Every Friday during summer playscheme the children at the adventure playground choose a theme for the day. Today’s was ‘Water.’ It’s been a stunningly hot day so this went down very well with everybody.

I got involved by running a water-play activity. With the help of my support worker and colleagues I lined the large sand pit at the heart of the site with tarpaulins to create a pool, and filled it with water.

This wasn’t quick or completely straightforward. I was holding the hose but I found it hard to keep it pointed in the right direction. I kept ticcing and inadvertently spraying nearby children.

A boy I know well stepped in and offered to hold the hose. I agreed, but on condition that as my replacement arm he had to do whatever I told him. He grinned and said, ‘But your arms don’t always do what you say.’ I laughed and said, ‘You’re right. So in fact you have to be a better arm than the ones I’ve got.’

Once the pool was full I got the children waiting patiently round the edge to imagine it was a new coral reef. We gave them fabric, ribbon and sparkly foil so they could make water-themed accessories to wear when they went into the water.

I had a brilliant morning. I abandoned my wheelchair and got very wet sitting on the edge of the pool. Any time it got a bit hectic, I’d shout, ‘Ocean scatter!’ and all the children had to go and touch the edge. I’d then start a new game. We played in the sunshine for hours.