Back-Up Ski Trip 2011 Video - Winter Park

This ski course at the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, Colorado is just one of the numerous courses on offer from Back Up. Its a great example of a Back Up course and the reason we're fundraising with the Coast to Coast Cycle Ride.

Back Up has been running residential courses for 25 years, offering people the opportunity to get “back up and out there” following a spinal cord injury. All the courses aim to increase confidence, motivation and independence in a supportive environment. Back Up courses are for people of all ages, backgrounds and all levels of injury.

If you want to make changes in your life, whether by meeting new people, learning new skills, adopting a different lifestyle, or developing a more positive outlook about the future, then Back-Up has a course to suit you.

Thanks to Sophie Morgan for the video:

Which course is right for you?
All our courses provide the perfect introduction to managing away from home, and boosting your confidence. Many of the courses offer the chance to develop your wheelchair skills in a challenging environment. The type of course you are interested in will depend on what you are hoping to achieve. Our programme includes water skiing, scuba diving, skiing, and multi-activity. But there is plenty on offer for the less sporty amongst us too. Our City Challenge course in Edinburgh combines cultural and social activities with the chance to improve your wheelchair skills and use public transport in one of the most beautiful but inaccessible cities in the UK, while Back Up to Work is for you if you are considering your employment options. Look out too for the new Wheelchair Skills Plus course coming in 2011, designed to help you develop skills to be more independent and confident in day to day life. Our popular drama course will be returning in 2012.

Give us a call
....to chat through the options – we can support you to work out which course might suit you best. Course places are limited, so we do give priority to people who haven’t been on a course before, or who have the most potential to benefit.  If you are applying for another course with us, please give us a call to discuss what you are hoping to achieve.

• 100% of respondents from 2010 courses would recommend Back Up to a friend
• 100% of course participants achieved their personal aims in 2010

We do ask participants to make a financial contribution towards the cost of their course space if possible. Please give us a call to chat about this: we never turn anyone away from a course due to lack of funds.

Download an application form here (spinal cord injured participants).

Click here if you are interested in volunteering on a Back Up course.

For further information email the team or give them a call on 020 8875 1805

Congratulations to Bret - an eventful completion of the London Marathon

C2C Cyclist Bret Crossley finished the London Marathon yesterday: 

"I completed the London Marathon yesterday but it was very eventful! Firstly I nearly missed the start as had problem with my chair. Then straight after the start the chair started bearing left all the time which I had to put up with throughout and was a total bind. The other problem I'd had before the start was also not completely sorted and was slowing the chair down.

Had to stop at halfway as I was burning up in my black top so took it off and did the rest topless and have a very red back as a result! Then got a puncture 5 miles from home which slowed me up dramatically and made the chair veer to the left even more. The wheel then came loose and I watched as the axle bolt slowly unwinded as I progressed. The wheel started rubbing on the chair and the resistance from it grew. With 3 miles to go I was going at about 3 miles an hour. There was a long gradual climb along the embankment which seems to take forever to get up and was torturous. With just over a mile to go the chair stopped and wouldn't budge, the wheel close to coming off. I needed an allen key to tighten it back up. 

As I waited a member of the crowd gave me a cereal bar which was gratefully received! Nobody had one but then a helper used a normal key and it was tightened up and I was off again, except I wasn't really. It turned out the wheel bearings had seized due to the wheel wobbling about so much. The chair would move but it felt like I was dragging some heavy bags of coal behind me. 

Still I wasn't gonna quit, even if it had taken me all day to get to the finish, I'd got that far. I could only work in short bursts getting me at best 50 yards at a time as I was completely exhausted. But the crowds were absolutely brilliant and I got so much encouragement from other runners I did get to the finish, eventually! It was by a very long way the most gruelling physical punishment I've ever had to go through but I've got my finisher's medal and some great memories that will last me a lifetime! 

(There, take that pissing wheelchair, Bret wins!!) :D"

Help Bret reach his London Marathon fundraising target for Aspire - supporting people with spinal cord injury.

http://www.justgiving.com/Bret-Crossley-2011

Thanks to Iain Mcmillan at The Health Insurance Group

Huge thanks to Iain Mcmillan for a very generous £500 donation to C2C rider Mark Masiak.

The Health Insurance Group is an independent Private Medical Insurance intermediary and is owned by the AXA UK group of insurance businesses.

The Health Insurance Group (THIG) has a wealth of experience in Private Medical Insurance (PMI), with over 30,000 clients in the UK and over £75m annual premium under management. Because of this we are well placed to look after our client’s health insurance requirements.

http://www.healthinsurancegroup.co.uk

0800 389 7723

Thanks to Giles Barringham - Donation of a Fully Computerised Sewing Machine to raise funds for Back-Up

Thanks to Giles Barringham and Silver Viscount for his donation a Silver Viscount 1050 Fully Computerised Sewing machine.