Out &About

WINTER 2017 • www.sisonline.org

InspirationalKarenDarke

SIS WinterDinnerDanceLifeSP

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Hardeep Singh Kohli Compereat our Winter Dinner Dance

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All enquiries and applicationsto our address at:Spinal Injuries ScotlandFullarton Court (Unit C)11 Drumhead PlaceGlasgow, G32 8EY

Tel: 0141 427 7686 Email: info@sisonline.orgwww.sisonline.org

SIS is a company registered in Scotland byguarantee and recognised as a charity.Scottish Charity No: SC015405. ISSN 1363-6723

Any opinions expressed in the Spinal LifeScotland and Newsline are those of the personwriting and not necessarily shared. Articles fromSpinal Life Scotland and Newsline are availableon disc or in large print on request.

Office Hours:Our office hours are Monday to Friday 9-5pm.Anyone wishing to speak to any of our staff,please call 0141 427 7686.

Legal and Welfare Advice Services:If you are concerned about legal or welfare issues, please call the office on 0141 427 7686 and we will put you in touch with our advisors.

Tel. 0141 427 7686If you need someone to talk to, use the abovenumber for enquiries great and small. If no-oneis available then please leave your name andnumber with your message and someone willget back to you as soon as possible.

Honorary PresidentHRH The Princess Royal

Board of DirectorsJennifer AlanIan WilsonPatricia Clay-MackinnonSharon LansdowneGary CaldwellKathleen McMonagleTheresa Fern

PatronsPaul WarwickHarry BrownTracey Brown

In the OfficeInterim ManagerMaureen Morrison

Peer Support StaffLaura Torrance

Fundraiser Coordinator(Clober Farm)Marianne Prentice

Cover Photo: Hardeep Singh Kohli Compereat our Winter Dinner Dance 2017

Editorial: Spinal Injuries Scotland and Clear Design (North)

Design: Clear Design (North)Tel. 07971 182736 www.cleardesignnorth.co.uk

facebook.com/spinalinjuriesscot twitter.com/sisonlineorg twitter.com/cloberfarmsis www.youtube.com/spinalinjuriesscot

RECEIVE THIS ISS

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CONTENTS 02 WELCOME

NEWS03 UK Disability – Under the Spotlight04 Disability for Edinburgh Airport

SPORT05 The Inspirational Karen Darke

SPINAL LIFE08 The Whole Truth, Part 1

- Steven’s Story10 Wheelchair World - Rwanda12 Ruth’s Incredible Journey18 The Whole Truth, Part 2

- Steven’s Story

24 OUT & ABOUT26 Glasgow to Edinburgh Kayak Race

14 FEATUREThe SIS Winter Dinner Dance

REGULARS21 Bullen Healthcare22 Welfare Advice28 Thank You to Our Fundraisers31 Classified Advertising

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Yes, this is your free magazinefrom Spinal Injuries Scotland, but not as you know it!Newsline is a thing of the past and we are moving on with a fresh new magazine, Spinal Life Scotland. We hope you benefitfrom these changes other than just the name. Our new team of writers, editors and designers are ready for the challenge! For many years we have been sending the Newsline magazine to our members and we hope that it has kept you entertained and educated. However, we think we can do better. The time has come for us to bring you the magazine you deserve. So...

Welcome to Spinal Life Scotland!

This is your magazine, about you and for you. At Spinal InjuriesScotland, we want to provide a quality magazine, free of charge,and offer something for everyone. We will be bringing youfascinating interviews, must-read features, real life experiences and all the latest news from the spinal community. We also wantyour input. Have you been anywhere or done anything that othermembers might find interesting? If so, get in touch and getinvolved. Remember, this is your magazine!

Importantly, we want to make sure the magazine reflects realspinal life. That means we need to be honest. We will not shyaway from the subjects that could be challenging you. We want to let you know that you are not alone by including real life storiesabout real life struggles. Spinal Injuries Scotland will always behere if you need to get in touch.

You are always welcome to let us know what you think about the magazine. Maybe there is something you would like us toinclude. Maybe you want more information about an article from Spinal Life Scotland. Maybe you just need some advice and don't know where to go. We are here to help and promise to do everything in our power to meet your needs.

Please, enjoy your new edition of Spinal Life Scotland!

The Editors.info@sisonline.org0141 427 7686

IN THIS ISSUE.. .

Our Winter Dinner Dancewas held in November and was a brilliantnight. Check out the photographsand story on pages 14, 15, 16, & 17.If you were unable to join us, maybeyou can come along next year, itreally is an event not to be missed.

The word ‘inspirational’ is oftenoverused, but not when describinggold medal winning ParalympianKaren Darke. Read her story onpages 5 and 6.

We also have lots of useful adviceand information on UK Disability and welfare issues. SIS volunteer,Steven McGhee shares his story inThe Whole Truth on pages 8, 9,and 18, 19, 20.

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In 2007 the UK was signed up to a UN Conventionprotecting the rights of persons with disabilities.In simple words, there is now a basic level of support available to all disabled people in the UK. The Government agreed on these standards with the UN and promised to maintain them.

However, disability organisations have been concernedthat recent governmental reforms are adverselyaffecting disabled people. Numerous organisationscarried out their own reports and studies to assess theimpact of these policy changes. The UN was payingattention and its committee was called into actionto investigate.

Over the last year, the 'UN committee on the rights of persons with disabilities' (CRPD) has revealed thefindings of two separate investigations. Both reportshighlight important changes for the disabled populationof the UK, many of whom rely on the Government forprotection and assistance.

Spinal Life Scotland have taken care of all theheavy reading for you and we are here to focuson some of the key talking points.

UK DISABILITYUNDER THESPOTLIGHT

The report was heavily critical in many areas of reformincluding sanctions on employment and supportallowance, assessments into suitability to work andneglecting the fact that waiting on assessment resultscaused "anxiety and psychological strain". Stressing the importance of recent changes, UN committeechairwoman Theresia Degener claimed the situation was a "human catastrophe" and that the "evidence was overwhelming".

Some more examples of recent welfare reform you maybe familiar with include more stringent conditions toqualify for social care and changes to the criteria forPIP application. In relation to these changes, the reportstated that they "hindered disabled people's rightsto live independently and be included in thecommunity".

One more striking statement in the report was thatUK welfare reforms led to "grave and systematicviolations" of disabled persons rights. Very strongwords from the UN that could suggest Persons withdisabilities have reason to be concerned.

Continued on page 4

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Over recent years, more and moreof us are taking an interest inpolitics. Events such as the ScottishIndependence Referendum andnow Brexit negotiations haveshown how important politics are on day to day life. For anyoneaffected by disability rights and Government welfare, recentpolitical activity is worth keepinga very close eye on.

EDINBURGHAIRPORTUPDATE

Continued from page 3

The findings led to the currentGovernment coming under fire.Debbie Abrahams, the shadowwork and pensions secretaryclaimed that the report confirmsthe Government is "failing sick and disabled people" while MikeLambert, freelance journalist, wrotein the Guardian that the reportwas a "catalogue of shame".

In response, the work and pensionssecretary Damian Green (picturedbelow) dismissed the report. He claimed the findingsdemonstrated an "outdated view of disability whichis patronising and offensive". He drew attention to£50bn spent each year supporting the sick and disabled.Damian Green also highlighted the quality of thatsupport, claiming that the report failed to recognise the "wide range of tailored and effective support on offer".

The report also points to failure of UK law to recognisethe rights of disabled children to inclusive schooling. This subject was covered by article 24 of the conventionand the current situation is unacceptable for the UNcommittee chairwoman. She points out that "article 24is not about a choice. It is about a right to inclusiveeducation".

Overall, the report contained a total of 60recommendations that would bring the UK closer tomeeting the standards they agreed to. The Government is not obliged to act on these recommendations and onthe whole is disappointed that the report "does notaccurately reflect the evidence we gave the UN".

