In 2005 a diving accident resulted in a spinal cord injury and I spent 10 months in Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injury Centre for rehab. The accident affected me and my family. I had to focus on my rehab and although my brother wasn’t injured, he had to see the struggles I was going through, and it’s been hard on him. In some ways it brought the family closer together but also caused a wedge between some people.

I found out about Aspire when I was in the Spinal Injury Centre and in 2015 they helped me with a grant for a handcycle.  I had an operation on my shoulder in 2023 so pushing my wheelchair on long distances became challenging and painful, and I applied to Aspire again for funding towards a power add on.

The Tri Ride has given me my freedom back. I have managed to go to places that I’ve not been able to previously, like the paths down by the River Thames. I have also managed to semi access a beach for the first time in nearly 20 years which was amazing. I’m a very outdoors person with a passion for photography and accessing this has been so much easier.

I can get out into the nearby village and have even travelled into London. I’ve got the freedom to explore. The added features of the Tri Ride have meant I can use it the way I need to, for example the added braking system that I need as a tetra.

I don’t know how I would have funded it without the grant from Aspire and it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders when I found out my application was successful. It felt amazing.

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