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.

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!!!

Olympic Stadium via Stoke Mandeville.

It has been a very tiring but very rewarding week for me. Last Sunday I  competed in the BWRA Championships at Stoke Mandeville. I was up at the crack of dawn for the long drive through the pouring rain, which didn't bode well for good times. However, when we actually got out onto the track the rain had stopped and  I felt really strong. I managed to get a personal best time of 31.1 secs in the 200m. I am really pleased with that because it shows that all the sweat and hard work have not been for nothing. All those hours out in the bad weather we all seem to be suffering from paid off today, but I feel I have more to give.


On Tuesday it was off to the new Olympic Stadium to take part in the Disability Athletics Challenge. I was going to do the 100m and 400m and as usual before a meeting I felt very nervous, though my nerves were tempered somewhat by the great privilege of having the opportunity to compete in such a great stadium before all the superstars get a chance. Usain Bolt eat ya heart out! My coach, Ken Day, is also good at calming me down and getting me ready for the race.


It was a fantastic experience to wheel myself into the stadium in front of cheering crowds and my heart lifted when I spotted my son, Tim, and Norman in front seats. I did my warm up with the other girls then onto the line to wait for the crack of the starting gun. I always start slowly but I soon started to get into my rhythm and my shoulders were pumping down the track. I could hear Norman and Tim roaring their encouragement as Hannah Cockcroft and me raced neck to neck up the track towards the finish line. I couldn't believe it when I got the silver and I was delighted for Hannah because she became the first person to break a world record in the new Olympic Stadium. I joked with her that I should get a share of that record for pulling her across the line. Lol. A great start but then came the disappointment of 5th place in the 400m. I just felt drained of energy in the last part of the race. No excuses though, and it couldn't spoil my delight coming second, especially as I achieved it in front of my son that I love most in the world. Oh yes, it was my birthday as well.


To round off a special day I was filmed by 'London Tonight' and interviewed by Sally Williams. When we watched it later we thought it came out really well, though Tim cringed at some of his 'baby' pictures being shown, and when he was filmed giving me a kiss at the end. At 11, he's got his teenage surliness early, but I love him to bits. All in all it was one of those days that live forever in the memory.

Typically I was ill on Wednesday but recovered and returned to training with a long road session on Thursday and Friday. Today I did a heavy workout in the gym before returning home to pack my chair and bags for a flight to Zurich tomorrow morning. I will be competing in the Swiss Championships and hopefully I will do well and keep myself in contention for a place in the Team. I don't even get to come home a week on Sunday because it's straight off to Manchester for the Paralympic World Cup. I thank God for the love and support of my family and friends.

Educating Essex 2

On Monday morning I was invited to speak to a group of media students at Harlow College. I was the first guest speaker to use the new lecture theatre and I was a bit nervous. I had prepared a powerpoint presentation and used a piece of music by Des'ree, 'You Gotta Be', as an introduction. There were about eighty students present as well as a couple of lecturers. I spoke about my life but more importantly about the way education can empower people. I had a good response and the students asked a lot of interesting questions. I spoke to quite a few students afterwards and they seemed to think it had been a positive experience so it was well worth taking the time to do.

Next it was off to Harlow Leisurezone for a photocall arranged by Harlow Council. It was to accompany the news that Harlow has been chosen for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route. This is great news for everyone in the town and will give people the opportunity to feel closer to the Games and be a part of history. I'll be there on July 7th to see the torch passing through. I'm really looking forward to it!

In the evening it was back to the track in the cold drizzly weather but as usual Ken soon had me sweating, sniffling, and working hard. By the end of an hour and forty five minutes I felt so proud because the session had been completed. Then it was home to cook dinner.