Considering the committee is more concerned about theUK than any other country in its 10 year history, it seemsthat the UN and the UK government have very differentideas when it comes to acceptable care for those withdisabilities.

The Government claims the report “fails to recognise all the progress we have made toempower disabledpeople on allaspects of theirlives.”

One year after being heavily criticised,Edinburgh airport has been praised forimproving services for passengers with mobilityissues. Their hard work and focus has beenawarded with a jump in classification from'poor' to 'good'.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) assesses the top 30 airports in the UK every year. It was delighted withthe progress at Scotland's busiest airport. They havespent the year prioritising changes that will makeflying a more relaxing experience for those needingassistance. Taking steps like hosting an open day,investing in new equipment, improving facilities andtraining dedicated staff paid off with thereclassification.

Elsewhere in Scotland, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick and Inverness managed to achieve a 'very good'ranking. This is great news for passengers in Scotland as only 6 out of all 30 airports were awarded thisclassification. Aberdeen and Sumburgh airport onShetland joined Edinburgh in providing 'good'assistance to passengers with mobility issues.

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WHAT IS WELFARE REFORM?This is when the Governmentattempts to change the socialwelfare system. Recent examplesinclude:

• Changing PIP application

• Sanctions on employment and support allowance

• Changing assessments into suitability to work

• New conditions to qualify for social care

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THEINSPIRATIONALKAREN DARKE

The word'inspirational' isoften overused butnot when describinggold medal winningParalympian KarenDarke.

Since breaking her back in a climbing accident at the age of 21, Karen has gone on to become European andWorld Paratriathlon Champion, silver medallist at theLondon Paralympics 2012, in the hand cycling timetrials before capturing gold at the 2016 Paralympics. All while squeezing in adventures such as sit-skiing the Greenland ice cap and hand cycling the Himalayas. All that aside, Karen still faces the same difficulties andfrustrations as many others with a spinal cord injury. After reporting news of her receiving a MBE from theQueen in our summer edition, we were lucky enough to catch Karen and talk about her extraordinary life.

It doesn't take long to realise that Karen has a specialdrive to make the most of life. Whether talking to her orlooking through her website you get the impression thatnothing could get in the way of her sense of adventure.Karen broke her back after falling 10m when she wasrock climbing in 1991. She woke up in hospital threedays later paralysed from the chest down but havinglost none of her determination.

Continued on page 6

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It was to be the springboard for many otherincredible exploits. Climbing El Capitan, a 1K rockface in Yosemite National Park, spending onemonth travelling across the Greenland ice capin a sit-ski and hand biking 1250km of SouthAmerican wilderness are some examples of theextreme activities Karen can't stay away from.

However, it was to be in the competitiveenvironment of the Paralympics that Karen would go on to achieve even more success. She told us thatwhen entering the hand cycling time trials in London2012 she believed a medal was a realistic goal butshe did not think she could achieve any better thanbronze. Karen was quite rightly proud of herself afterfinishing with a silver medal. Following this greatachievement, Karen says that she enjoyed using her bike so much that the Paralympics in Rio, 2016,was the next target.

Karen described how extremely tough the trainingfor Rio was saying that she had to "squeeze everylast bit out of her body and her equipment".A pressure sore was the last thing she needed with such an intensive training regime.

While in hospital recovering, Karen planned a new life ofincredible adventure. She told us how the journey handbiking up the Himalayas holds a special place amongstthose memories. She realises it was only a couple ofyears since she had been lying in hospital thinking shewould never be able to do something like that again.

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Karen described howextremely tough thetraining for Rio wassaying that she had to "squeeze every last bit out of her bodyand her equipment.”A pressure sore wasthe last thing sheneeded with such anintensive trainingregime.

‘‘I get down like everyoneelse and it’s challenging.But every day is a choice and you wake up and can decide to be miserable, or you just get on with it.Karen Darke

That is exactly what she developed aftergoing out for a cycle on her birthday.Regardless, nothing could stop Karensprinting ahead of the world's best to win the gold medal. A phenomenalachievement that led to being honouredwith a MBE, presented earlier this year by the Queen.

Given all those accolades it is easy to forgetabout Karen's spinal cord injury but she doesface the same obstacles, both physically and mentally as many others. Somewhatironically, when we spoke to Karen she wasconfined to bed with a pressure sore andadmitted that "I try to be extremely vigilantbut sometimes I make mistakes". Aproblem that is all too common amongstthose of us with a SCI.

A pressure sore can cause major upset to everyday life and for Karen, theconsequences can be even more disrupting.Bed rest is the last thing she needs if in themiddle of a gruelling training regimes for a major event. Highlighting the attitude of a true champion, Karen told us "I do worry that being stuck in bed can causeproblems but I have just got to keepgoing and not give up". That is a sentimentshared by many of us. A reminder thatattitude plays a huge part when the physicalchallenges of a SCI get in the way of ourhopes and aspirations.

As with the physical demands of a SCI, Karen makes no claims to be immune fromthe psychological challenges we all strugglewith. When we spoke about this Karen said "I get down like anyone else and it ischallenging but every day is a choice and

you wake up and decide to be miserableor you just get on with it". This mentalstrength has been essential over the years asKaren has achieved more and more success. It should also serve as some inspiration foranyone out there who thinks they are alonewhen feeling the strain of a SCI.

Discussing this in more detail, Karen openedup about having a complete meltdown afterwinning gold at Rio 2016. She said she was "completely burnt out physically andmentally, lying on the couch unable tocommunicate with anyone". After missingout on the celebrations and parades Karenfelt she "needed to go into lockdown tosurvive for a while". That notion will befamiliar to many and Karen's honesty willhopefully show them that anyone canstruggle but come through the other end and keep on going.

Spinal Injuries Scotland is proud to countKaren amongst our members. Her life ofchasing adventure has required incrediblemental and physical strength. And let's notunderestimate her sporting achievements.Paralympic gold medallist, the very best ofthe best, the standard setter for athletesacross the world. At the same time, Karenfaces so many of the challenges of livingwith a spinal cord injury. She is not sparedthe day to day struggles that many of usunderstand. She has achieved so much withthe support of her friends and family and aninner strength that must be admired.

Spinal Life Scotlandwould like to thankKaren for her time and her honesty.Everyone at Spinal Injuries Scotlandwishes her all the best in the future.

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THE WHOLE TRUTHSTEVEN’S STORYSteven is a volunteer with SIS who 10 years ago had an accident leaving him with no movementbelow his neck and needinga ventilator 24 hours a day.Despite these challengesSteven is an example thatno disability should meanan end to fun and enjoying life.

The Whole Truthcontinues on page 18and more chapters will unfold in followingeditions of Spinal LifeScotland.

A few years ago, Stevendecided to tell his story bywriting a blog. Now SpinalLife Scotland is happy toshare that story with you.

THE ACCIDENTwas the firstpost and the beginning of a truly inspirational story.

THE ACCIDENTI always thought that it was the big decisions that shaped the course of our lives. Choosing the right career, where to live, deciding on the right partner and if/when to have children. Get these decisions right and everything else should take care of itself.

I never considered that such a minor decision would be the one to dismantle my life as I knew it.

My very good friend Ross was getting married in 2007 so a few days before the wedding I flew to Spain for a weekend of partying with Ross and another 14 of our friends. It was all set up to be the perfect stag do.

On the day of the flight we all met at Ross's house for a few beers and to hand out the specially made'stag do T-shirts'. An old picture of Ross dressed as a woman (a long story!) was printed on the front of the top. On the back, Ross had chosen a nickname for each of the lads. I won't reveal mine, my mother may end up reading this sometime!!!

After landing in Majorca it wasn't long until our taxis drew up outside the hotel. The plan was to ditch our bags in the allocated rooms and headstraight down to the pool to enjoy our first drink of the weekend together.

