WoMentoring Programme

I believe inspiration comes from looking at everything in a positive way. You only have to open your eyes to be inspired. You also need to make peace with yourself and my secret is to value my imperfections as well as my perfections. Once you do this life becomes worth living..

I haven't trained much due to external commitments but I have made a promise to myself to create the time to get back to the gym and back on the road. I haven't lost my love for wheelchair racing but I have been guilty of putting it into the background as I concentrate on other things. I have been very encouraged by comments from fellow racers saying they miss my presence at competitions so watch this space!

Last week I had the great privilege of spending time in beautiful  Vienna, Austria with a lot of truly inspirational and amazing women. I have been asked to be one of the mentors by the European Paralympic Committee, in conjunction with the International Paralympic Committee and the Agitos Foundation. The 'Womentoring Programme' is a pilot initiative that aims to have women mentoring women in sport, hopefully helping them to improve and achieve in various ways. We stayed in the Marriott Hotel in Vienna and I was amazed at the luxurious room I was given. It was lovely, but it didn't stop me missing my son.

As a Mentor I will be on hand to offer my support and encouragement to my Mentee in the hope she can make progress in her chosen field. I also hope to challenge her to move beyond her comfort zone. I am very excited by this opportunity because it empowers women and helps them to improve their leadership skills. I firmly believe we need more women in leadership roles in all areas of society and I'm really looking forward to learning more about how to be a good leader. I firmly believe in never giving up. You must use failure as a spur to greater things, and as the old saying goes;'If at first you don't succeed, try try again'. When you make the effort you can achieve your goals. A successful woman is one who wakes up each day and determines to make progress no matter what rejections and negativity they may experience. Tomorrow is another day!

It was a genuine pleasure for me to meet so many great women, Maria Rauch - Kallat who has been a minister in the Austrian government and so full of wisdom of empowerment, Amanda Bennett, Tine Rindum - Teilman, and great athletes such as Sylvana Mastre and Gaizem Girismen, to name just a few. We all learned and shared our knowledge and experience of issues such as gender equality, women in sport, thinking tactically to enable change and the presentation of good practice. I came away full of new knowledge and a determination to put it into practice in my new role.

Rising to the Challenge!

It ain't what they call me, it's what I choose to answer to!

It's already September, My son is back at school,  and the summer is going out with a whimper. Where has the time gone? I haven't had much of a racing season because of injury but now I'm back, feeling mentally strong. I have a lot of work to do to get back into shape and I feel very unfit at this moment in time. Watch this space though because I am determined to bounce back in style next season, stronger, fitter, and raring to chase fresh challenges.

Life is a roller coaster, and some people choose to ride it and some would choose not to. All I can tell you is whatever the ride you can close your eyes to things you don't want to see, but you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel. Let's say I wouldn't be doing some 'challenges' if I didn't understand what people with disabilities in Africa have to endure on a daily basis! I have been there, I have lived it and experienced the stigma and prejudices one has to face when you are a minority, when you are 'different', and when the society you live in labels you disabled and therefore useless. These people know they are being treated unfairly but they just have to carry on living and in most cases being denied the most basic human rights. As a woman who is differently able, I know it's not what these people have been through in their lives that defines who they are, it is purely how they get through it that will make them the people they are today and tomorrow. And yes, beautiful, strong and compassionate people do not just happen - they have to suffer first.

AbleChildAfrica is a relatively small charity yet it  does  so much in changing lives. Their sole purpose is to provide help, support, and encouragement to the differently abled young people of Africa and their families, and to promote the realisation of equal rights for them all. 

