We understand that following a life changing injury, being motivated to exercise and play sport can sometimes be difficult. With the support of our WheelPower Physical Activity Advisors we will help you to move more, improve your physical and mental well-being, increase your fitness and discover the many benefits that regular exercise provides.
Mark O’Neill – WheelPower Physical Activity Advisor (Stanmore)
How can our Advisors help you?
- They can call on their own personal experiences and knowledge as a wheelchair user to be a positive role model
- Provide advice about physical activity and wheelchair sport
- Deliver physical activity sessions with individuals and groups
- Use their local knowledge and experience to signpost you to external organisations to support the continuation of physical activity and sport following discharge
Meet Our Advisors
Andy Braybrook – Princess Royal Spinal Cord Injuries Centre, Sheffield
Andy is 34 years old and became paralysed at the age of 29 as a result of a motorbike accident in March of 2017. The spinal cord injury that he sustained is at the C6 -C7 level, meaning that he has full arm function, but very limited hand or finger function and no movement or sensation from his collarbone down.
Angie Malone MBE – Queen Elizabeth Spinal Injuries Unit, Glasgow
Angie was spinally injured at 16 years old, spending over a year rehabilitating at the spinal unit in Glasgow where she was introduced to a variety of sports. Being a keen swimmer before her accident she competed in the WheelPower Inter Spinal unit games at Stoke Mandeville.
Bob O’Shea – National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville
Bob has had a long and successful career in wheelchair Rugby, spanning three decades. Bob broke his neck diving into a swimming pool on his 28th birthday. Like many others, Bob spent months in rehabilitation. Within a year of being injured Bob was introduced to wheelchair sport at the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games where he witnessed people, with similar disabilities, competing in a variety of different sports.
Bret Crossley – Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield
Before suffering a spinal cord injury in 2006 Bret was a successful motorcycle racer, winning 130 races and 6 club championships between 2001-2006. Following the accident Bret said that it took a couple of years to come to terms with his situation but it was getting back into sport that really helped him to move forward.
Ella Archer – National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville
Local resident Ella Archer is a former GB Wheelchair Basketball Under 25 Women’s European Championships silver medalist with a passionate advocate for wheelchair sport. Ella has a long association with WheelPower since childhood when she would attend various sports camps and events at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.
Mark O’Neill – Stanmore RNOH Spinal Unit, London
After breaking his neck in 2007 he has been taking part in wheelchair racing with the aim of beating his running times! He completed the London marathon twice in the chair (beating his running time at the second attempt)
and has taken part in a number of half marathons and 10k races since.
Shaun Newcomb – Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre, Salisbury
Shaun has been a paraplegic since a road accident in 1976, aged 17 after which he spent 12 months at NSIC at Stoke Mandeville. After being in involved in motorsport and achieving his racing licence Shaun was looking for something to satisfy his competitive nature and was advised that a local table tennis club had started up in a local village hall. He went along and it wasn’t long before he ‘got the bug’ and started playing in his local non-disabled leagues and then onto wheelchair class competitions.
"Sport has had an incredible empowering positivity in my life. I am passionate about others experiencing that positivity and ensuring sport is accessible and more engaging to all, regardless of age or ability. I would love to help inspire the next generation of elite sportspeople, but also, to encourage everyone to participate in sport, to allow them to enjoy all the physical and mental health benefits and fun that sport brings" Angie Malone MBE
An introduction to wheelchair curling at the Glasgow Spinal Unit (2024)
WheelPower’s Guide to An Active Life following Spinal Cord Injury
We have recently created a new booklet for all patients with spinal cord injuries that introduce them to the support, events and resources available from WheelPower, as well as some handy tips and links to movement, sport and activity opportunities when they leave the hospital environment.
For advice and support please speak to your WheelPower Physical Activity Advisor or contact the WheelPower team directly using the details below.
- email. sport@wheelpower.org.uk
- phone. 01296 395995