During the next few seconds my way of life was altered beyond recognition. A few seconds and one carefree decision. Just like that.

Twitter @choose_living1PART You can alsofollow Steven'sstory on twitter@choose_living

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‘‘My head smashed againstthe opposite wall of thepool and my limp bodydropped into the water.Steven McGhee

We had gathered around tables at the poolside. I hadone look at the pool, one small sip of lager and onemoment later I was floating face down in the water.

In the 2am darkness, I ran 4 or 5 steps and with all the power in my legs, pushed off into a dive. I wasexpecting to enter the cold water but instead my headsmashed against the opposite wall of the pool and mylimp body dropped into the water.

It is a miracle I did not lose consciousness and I willalways be glad. The alternative would be waking upin hospital with no idea what happened. I am glad tohave the clarity I do. Without it I would forever wonderwhat happened and how I could have avoided it.

Lying face down in the pool my initial concern wasdrowning. The fact that I couldn't move hadn'tregistered properly. I could hear my friends talking and I started to worry that nobody would notice me.As I was starting to struggle with my breath I heardStuart shout out "what is Steven up to?". I felt a hugesense of relief knowing that I was safe. Ross replied"he will just be messing about as usual" and I beganto panic.

'Luckily' when I hit the wall it split my head and thatcut saved my life. It was only a few seconds later thatLiam saw the blood spreading out and clouding thewater. I heard bodies jumping into the water anddragged me to safety. Then I realised, my body wasn't working.

Without panicking, I told everyone that I couldn't move. Ross was assuring me it was just shock and not to worry but I knew it was serious. I was calm but I was also realistic, this was bad.

The next time my eyes opened I was in a brightly lithospital ward, motionless, staring at the ceiling andlistening to Spanish voices in the background. I willcome to that in my next post.

Despite the consequences, I look back and can honestlysay that I do not regret my actions. I was enjoying life.Sometimes spontaneous actions can be harmful butI don't believe we can stop and analyse every decision.Life is too short. That is still my philosophy today.

Continued on page 18

CHECKING IN AT THE AIRPORT

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However, I set up a wheelchair travel website http://wheelchairworld.orgwhich brings together hundreds of personal wheelchair user travel reviews andshowcases some of their amazing adventures.Through wheelchairworld.org I discovered thatwheelchair users had visited the mountain gorillas.

I contacted park officials in Rwanda who informed that a stretcher could be used for people who were unable to walk. This involved hiring a team of porters which I considered a worthwhile investment.

At the foot of the climb I was hoisted aloft ontothe shoulders of the porters in the stretcher.I was actually quite nervous about this, about how highI would be and what would happen if they dropped me.But I felt absolutely no fear, I completely trusted that theywere very surefooted, were very comfortable with theterrain, and I did not feel in any danger of being dropped.

The boundary of the Parc de Volcans, where the various families of mountain gorillas live, is marked by a stonewall. Here was where the terrain became muchmore difficult and you could easily see that there was a huge amount of vegetation, trees and branches thatwould have to be navigated on the rest of the climb.

I had long held theambition to visitRwanda to see themountain gorillas there, and this seemedimpossible when mymobility was impactedby MS. When I startedusing a wheelchair in2012 I had lost all hope of realising my dream.

VISITING THE RWANDANMOUNTAINGORILLAS BYWHEELCHAIR!

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Finally we came to a clearing in whichwe got our first sighting of the gorillas;a baby gorilla was blocking the path that wewere following and near to him, more of thefamily were resting. Our guide excitedlypointed and said “look, gorillas!” Quickly, mywheelchair was positioned in a good, flattishspot and I was transferred into it. I am alsopartially sighted so even though the gorillaswere very close to us, I was using a pair ofbinoculars to help me see them more clearly.

There was a large silverback a few metres infront of me and three or four gorilla babieswere clambering all over him. Further to myright, the mothers of the babies watched thescene. The adult gorillas barely moved thewhole time I was there, the guide said it wastheir ‘coffee break’ and later I read that thiswas a very common occurrence and actuallythe gorillas like to coincide the time that theyare observed by humans with their break time.The young gorillas, however, did not observethe break time and were very active,clambering all over their silverback father,swinging from overhanging vines andbrilliantly for me, being mesmerised by the site of a wheelchair in their midst!

One of the young gorillas came up andtouched my spokeguards, extending atentative finger until it was chased away by the guide. Later on, another baby gorilla cameover and investigated my shoes. Fantastically,this priceless moment was caught onvideo and can be seen on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vkjU7c5wM4. I think it would have climbedupon me if it hadn’t been chased away by the guide.

Some more of the family were in anothernearby clearing chewing on foliage but I wastold that I had the best view where I was! The rest of the visitors disappeared off withone of the guides but the main guide and a

number of the porters stayed with me andensured I could see the scene before me,pointing things out and describing what was happening.

Since I came back I have shown the photosand video to a lot of my friends and the mainquestion was always “weren’t you scared?”but in all honesty it really wasn’t scary at all;the silverback only moved once to sit up andthe other gorillas barely moved. Besides I wasalways accompanied by the reassuringpresence of the guides and the porters.

After an hour, our time with the gorillas wasover, the rest of the group rejoined us and we made our way back down the Parc - a lot quicker than we made our way up! We stopped for a couple of group photoswhen the trackers left us and then once wereached the place where we had started ourtrip we just had to deal with theuncomfortable issue of tipping!

After the excitement of meeting thegorillas, we went back to Kigali and I had the pleasure of meeting up withEmmanuel, who is a Rwandan wheelchairuser whom I met throughwheelchairworld.org. He is an amazingperson; he lived through the genocide and he is never deterred by the fact that he is awheelchair user! He is always trying to helppeople and at the moment he is working tofully set up the Rwanda Wheelchair UsersCommittee (RWUC). You can donate to them here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/susie-twydell

BY SUSIE TWYDELL

www.wheelchairworld.org "Travel reviews and resources for wheelchair users"

Twitter: @worldwheelchair Facebook: WheelchairWorld

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RUTH’SINCREDIBLEJOURNEY

Thanks to theincredible support ofher local community,a paraplegic womanhas been able to enjoyher first holiday inover thirty years.

Ruth Jenkins from Wick was left paralysed from the waist down 12 years ago after a neckoperation went wrong and her life changedcompletely overnight.

She noticed her right leg was kicking out while she was walking, and her GP referred her to a specialistwho found her vertebrae were narrowing on oneside. She needed surgery to prevent paralysis, but the operation was unsuccessful. Ruth spent five months in hospital with her spinal injury and was given morehorrific news. The doctors found she had a pituitarytumour in her head and she had to have monthlyinjections to try to prevent it growing. Ruth returnedhome after several months in hospital but it quicklybecame apparent that she needed more specialist care than living at home could offer.

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‘‘Ruth’s storyreinforces how vitalrespite breaks are.There are so manypeople like Ruthwho could reallybenefit from thelifeline they offer.

For Ruth it was essential that she stay as close to home as possible so that she couldsee her husband Robert regularly. As a non-driver and with his own health problems,being close at hand was important. The onlyoption open to her in the local area was tomove to a residential care home in Wick.

Last year she mentioned to a friend from her local church that she would love to have a break away somewhere.

Her friend, retired solicitor JeanMcLennan, had heard about LeuchieHouse respite centre in East Lothian and knew it would be the ideal place for Ruth to have a break. Leuchie House is an 18th century mansion located on acountry estate near the seaside town of North Berwick. Leuchie offers short respitebreaks with 24 hour nursing care, specificallytailored to people with long term physicaland neurological conditions, including spinalinjuries, MS, Parkinson’s and motor neuronedisease.

When Ruth told Jean how low she wasfeeling, Jean pledged to do whatever it tookto get her friend there.