I discovered that when you know your value you stop selling yourself short, you stand tall and are never ashamed of who you are... and when those around you want to focus on disabilities, you remove the 'dis' and use all your abilities to rise above limitations and break boundaries... Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to attempt to complete the 'Tough Mudder' challenge 

www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-08-28/fresh-challenge-for-paralympian/

  an extreme assault course that includes ice, fire and underground tunnels, to name but a few. Not to 'boast', but  I will be tackling the challenge in my wheelchair, and I fully intend to finish it, no matter how long it takes.. Yes! I know it's tough but not as tough compared to the challenges differently able people in Africa have to face everyday of their lives. PLEASE support me in this challenge to raise much needed funds for AbleChildAfrica and help support giving a new lease of life to people who deserve it. Just click on the link below.

www.ablechildafrica.org/what-you-can-do/tough-mudder/

or text 'MUDD13' followed by the amount you wish to donate (£1,2,3,,5,10) to 70070

To end on a different note. Last summer I donated a racing wheelchair to the DR Congo so  Dedeline could compete in the Paralympics. That very same chair is now helping a young man to hopefully compete in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year. That is how a small donation can help to change lives. I will be watching next year and cheering him on.

The Butterfly Experience.

Well, I'm finally back in training after a long rest and I was a bit shocked when I had to really wriggle my bum to fit into my Racing Chair! The other guys at Mark Hall Sport Centre thought it was hilarious! The first session was so hard and I really ached afterwards but I soon got back into my routine and it feels really good to be back. The only negative thing is the awful rain we are having just now but I guess that's just one of the drawbacks of winter training. I don't even want to think about the snow and ice that will inevitably follow.

On Saturday I was off on my travels again, heading for Southport as a guest speaker at the 41st Annual District 1220 Conference of the Rotarians.The theme of the conference was 'Inspire a Generation' so appropriate especially after the buzz of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Many thanks to John and Susan Shipman for making all my travel arrangements and for being fantastic hosts for the duration of my stay. They met me at the station and we drove to the Ramada Hotel where I stayed on Saturday night. I had a beautiful view from the window of my room and it's only a shame I didn't find the time to roll along the riverbank.

After a quick shower I got dressed ready for the evening. Sue told me I would be picked from my room by 'James Bond' but when I opened my door there was only Sue standing there. I asked where 'Mr Bond' was and she told me he was holding the lift door open for me. We really laughed when I saw him in his Bond attire, gallantly waiting for us. We had a lovely time at the Reception and then had photographs taken before heading into dinner. Everyone was having a lovely time, drinking wine with their meal but I stuck firmly to my favourite, water! Afterwards everyone headed off to dance to a live band but I was so tired after my journey I declined and headed for an early night to prepare myself for my talk next day. I learnt that most of them had danced until the early hours but I don't know where they got the energy from! I only dance in my dreams.

On Sunday morning, after breakfast, I headed to the Southport Theatre to prepare myself for the talk ahead. I really enjoyed listening to some of the other speakers, especially Sandra Fong from Fiji, and the RIBI president,John Minhinick who spoke on the efforts of the Rotarians to eradicate polio. As I waited I worried about my power point presentation and what would I do if it failed to work. I decided I would just speak from my heart. Then it was my turn.

I have spoken in so many different places but for some reason this audience felt special.. I was nervous as I went on stage and started  showing my video. After that I started my  power point and the first slide has a quote,'Isn't life a beautiful mystery? Every second of it'. It also has a picture of a beautiful blue butterfly. I started my talk and a butterfly flew on stage. I didn't notice it at first but as I continued my talk it landed on the podium just as I was talking about my late mother. I told the audience,'Wow! I'm loving the butterfly. Where did it come from?' The audience also sighed with amazement.  It remained on stage with me until I had finished my talk. Afterwards, a few people asked me how I had managed to control the butterfly on stage, and Sue Shipman and a few other people mentioned how strange it was that the butterfly seemed to enter at the mention of my late mother. Well, as a born again Christian I am not superstitious, but it really was one of the weirdest things that has ever happened to me in front of a live audience. Anyway, it was a beautiful experience and I really felt honoured to have been invited.

A Fantastic Fortnight.

