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
The right support at Fethneys
I get good support from the staff here. Of course, they know my care routine well and they know what medication I need. A couple of the staff really enjoy cooking too, which is a big plus. We plan the meals together.
The staff continue to help me with all that I need, and they set me up to explore on my own.
I’m looking forward to Christmas, and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2026 has in store. I know I will always have the freedom to do what I want. And I love it.