A major local fundraising campaign was launched, for which she gained the support of the whole community.The campaign raised enough to cover thecost of an 11 night break for Ruth at LeuchieHouse plus expenses and spending money.

Jean then tackled all the logistical difficultiesinvolved in getting Ruth from Wick to EastLothian, including getting the support ofLoganair to donate Ruth's flights from Wick to Edinburgh for free.

A year in the planning, Ruth came to Leuchiein the summer for her longed-for break. “I felt a bit nervous at first,” she recalls,“because it was unlike anywhere I’d everbeen and I wasn’t used to being with somany other people.”

She quickly relaxed however, and was ableto enjoy her much-anticipated holiday tothe full. “It has been absolutely brilliant.It’s like one big family and I’ve lovedgetting to know everybody. The staffcan’t do enough for you. They don’ttreat you like you’re disabled. You’rejust ‘normal’ to them.”

The Leuchie team aim to do everything they can to support guests to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to do. As a classical music lover, Ruth had dreamt of going to a concert or musicalperformance – something she is unable to do at home. With the support of theLeuchie team, she enjoyed her first evernight at the opera with a trip to see LaBoheme at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre.

She was also keen to go shopping,another thing she finds difficult at home,so the team arranged an escorted trip to one of Edinburgh’s main shoppingcentres.

There’s a strong focus on socialising and fun activities at Leuchie, tailored to guests’individual abilities and interests, just thekind of social interaction Ruth had beencraving. “I’ve been doing art classes,quizzes and just having a laugh,” shesaid. “I’ve met so many great people.”

For us, her story reinforces just how vitalrespite breaks are. There are so manypeople like Ruth out there who couldreally benefit from the lifeline they offer.

After her break, Ruth felt refreshedand recharged and ready to take on daily life again: “Being at Leuchiehas been amazing. I’ve never smiled so much in my life. I want to thankeveryone in Wick for what they did for me – it has been an amazingexperience.”

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WINTER DINNERDANCE

The 15th Digby Brown WinterDinner Dance for Spinal InjuriesScotland took place on Friday 3rd of November at Glasgow’sDoubleTree by Hilton Hotels. This prestigious event wasattended by over 500 guests andraised an outstanding £71,000for SIS. As many of you know,Digby Brown and SIS have alongstanding relationship and Digby Brown have beeninstrumental in the ongoingsuccess of the charity.

JOANNA MARTINAND GUESTS

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JOANNABUTTERFIELDAND FRIENDS

HARDEEP SINGH KOHLI (LEFT)STEVEN MCGHEE (RIGHT)

Des Clark, our compere for many years wassadly unable to attend, he sent his apologiesvia video and in his inimitable style. Heintroduced Hardeep Singh Kohli, who is well known to us as a comedian, broadcaster,journalist, and chef, to name but a few of histalents, who got the night off to a great start.

A video overview by the staff and volunteers of Spinal Injuries Scotland outlined the servicesthat SIS offer our members. Our fantasticguest speaker, Steven McGhee, who is oneof our Peer Support Volunteers, Steven spokeabout his emotional journey from his injury to his life today. And about who has supportedand inspired him along the way. Therewasn’t a dry eye in the house, thank you Steven, you were an inspiration.

The entertainment was nonstop throughoutthe night. ‘Battle of the Buskers’ (picturedright & below), saw three highly talented local buskers, entertaining us. SophieBartholomewwas our first busker on stage and gave us a beautiful rendition of ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac. Next wasAndrew Nichol, who sang a wonderful cover of ‘Fall at Your Feet’ by Crowded House.Nicole Pacitti wrapped up the busking with a superb cover of ‘Your Song’ by EllieGoulding. All three buskers played a secondsong and raised an incredible £550 towardsour grand total for the night. Our guests voted Nicole Pacitti as the overall winner. The prize for Nicole is secured studio time to record at Radio Clyde. Remember whereyou first heard her name!

‘‘Our guest speakerSteven McGhee spokeabout his emotionaljourney from his injury to his life today.

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Our treasure hunt had guests problem solvingand running around looking for clues duringthe event, with the winning table each gettinga bottle of champagne. Whilst TV stand-upSimon Evans provided the laughs on thenight and stayed afterwards to catch up with us.

Peter Vardy very kindly provided us with thetop raffle prize of the night, which was alovely new car, which created a huge amountof interest in the room. We were delighted to find that the raffle raised the highest everamount of over £10,000. We are very gratefulto all who entered into the raffle and we hopethe winner is enjoying her new shiny car!

Our auction, tombola and casino are aregular feature of the Dinner Dance. Onceagain we had some fabulous prizes donated,including the diamond bracelet from ourPatrons Tracey and Harry Brown ofChisholm Hunter. Hardeep Singh Kohli’shome cooked meal for 8 people in your ownhome, unsurprisingly, went down like hotcakes. We also had a beautiful picture of‘George’ the highland cow by Craig Semple,that we just delivered to the lucky winner.Unbelievably this auction raised over £12,000on the night. We must pay a huge thanks toLyndsay Gardener and Sam Whytewhokept these events running smoothly on thenight.

Our Ambassador for Spinal InjuriesScotland Joanna Martin, kindly took sometime out of her night to thank our guests, table hosts and donors for their hard workand fantastic support. Thank you also to,

Joanna, for being an inspiration to those whoknow her and her tireless support to SIS.

It was then time for a few words from Chris Stewart, Partner and Head of Serious Injury at Digby Brown, who said:“Every year we are humbled at thegenerosity shown by those who attend and this year is no exception – to raise£71,000 in just a few hours is incredible.In our day jobs we see first-hand the after-effects of spinal injuries and that’s whatmakes the work of Spinal Injuries Scotlandso important. Thank you to our buskers andSimon for their enthusiastic and memorableperformances as well as Hardeep forhosting, everyone who attended, donatedand to those who helped make the eventpossible. We are enormously proud of our long-standing bond with SIS and itsvolunteers and we are thrilled to help them, as they help Scotland.”

On behalf of all of us here at SIS, we wouldlike to give special thanks to Chris Stewart,Craig Semple and Susan Lawrie for thetireless support that they put into make theWinter Dinner Dance such a resoundingsuccess. This is a night of celebration of the charity’s achievements and a time for reflection, to remember how incredibly lucky we are to havingsuch committed volunteers, sponsors,fundraisers, the clinical team in theQENSUI and our office staff. We couldnot do it without each and every one of you. Thank you.

THE RAFFLE PRIZE CARFROM PETER VARDY(ABOVE)

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‘‘Joanna Martin,Ambassador forSpinal InjuriesScotland, thankedour guests, tablehosts and donors.

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JOANNA MARTIN

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STEVEN MCGHEE & FAMILY (BELOW)DR MCLEAN (BELOW RIGHT)

ROULETTEGAMES

(ABOVE)JENNIFER ALLAN,SIS, LYNDSAYGARDENER,DIGBY BROWN,MAUREENMORRISON, SIS

JOANNA MARTINAND GUESTS(RIGHT)

TV STAND UPCOMEDIANSIMON EVANS

We now pick up wherethe first post, featured on pages 8 & 9, left off.Chapters from The WholeTruthwill continue tounfold in followingeditions of Spinal LifeScotland.

A few years ago, Stevendecided to tell his story bywriting a blog. Now SpinalLife Scotland is happy toshare that story with you.

Steven is a volunteer with SIS who, 10 years ago, had an accident leaving him with no movementbelow his neck andneeding a ventilator 24hours a day. Despite thesechallenges, Steven is anexample that no disabilityshould mean an end tofun and enjoying life.

2PART

THE WHOLE TRUTHSTEVEN’S STORY

I opened my eyes in a brightly lit hospital. An oxygenmask covered my mouth. I was unable to move myhead, I had a metal halo screwed into my skull. I triedto raise my arm but my body lay lifeless. Nobodyseemed to be speaking English. Nobody seemed tobe aware of me. I could only muster a mumble butwas unheard.