Hello friends, I have been so busy over the past few weeks that I haven't managed to find time to do this blog. However, here I am now with quite a bit to catch up on so here I go.

On the evening of the Olympic Opening Ceremony I was the guest of 'Right to Play' at an event hosted by Polycom in London. I did manage to get home to Harlow to see most of it and I enjoyed the history that was portrayed. It was a fantastic spectacle and my favourite moment was 'Mr Bean' (Rowan Atkinson). That really made me laugh. I also enjoyed the Queen and James Bond, though I've had to try very hard to convince my African friends that Her Majesty didn't really parachute into the stadium! It was a great start to a fantastic fortnight.

I wasn't that enthralled by the opening week of bikes, boats, and horses but it was nice to see Team GB do so well. It was the athletics that really gripped me and there were so many memorable moments; Usain Bolt winning 3 Gold medals and making me smile with his antics, Mo Farah, of course for his truly incredible double in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres, Jessica Ennis, and a favourite of mine, Christine Ohuruogu. It was all really exciting. Mind you, I was disappointed with my motherland, Kenya, who did not do as well as I had been hoping. The World Record and Gold medal for David Rudisha was very special.

In between watching the Olympics on telly I've been working with a woman from the Congo, Dedeline, who lost her limbs in a landmine accident when she was 18. She is now 30 and will be representing her country in the 1500 metres in the upcoming Paralympic Games. I can really identify with her journey and have given her a racing chair and some equipment so she can do herself justice. I've been helping her with pushing techniques and training with her.

On a much sadder note the murder of schoolgirl Tia Sharp. It has been horrifying to see the case unfold. Unbelievable that whilst her family were frantically searching for her, her body lay hidden in her grandmothers loft. How the grandmothers boyfriend could calmly join in the search, and appeal for her to return home whilst all the time he knew he had murdered her! It reminded me of Ian Huntley. Very, very sad.

On Saturday afternoon  I took my son, Tim, to see the legend that is Tommie Smith at the premier of the film; 'Return to Mexico City'. It was a lovely film but also very inspirational as we saw Tommie and John Carlos return to the scene of their 'black power' salute 40 years on. Tommie spoke afterwards and Tim was enthralled at his story. Tommie signed his book,'Silent Gesture' to Tim with the words;'Education is a Must!' I'm sure Tim will never forget meeting him, and neither will I. A REAL legend.

The closing ceremony wasn't as brilliant as the opening but it did the trick. My favourite was George Michael singing,'Freedom, but I also enjoyed the Spice Girls, Queen, John Lennon and Take That. I thought it was very brave of Gary Barlow after his recent tragic loss. Let's hope the athletes will inspire the next generation of sports people in the same way British music inspires.

Olympic Day for the Differently Able.

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away when I attended a fantastic event at the Columbus School and College in Chelmsford. They have 240 pupils and students with severe learning difficulties (SLD), and profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), and a high ratio of pupils and students with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). They are all aged between 3 - 19 years and are spread over two campuses in Chelmsford - an Academies Enterprise Trust School. The Head Teacher is Malcolm Reeve. The school motto is; 'Take responsibility, show respect, consider others and believe in yourself. The pupils and learners were awarded certificates based on Olympic and Paralympic values, respect, courage, determination, friendship, inspiration, excellence and equality.The whole campus had a beautiful feel about it, not just the modern building and excellent facilities, but it was the whole ethos and culture that made me feel as if I was part of a big family. I thought about my visit to the  Haiti Hospital Appeal and spending the day with the children at Maison de Benediction.


As a woman who is differently able, I have come to realise that disability does not come with a manual - but life goes on and people with additional needs have different abilities. We should never judge people from their outward appearance, we need to interact with them to see how amazing and talented they are.


We spent the morning at the Columbus School and walked the Olympic Torch to the Columbus College. The day was a real inspiration to me and I came to realise that we all had one thing in common - to make our best better!!!