1 Week in a Wheel Chair DAY 1

As many of you know my cousin Lewis was involved in a car accident 2 years ago. For the past 12 months he has been playing for Vikings Wheel Chair Basket Ball team.   About two weeks ago i  stupidly  had an idea to spend one week in a wheelchair for Vikings to raise some money so they can buy the essentials.

 So i set about sourcing a wheelchair and got in contact with a friend of mine (both professionally and personally ) Stuart Dunne one of the directors of Cyclone Mobility (previously wrote about in the FES blog). Stuart agreed to let me have a chair so that was that sorted. I now had to find myself some activities so straight away i got hold of another good friend of mine Joel Tobias who owns G-EWAW he Bell 206 Jet Ranger at Barton EGCB. I told him what i was doing and after him asking if he could push me out of the chair he agreed to let me use the Jetbox as a test to see if i could transfer from the chair to chopper easily.  I then got on to another good friend from Barton Audrey Collier who is the Manager (I think) of a posh gym in the heart of Cheshire after a long conversation about what i was doing and her saying "why don't you just have a shave or cut your hair"  she agreed that she would chat with the owner for me! So the week was getting busy now with activities. I had already a few sessions at Challenge 4 Change plus teaching in two schools and some water-sports!  


Monday14th November
It was an early start i stayed at Ryan's house (school friend)  who had agreed to drive up to Cyclone in Hull to pick up the Wheel Chair. WE left Ryan's at 6 o'clock to beat the traffic and the journey thankfully was uneventful we managed to get their for quarter to 9. I squeezed the chair in the back of my Ford KA and then Squeezed Ryan in as-well and made our way back home. As we was coming down the M62 i decided that we would stop at the services and try out the chair. WE arrived at Harts-head service and i got the chair out set up and jumped in, as i pushed towards the door i had to go up a kerb now me being intelligent think as a brick i decided to just simply push towards it and didn't seem to go up the f****in thing.  Now picture the scene me in a chair trying to get up the kerb and Ryan stood laughing at me lots of people staring!  After i managed to get up we went inside and pottered about and left! We made back on to the motorway and back to Salford to drop Ryan off.
I made way to C4C to show of my chair to all the trainers i had not been in the building no longer than twenty minutes till Chris Whiteley (project Director) kicked me out of the chair to teach me a lesson of how to get back in it again!  Cheers Boss! 
    After my lesson in chair efficiency i made my way to Barton where i was meeting Nic one of the coaches at Vikings. We had a few drinks their and a chat about how to get up kerbs! Nic got the chance to meet Joel  and Mark (G-GOES owner). I then told Nic Joel owned the Aston in the car park to which she replied you've got let him take me for a spin in that! So me being Jim'll fix it i managed to get Nic a little look in as Joel was fettling with his helicopter!  We then went for a spot of lunch over at Wetherspoons at the Trafford Centre and then to Wheel Chair Basketball training! now intimidatingly i was a tad rubbish when i started but i have much joy in telling you i am a valued member of the team and will now be playing for Vikings 2009 Wheel Chair Basket ball team!

Many thanks to all that have helped and donated!  See you next time!