Never in my life have I been more scared, confusedand utterly helpless.

I have no idea how long it had been since my body wasdragged from the water but I started to recall theevents of earlier. My only option was to tryand put the pieces together while waiting.

Eventually, a British woman arrived with a team of doctors and nurses. She began to translate. In hindsight,I realise that the information provided at that point did not register with the impact it should have. It is possible that she tried to gently cushion theblow but it is more likely I filtered out what I didn't want to hear. I do not doubt she would have covered the basics, I had broken my neck and my condition was still very fragile. I would be paralysedfrom the neck down.

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Before she left she told me that I had friends whohad been waiting downstairs and asked if I wantedto see them. 5 minutes later Ryan (my very closestfriend) Ross (The Groom) and Liam (The Best Man)were by my side. The photo (above right) was takenway back in our younger days. Inseparable then andeven stronger now.

I was insistent that they would go and enjoy theweekend, I would be fine. I felt guilty for causing somuch bother on the first day and didn't want themmaking a big deal out of nothing. I appreciate nowwhat a difficult situation they were in. How wouldthey get me to accept what was happening when I was still unwilling to face the situation?

It was not long before the three of them were back.I had been talking some more with the doctors and I was starting to get my head round what hadhappened. When Ryan insisted that he needed tophone my parents I dejectedly agreed.

I would never wish this task on myworst enemy and to this day I amgrateful to him for undertaking thehorrible responsibility. I will always feelguilty for putting Ryan and my familythrough that experience. Writing thisis difficult as it forces me to recallconversations that caused a great deal of pain to people I love.

Ryan called my mother's mobile frommy own phone. My mum waspleasantly surprised to see my nameappear, assuming I was calling to lether know I was having a great time. As soon as she heard Ryan's voice onthe other end she knew somethingwas wrong. He didn't get very farbefore my mum broke down anddropped the phone. The image I haveof her shaking in the hallway willalways torment me. My dad, who is very calm and methodical inemergencies, picked up the phone and took in the rest of the information.

After trying to settle my mum he had to find thewords to break the news to my sister. He made the call and explained to her what had happened.My sister threw up where she was standing. I hateto imagine how horrifying that phone call must have been, one small mistake causing so much painto others. My brother-in-law and my father finishedthe conversation before going on to make moredifficult phone calls to family and friends.

I will never forgive myself for putting them allthrough that. My actions should not have placedsuch a heavy burden on my friends. My actionsshould not have had my parents terrified they would never see me alive again. My actions should not have been the cause of so much painand worrying for so many people. It was not just my life that felt the impact of my actions. It was only with time that I recognised how far-reachingthe ripple effect was.

Continued on page 20

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‘‘I opened my eyes in a brightly lithospital. An oxygen mask coveredmy mouth. I was unable to move my head, I had a metal halo screwedinto my skull. I tried to raise my armbut my body lay lifeless... Steven McGhee

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‘‘I remember plenty oflaughter. I like to think that we helped eachother through thosedays. There was no place for tears or pity.Steven McGhee

That damage cannot be undone andpainful imagery does not fade with time. I am told that my apologies are notnecessary but they are all I can offer. The personal consequences of my actionsare much easier to accept than theconsequences they had on others.

Within one hour flights were booked for mymum, dad and sister. Ryan organised a hotelnear the hospital.

While hearing the voice of my mum wascomforting, I was terrified for her. She wastalking to Ross and Ryan in the corridor and I could hear the distress underneath a thin maskof composure. My dad and my sister were therealso but my mum came in alone first.

Despite us both having spent so long worryingabout what to say she just stood at the side ofmy bed in silence. I smiled and my mum placedher hand on mine. I could not feel it and sheknew that but it wasn't important. My mumsmiled back and no words were needed. I don'tremember who spoke first but after we begantalking my dad and my sister joined us.

I remember plenty of laughter. I like to think that we helped each other through those days.There was no place for tears or pity. All we coulddo was stay positive and take one minute at a time. I am still proud of how the family heldeach other up.

With my mother's medical training she andeveryone else had a good grasp of reality. I wasstill somewhat ignorant, but they do say it can be bliss.

At this stage of the story I am about to go into surgery and face a fight for my life.

The Whole Truth will be continued in thenext edition of Spinal Life Scotland.

THE WHOLE TRUTHSTEVENSSTORY

2PART You can alsofollow Steven'sstory on twitter@choose_living

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HEALTHYMINDWe all know about the benefits of keeping ourbody healthy but we aren’t always as good aboutknowing what to do to keep our mind healthy.

Dealing with bladder and bowel issues can be mentally as well as physically tough. Normal everyday things can sometimes seeminsurmountable. That’s why it is important to take time to relax and to make sure that you are both mentally and physically ok.

MINDFULNESS & RELAXATIONMindfulness seems to be the “in thing”, but what exactlyis mindfulness? The dictionary says that it’s “a mentalstate achieved by focusing one’s awareness on thepresent moment, while calmly acknowledging andaccepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodilysensations”. That’s a bit of a mouthful… its simply justbeing more aware of yourself, what makes you tick,what makes you happy and learning how to relax and not let things get on top of you.

Relaxation techniques are a great way to help with stress management. They can also help you cope witheveryday stress as well as the stress caused by a chroniccondition or pain. Practicing some simple relaxationtechniques can have many benefits including: loweringblood pressure, reducing muscle tension and chronicpain, improving your concentration and mood,improving your sleep quality and lowering levels of fatigue.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUESTake a breakTaking a short break when you feel stressed or just takingtime out from your normal routine can give you space torelax. Read a book or a magazine, watch your favouriteTV programme or have a long soak in the bath.

Picture yourself somewhere sereneThink of somewhere that makes you happy. It might besomewhere you’ve been on holiday or somewhere you’dlike to go. Close your eyes and think about the details,the colours, the smells. Let your mind wander and yourbody will relax.

Take a break from technologyTechnology is great for keeping in touch with people, but sometimes it can become overwhelming.That moment when you pick up your phone to find

100 unread messages in your WhatsApp group! Taking a break from technology, however short, can help you relax.

Focus on your breathingLearning to breathe deeply can help you feel calmer and lower your stress levels.

Listen to musicWho doesn’t enjoy putting their favourite music on and singing along to it? But did you know that it’sthought that music releases a chemical in the brain,called dopamine, which plays a key role in making usfeel better? Dopamine acts in the brain to promote the feelings of pleasure and makes us look forward to enjoying things.

Join a clubThere are clubs out there for everything and anything.Joining a club or a group is a great way to meet peopleand either learn a new skill or practice something that you already enjoy. Have a look in your local freenewspaper, your local library or coffee shop and seewhat’s going on in your area.

Find your inner childAdult colouring books have become really popular overthe last couple of years. There are so many different oneson sale; from the really detailed ones from people likeJohanna Basford and Millie Marotta, to ones that let youcolour in swear words for days when you just need toget your frustrations out!

Meeting friendsCatching up with friends for a coffee, having a day outvisiting a new place or returning to a favourite place isalways a great way to blow the cobwebs away and relax.

GardeningIf you’ve got any outside space then gardening can be a really relaxing way to pass the time. Plus you get toenjoy the flowers or the vegetables that you’ve grown,so a double win! Your local garden centre will be morethan happy to advise you on the best plants to grow,either in the ground or in pots.

For more information on how Bullen Healthcarecan help you with your bladder and bowelproducts and prescription medication needsplease call 0800 756 2423 or email us atsis@bullens.com.

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SCOTTISH WELFARE FUND As we all know, things don’t always go to plan in lifeand sometimes you can find yourself facing a crisis. The Scottish Welfare Fund can provide financial help in these situations.

