Objective
My own personal Everest – to complete one of the last true overland Journeys from the tip of Scotland to the toe of Africa, John O’Groats to Capetown. The journey will pass through some of the world’s most beautiful and dramatic places. Conditions faced will be European Mountain passes to tropical rainforest and desert, temperatures from extreme lows on the mountain tops to extreme highs of the desert. Have you ever been incapacitated with the loss of use of a limb, maybe sprained a wrist or broken an arm, had to keep it in a sling for up to six weeks? Remember the inconvenience, the frustration when trying to cut your food, tying a shoelace, changing a light bulb, peeling a potato – the list is endless. For me this is everyday life. A near fatal motorcycle accident 10 years ago left me with total paralysis of the right arm, partial paralysis of the right leg, a pinned left wrist and numerous fractures. With those memories in mind now contemplate a journey of these proportions.
‘Disabled people around the world share a common aim – to live independent and fulfilling lives.’
In completing this challenge we wish to benefit others. An exciting new project is the Leonard Cheshire ‘International Self Reliance Program’, which aims to provide disabled people with the skills and opportunities they need to find work and become more independent. Leonard Cheshire support by means of loans, low-cost income generation schemes, small businesses, provide training and equipment. They run 200 schemes in 51 countries, a fifth of which are located across Africa and it is our objective to contribute both financially and hands-on in 15 of these projects on route.