Carousel horse inspires fiction for disabled adults

Jennifer Munro and her daughter, Kate Horncastle with Edward the carousel horse

A writer from south London has written a book inspired by the carousel horse in her garden, which was restored on the BBC show, The Repair Shop.

Author, Jennifer Munro from Sutton said Edward Pureheart and the Forever Children was the first novel aimed for adults with learning disabilities.

She wrote it for her 41-year-old daughter Kate Horncastle when she couldn’t find stories and entertainment suitable for her.

Jennifer hopes her book will raise money for epilepsy research so people like Kate will no longer have to take medications to manage the condition that causes seizures.

Kate has epilepsy, autism and neurodevelopmental delays.

"We knew she had epilepsy, she had a very low IQ and she had autism, but we didn’t know why," said Jennifer.

It was only following testing that doctors found these conditions was due to an extremely rare genetic difference.

"It’s called CHD2 deletion and they told me that there are only 270 other people with that diagnosis in the world."

She hopes the book would raise funds to explore gene editing in epilepsy research.

"If they can figure out exactly what the gene deletion means, they can edit the genes and it’s possible that people like Kate won’t need epilepsy medicines anymore," said Jennifer.

Edward - as he's called - is the centrepiece of a sensory garden Jennifer created for her daughter to help keep her calm and happy.

"It was quite strange actually because she said this somebody is coming to your garden and she told me it was a horse," said Kate.

"I said 'you can’t have real horse in here'.

"A big truck came and he was in a box, brought on a ship - so it wasn’t a real horse - she was just tricking me."

But after being out in the elements, Edward, believed to be at least 100 years old, had peeling paint and the wood was beginning to rot.

He was given a complete makeover and made weatherproof by restoration experts from the show.

• You can watch The Repair Shop episode here on BBC iPlayer

Kate Horncastle gives Edward a polish in her garden in Sutton

Kate talks to Edward every day, communicating her needs through him.

The bond inspired her mother, Jennifer to write about his fictional adventures from a Texan fairground to garden in London, where he can only talk to children, or people who are neurodivergent.

She wanted to create entertaining stories suitable for Kate’s intellectual capabilities, but including themes she negotiates as an adult.

“I just thought 'where is the magic for them?'

"Adult books are not appropriate, children’s books aren’t - you need something in the middle - something for them because they are unique."

She added that there was no "mental age" for forever children - those who may never leave the nest once they reach adulthood.

"You can’t say 'well she’s four' or 'she’s six'. She's not - she’s many different ages all at the same time and in many different ways," said Jennifer.

"Very seldom are they made to feel that their differences a good thing.

"But they are themselves - perfect and complete.

"Those themes are in the book too - about accepting each other the way we are and being loved for who you are."