WHAT IS THE SCOTTISH WELFARE FUND?The Scottish Welfare Fund is a scheme run by localcouncils. The scheme provides grants that do not haveto be repaid. The fund is discretionary, which meansthat even if you are eligible, you will only get a grant if the local council decides that your need is importantand there is enough money left in the budget to payyou a grant. You do usually have to be receiving certainbenefits to qualify for help but it is worth applying tocheck if you qualify.

There are two types of grants in the ScottishWelfare Fund:

CRISIS GRANTSCrisis grants provide help for people who need moneyquickly because of an emergency or disaster.

An emergency might be if you lose your money or it is stolen. A crisis grant could be used for things likeputting money into your electricity and gas meters or to buy food.

A disaster is something like a fire or a flood.A crisis grant could be used to buy new furnitureor household equipment.

You cannot get a crisis grant if you have savingsor family who can help you out financially.

COMMUNITY CARE GRANTSCommunity care grants are intended to help withexpenses so that people can live in the community and families can stay together.

A Community Care Grant aims to help people who may have to go into care unless they get some supportto stay at home or if they are leaving care and needhelp to set-up their own home. For example, this canbe help with furnishing a house or by providing helpwith one-off items, like a cooker or a washing machine.

You cannot get a community care grant if you or your partner have savings of more than £700if you are below pensionable age or more than£1,200 if you are above pensionable age.

Applications for Scottish Welfare Fund grants can be made by contacting your local council.

Jacqueline Lange Welfare Rights AdviserDigby Brown Solicitors.

SPOTLIGHT ONWELFARE RIGHTS

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SPOTLIGHT

Clober FarmAccessible self-catering accommodation

Fully accessible living accommodation and accessible garden with patio area and raised beds, designed with thewheelchair user in mind. Close to LochLomond and the Trossachs. Open all year.

Please get in touch with Spinal Injuries Scotland on 0141 427 7686Twitter@cloberfarmSIS. Email: info@sisonline.orgwww.sisonline.org

• Level access throughout

• Sleeps 6

• Master bedroom with Liko 200ceiling tracking hoist, heightadjustable profiling bed andInvacare pressure relief airmattress, plus single bed

• Ensuite wetroom with showerchairs provided and right-hand transfer accessible toilet

• One double room and one twin room

• Family bathroom with over bath shower, heightadjustable sink and accessibleleft-hand transfer toilet

• Combined kitchen/living areawith patio doors leading ontoa patio area and landscaped wheelchair accessible garden

• Wi-Fi internet access

• Private accessible parking, 2 spaces

• Fully accessible kitchen with low level fridge, freezer, microwave & oven.Adjustable height worktopwith induction hob and sink

• Utility room with washingmachine, dishwasher andclothes airer

• Assistance dogs welcome

• Pets welcome

• Non smoking

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OUT ABOUT&For some people,

keeping busy andsocially active is a way of life. For others,the practicalities ofgetting out make that more difficult.

At Spinal Life Scotland,our members sharetheir experiences ofbeing out and aboutacross the country togive you the lowdownbefore trying yourself.

Like many others, for me going to the cinema is a favourite activity and I enjoy escaping for acouple of hours to see the latest thriller, comedyor all-action blockbuster. I’m there every weekand want to share the experience with you.

VENUEI am fortunate to live near Cineworld in Silverburnshopping centre, just outside of Glasgow. It’s fairlynew so you would expect it to have all the facilitiesand services a wheelchair user needs. Mostly it doesn’tdisappoint. The shopping centre is just off the M77,about a 10min drive from the city centre.

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FACILITIESThis is where the Cineworld at Silverburn comesinto its own. When it was designed, they created'Access Boxes' at the back of 8 out of its 14screens. These boxes have space for one wheelchairalongside two standard seats and offer a fantasticview with total privacy.

It gives the sense of being in a box at the Theatrewith no extra charge. For some reason, theseAccess Boxes are not advertised or promoted somake sure and look for them if you are bookingonline or ask if you are getting your tickets at thekiosk. They are becoming more and more popularso I would always advise booking online to avoidmissing out. All 14 screens have wheelchair spacesat the front. Unfortunately, a few of these are soclose to the screen it can be painful leaning backfor a film (especially with a broken neck!).

OVERALLAnyone who might be anxious about going to thecinema need not worry if they are within travellingdistance of Silverburn. A modern design, large open spaces, great value for money, friendly staffand those unique Access Boxes all help make for a relaxing experience.

If you are looking for any additionaladvice about getting out and about then please get in touch with SIS bytelephone or e-mail. If you are planningto visit, or have recently visitedsomewhere of interest and would bewilling to share your experience withother readers then please get in touch.

ACCESSArriving by car, parking is rarely a problem. The Cineworld complex is one floor above theshopping centre. For wheelchair users, it is onlyaccessible using one small elevator. This is one of my few criticisms. I do have a large wheelchair andI find the lift a tight squeeze. There is just enoughroom for myself plus one other.

SERVICEIt is easiest to book tickets online and avoid any queues or disappointment if the film is sold out. Tickets can bebought at the kiosk along with food and drink, includingalcohol if this takes your fancy! Customer service is usuallyexcellent. The staff always talk to me, not my carers (a touchy subject for many of us!) and seem well trainedwith regards to how the CEA card system works (more on that below). Although it is not needed, they regularlyask if any assistance is required.

VALUEAn outing to the cinema can be expensive. Tickets, drink, and food all add up.Ticket prices are standard formost cinemas across the country, ranging from £9.10 to £13.10 for an adult. I have a Cineworld Unlimited cardand this saves me considerably. For under £19 per monthI can see as many films as I like. I go at least once a week.Realistically, you only need to go twice in one month tomake a profit. If you require a companion/carer there is nocharge for their entry if you have a CEA card. Just Googleto find out more and apply for one. It’s easy and you canuse it in all different cinema chains across the country.

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GLASGOW TOEDINBURGHKAYAK RACE

Last year a friend and I did this race as a relaywith another two man kayak and althoughhard work. It was also good fun. So we madethe decision to increase our training andcomplete the event ourselves.

This meant increasing our training to three times a week and doing some longer paddles. Given that we were going to be in the kayak for a lengthyperiod of time both days, there were also pressureareas to think about. So I invested in a gel cushionand a pair of waterproof socks. Once I was in theKayak I took my shoes off and put my feet on thememory foam cushion.

This event is held overtwo days. The first day is 24 miles fromGlasgow along thecanal to the FalkirkWheel. Day two startsat the Falkirk wheel and is 31 miles toEdinburgh.

The kayak in which we completed the racewas a Perception Carolina,which is a sturdyplastic flat bottomed kayak which is quite heavybut very stable. The stability is obviously veryimportant for me, but the weight and shape of the boat means it is quite slow so we knewit was going to be a long haul.

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On day two we had arranged with the organizingcommittee that we would start ahead of the otherboats,which were mostly racing kayaks and much faster,so we would finish at a similar time. We launched thekayak at 0630 hrs in the dark with our head torches andglow sticks on our back. Needless to say it was a goodcouple of hours before we saw anyone around apartfrom one of our support team who ran along the canalpathway giving us some encouragement. Day two wasnot only longer but was also more difficult, as the canal is much shallower and had lots of weeds along the waywhich your paddle could get caught in. The weather wascold and sunny, although unfortunately no tail wind!!!It took us 10 hrs to complete day two and I can certainlysay that this was one of the hardest events that I haveever completed. The last few hours were certainly themost difficult and I had very little energy left by the endbut a great sense of achievement.

Luckily one of the support team was doing the driving, as I slept most of the way back to Glasgow. My armswere sore and I was feeling a bit tired for the next coupledays but otherwise no lasting damage. A great event to do, but it does require a lot of training,preparation and a good support team.

Linda, Scottish Window Solutions.

We had a very good support teamwith us who helped get me into the kayak and then get thekayak into the water. My friend who paddled withme is able bodied so she got into the kayak after itwas in the water. The support team then met us atvarious pre-arranged spots along the canal to giveus some food, water and encouragement.

On day one we started along the canal at0900hrs. The weather was very good - cool with a bit of a tail wind - so could not have been better.We stopped for a couple of minutes every hour, tohave a stretch, relieve the pressure on our bottomsand have a drink. We completed day one in six anda half hours, which was a bit faster than we hadthought. Apart from a few sore muscles and feelinga bit tired, we were really pleased with our time. We had booked into the Premier Inn in Falkirk forthe night, so we had dinner then an early night.

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I called in to thank the staff at Finsbay for their generous donation to the silentauction. The popular prize of a meal for two with a bottle of wine raised £70towards the fantastic total of £71,000 at the hugely successful Winter Dinner Dance.

I was keen to learn more about the new offer that Finsbay have advertised on their social media.Rachel Wesley, supervisor, revealed to me thatthey were eager to support a local cause. AsClober Farm is located less than a mile away,owner Billy Milligan seized upon the opportunityto link up with Spinal Injuries Scotland on anunexpected promotion. Finsbay are now sellingempty bottles of Harris Gin and donating £5.00to SIS for each bottle sold.

Billy Milligan has family connections to theIsle of Harris, hence, why he chose the nameFinsbay for the chain of restaurant bars.

Finsbay in Milngavie hasbeen open 13 months.In that time, they have already won theaccolade of Best NewBar at the Scottish Bar & Pub Awards 2017.

FINSBAY,MILNGAVIE

Co-owner Alastair Kellock is the formerScotland rugby captain. He has strong links toGlasgow Warriors who regularly frequent the barafter training. Through his professional career,Alastair has gained knowledge of sporting injuriesand together they decided to support our charity.

Finsbay encourage an inclusive community spirit by keeping a wide aisle through to the open area infront of the projector screen. They are able to openup the tables to provide flexible seating for customersusing motorised wheelchairs or high chairs. Theirregular customers often commented on the HarrisGin bottles which they use for table water. Staff are hearing of some innovative recycling projectsincluding vases and lamps that twin the Harris Ginbottles with Harris Tweed lampshades!

Spinal Injuries Scotland would like to thank all at Finsbay for their continued generosityand wish this local business every success.

INTERVIEW WITH RACHEL WESLEY,SUPERVISOR AT FINSBAY

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Thanks to all of you whohave been hard at workfundraising for ourcharity. We are alwaysso delighted to hearyour stories, so pleasekeep up the good work.Your efforts are hugelyappreciated.

THANKYOU

HALLOWEENThe Lynda Turner School of Danceheld a Halloween Fundraiser,raising £170.67 for SIS.

HALF MARATHONA big thank you to Dawn Campbell,who, despite the rain, successfullycompleted a Half Marathon inOctober with a time of 1 hour 50 minutes, raising £600.

NABILA SATTARRaised £131.50 by walking20 miles from her home at 6am in the morning, toour SIS Glasgow office.

DR BARBARA TODDdonated £10.00 when she became a member.

GEORGE FRAS

ER

Sent a £30.00 donation. JONATHAN LECKIEDonated £140.00 - raisedby a sponsored cycle.

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The 15th Digby BrownWinter Dinner Dancefor Spinal InjuriesScotland was a hugesuccess, raising over£71,000 for SIS. We’dlike to thank all thosewho attended anddonated.

THANKYOU TABLES

Alba PsychologyAlex FindleyAlex Quinn and Partners LtdAmpersandAnne Cossar and Associates LtdArnot MandersonBauer RadioBrian FitzpatrickBrewin DolphinBullen HealthcareCapital FMCase Management Services LtdCochran DickieCommunity Integrated CareCompass ChambersFraser Oliver - Digby BrownFraser Simpson - Digby BrownGordon Dalyell - Digby BrownGraeme Garrett - Digby BrownJoanna MartinLaroque Software LtdLiam DorrisLisa HendersonMaureen MorrisonPeter Davies Employment ConsultantsResolve Medicolegal LtdRobert Kernaghan - Digby BrownScott MoncrieffStephen McGheeStrange, Strange and GardnerSTVSue Grant - Digby BrownThe DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow CentralThe Lane AgencyTilney

DONATIONSA G BarrAmpersand ChambersARAG plcArnold ClarkBauer RadioBeaufort Castle EstateBedlam PaintballBilson ElevenBlythswood HotelBullen HealthcareCapital FMCastle SempleClyde Muirshiel Reginal ParkCeltic Football ClubChisholm HunterCochran DickieCraig Semple - Digby BrownCrieff HydroDaisy GroupDoubleTree By Hilton Glasgow CentralDXEdringtonFinsbay RestaurantGamba Seafood RestaurantGlasgow Science CentreGlengoyne DistilleryGlobal RadioGreywalls HotelH1 Complex CareHamilton Football ClubHardeep Singh KohliHeart of Midlothian Football ClubHibernian Football ClubIke CurranJ AllanJamie's Italian KitchenKebabish GrillKilmarnock Football ClubLangstanesManchester United Football ClubMar HallPeter Vardy MotherwellPollock & GalbraithRangers Football ClubRennie MacIntosh HotelRevival RetreatS & S ArgentoSally at AvalonScott's ModelsSeamill Hydro HotelTania Brown LtdTennentsTunnocksWest Brewery

FROM SIA’S FORWARD MAGAZINE

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

FRANCECOLLIOURE, SOUTH OF FRANCEGround-floor, two bedroom apartment, sleeps four/six. Level access throughout. Designed specifically for people withspinal cord injury. Ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning, fullheating. Height-adjustable beds, pressure-relieving mattresses.Separate upstairs apartment available for family or friends. www.origincare.co.uk click on L’Origine or call Nathalie on 00 33 632 56 61 75

BRITTANY, FRANCESpacious wheelchair accessible holiday accommodation close to the North Brittany coast. Sleeps up to 8 people with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Accessible ground floor doublebedroom with large ensuite wheel-in shower room. Profilingbed, hoist and shower chair can be provided on demand.Another bathroom, and two further bedrooms upstairs. Situated in tranquil countryside, 20 mins drive to beautifulbeaches. Within easy reach of ferry ports. Pets welcome. For details contact Clara and Martin Cronin on +33 296 47 17 86. Email: info@gites-en-tregor.com www.gites-en-tregor.com

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

SPAINALCOSSEBRE, SPAINSuperior, front line two bedroom apartment with ensuite levelaccess shower. Modern low rise complex, beautifully keptgardens, swimming pools. Large terrace overlooking beach.Wheelchair accessible throughout. Level access to bars andrestaurants. Secure parking. Email: tedbid@aol.com. Tel: 01228 561 219

COSTA BLANCA, JAVEA, SPAINSpacious, fully-equipped, luxury, five-bedroom villa, sleeps 10.Three bathrooms (two ensuite, one with roll-in shower). Flat plot, fully accessible gardens. 12m x 6m pool with hoist. Sky TV. 2.5km to beach. Vehicle required. Contact John Kenny 07721 336 747. Email: enquiries@casadefloresspain.co.ukwww.casadefloresspain.co.uk

COSTA BLANCA, TORREVIEJA, SPAINEstablished, detached family villa with lovely gardens in sunny Torrevieja on the Spanish Costa Blanca. Huge wheel-inswimming pool. Custom built for C5 owner. Close to beach and all amenities. Airport 20-mins. Converted vehicle alsoavailable to hire. For details Tel: 01262 676 015www.disabledvilla.com

COSTA BLANCA, JAVEA, SPAINLovely wheelchair friendly villa set in large colourful gardens on level, gated plot. Well equipped, three beds, two baths,master bed with large ensuite bathroom and wheel-in shower (chair provided). Cable TV with Sky and English channels, DVD player plus DVD library, free broadband internet access.Wheelchair-friendly gardens, 10m x 5m pool with easy-to-usewater-powered pool lift and full-size outdoor tennis table. T1 paraplegic owner. Contact Norman or Sue. Tel: 01900 67280. Mobile: 07818 406 861Email: info@accessvillaspain.com.www.accessvillaspain.com

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

PORTUGALALGARVE, PORTUGALLuz do Sol 4 bedroom villa with pool enjoys panoramic sea views, peaceful location Sleeps 7 spacious and light.Complimentary accessible car, pool lift, hoist, shower trolley,shower/commode chair, massage table, airport transfers.Fantastic family holiday villa. www.algarve-vacations.comEmail: info@algarve-vacations.com or call 00 351 919 032 377

ALGARVE, PORTUGALYour home from home in the sun including accessible transportand airport transfers. Owned by C4 tetraplegic, 20-minutesfrom Faro airport with stunning views and privacy. Three twinbedrooms, two with wheel-in showers. Pool with hoist heatedto 25°C. Inclusive accessible vans & airport transfers, electric upand down bed, electric indoor hoist, shower/commode chairsetc. Not to be missed. See full details on our comprehensivewebsite. Tel: 00351 289 414 687Email: sia@ouricodomar.com. www.ouricodomar.com

ALGARVE, PORTUGALSpacious private villa with pool and hoist. Three bed, two bath with wheel-in shower. Shower chair provided. Well-equipped kitchen. Two barbecues. All doors one-metre wide.Level access throughout villa and pool area. Paraplegic owner.Debbie Wells. Tel: 01277 354 313

ALAMANCIL, ALGARVE, PORTUGALOutstanding, fully-accessible luxury private villa set in beautifulcountryside. Three bedrooms, all ensuite with wheel-inshowers. Private pool with hoist. Comfortable lounge/diningrooms and well-equipped kitchen. All you could wish for in a holiday home and so much more! To contact us call 01530 833 690 or www.villas-algarve.co.uk

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

CYPRUSVILLA CARPE DIEM, MARONI, CYPRUSConsistently rated five stars, spacious, accessible private villa,own pool and hoist. Sensory gardens, shaded verandah,spectacular sea and countryside views. Designed with SCIperson. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Accessible suite – wheel-inshower including shower chair, level access, Therapostureprofiling or Baltic turning electric beds, Likoroll ceiling hoist.Raise recline chair. Assistance available through local Englishagencies. Access statement www.villacarpediem.co.uk Childfriendly. Wheelchair accessible vehicle, airport collectionservice. Local services and beach. Call Andy 00357 99968418or Niki 07866 441204. Email: office@villacarpediem.co.uk

POLIS, CYPRUS

Three-bed accessible villa Private pool with electric pool hoist,wide steps and handrails. Ramp access throughout the villa and grounds. Walking/pushing distance from shops, villageand beach (with sea trac chair available in the summer season- see website). Wheel-in wet room with wall mounted showerseat and self-propelling shower chair available. Accessible hoband sink in kitchen. Child friendly. Owned and designed by anSCI person. Email: timilyvilla@outlook.com.www.timilyvilla.co.uk

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HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

AMERICAORANGE TREE, ORLANDO, FLORIDA, USA Five bed/four bath, purpose-built wheelchair accessible villa overlooking lake and conservation area. Level accessthroughout. Wheel-in shower and shower chair. Non-chlorinex-large pool with spa, both accessible by hoist. Free Wi-Fi,sleeps 12, short drive to attractions and amenities. Paraplegic owner. www.ayersfloridavillas.comEmail: lucy@ayersfloridavillas.com

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

SCOTLANDCLOBER FARM, MILNGAVIE, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND Spinal Injuries Scotland were bequeathed this GradeC-listed property and have converted it to fully accessibleaccommodation, with extensive gardens, situated around 30 minutes from Glasgow city centre. The accommodationsleeps five/six and comprises adaptable kitchen, two doublebedrooms, one with ensuite wet room, a single bedroom, plus a modern accessible bathroom. For further information, see the SIS www.sisonline.org. Email: clober.farm@sisonline.org Tel: 0141 427 7686 / 0800 0132 305

CRATHIE OPPORTUNITY HOLIDAYS, DEESIDE, SCOTLANDThese four fabulous cottages are 40 miles west of Aberdeenand are located in the old Manse Courtyard of Crathie Kirk.They are situated within the Cairngorm National Park onthe banks of the River Dee and offer stunning views.

While accessible to all, the cottages offer facilities so thatdisabled people can also enjoy relaxing holidays in wonderfulsurroundings. The range of additional equipment is extensiveand provided at no charge. The cottages have a security gateand are surrounded by a fenced play making them also idealfor families with children. www.crathieholidays.org.uk. Tel: 013397 42100 or Email: info@crathieholidays.org.uk

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

ENGLANDCENTRAL CORNWALL, ENGLAND Two barns, sleep 2/4 and 4/6, converted for wheelchair users,each with 2 wet rooms. Quiet level site on small working farm, 480 metre easy walk/wheel to village shops, pub, etc. Open all year. Owners live on site.www.roperswalkbarns.co.ukEmail: peterandliz@roperswalkbarns.co.ukTel: 01209 891632

ABNEY, DERBYSHIRE, ENGLANDRoom for all Seasons, fully adapted, luxury, self-cateringproperty in the heart of the Peak District National Park.Wheelchair accessible, hoist available. Sleeps three.www.laneendfarmtrust.co.ukTel Viv for leaflet or more information 01433 650 043

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

ENGLANDTODSWORTHY FARM HOLIDAYS, CORNWALL, ENGLAND Luxury and spacious barn conversions on a family runworking farm. Located in an area of outstanding naturalbeauty in the picturesque Tamar Valley. Owned by a C6/7tetra both self-catering cottages are superbly adapted forwheelchair users and their families. Both cottages sleep 6 and have a level access bedroom with a spacious ensuitewetroom. Shower chair, hoist and profiling bed can beprovided. Both cottages are pet and family friendly. Perfectlocation for touring Devon and Cornwall. Open all year. Tel: 01822 834 744 www.todsworthyfarmholidays.co.uk

TREWORGANS FARM HOLIDAYS, MID CORNWALL, ENGLANDSpecially converted cottages (sleep 4 & 6) that are fullywheelchair accessible. FREE use of 4-section electric profiling beds, air mattresses, electric hoists, shower chairsand rise/recline chairs as well as numerous other mobilityaids. All bedrooms have en-suite facilities – each property has one level-access wet room. Adapted kitchens. Accessible decked patio areas. Detached. Ample parkingareas. Care available from local agency. Exposed beams,wood burner. Ideal location for exploring the whole county. Tel: 01726 883240 or 07762 173860www.treworgansfarm.co.uk

POOLE, DORSET, ENGLAND Hill Lodge. Owned by C5/6 Tetra. Holiday let in beautifulrural location just 10mins from Poole Harbour. Three doubleensuite bedrooms. Sleeps up to 6 people. The accessibleroom is on the ground floor with ensuite wet room. Shower chair provided. Electric height-adjusted and profiling bed. Accessible kitchen with wheel-under hob and sink. Free WI-FI. Level access and exclusive use ofgardens. Further equipment provided on request. View at www.endeavour-uk.co.ukContact Becky becky@endeavour-uk.co.ukTel: 01202 630 075

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

WALESGLAN Y GORS COTTAGE, WALES Snowdonia. Fully accessible, self-catering cottage in beautifulrural location, with open views of Snowdon and surroundingmountains. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large kitchen/diner,lounge with log fire. Ground floor bedroom and showerroom. Hospital bed and mobile hoist available. Sleeps 10 (12 with sofa bed), reduced rates for smaller groups. See website for details:www.wilsons-holidays.co.ukEmail: info@wilsons-holidays.co.ukTel: 01286 870 261

FROM SIA’S FORWARD MAGAZINE

HOLIDAY CLASSIFIEDS

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