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Meet Team AT

Ability Today has a fantastic team that is helping to create the largest knowledge hub for the disabled community and provide individuals with the opportunities and tools to live better connected lives.

 

Founder – Grant Logan

On a sunny morning, September 2003 my life took dramatic change of direction, which would alter the way I lived for the rest of my life. I was working in the music business as a manager of artists and songwriters, working with them on all aspects of their careers. A busy life but I really enjoyed it.

The day my life changed… I had gone to Exeter with a couple of friends on a weekend motorbike trip and on the way back I had an accident I have no recollection of. Apparently the bike skidded on some gravel on a sharp corner and I ended up in a farmer’s field, waking up two days later to find family and friends gathered around my hospital bed. I was pretty battered, high on morphine for the pain and through the haze of it all it was then I discovered that I had crushed my spine and I would never walk again.

It was a gruelling few months with various operations and rehabilitation but one thing stuck with me, while in hospital I have this vivid memory of a nurse coming and telling me that one-day I would realise I was one of the lucky ones! I wouldn’t understand what she meant until later on.

So I was discharged just before Christmas 2003 and started on the road back to independence. Washing, cleaning, learning to drive (with hand controls). I had to master again the simplest of tasks that most people take for granted, I went back to work almost immediately and it became clear quickly that my type of work was going to be quite challenging in a wheelchair. I had travelled with my artists taking them to shows and events as well as accompanying them to press and TV shows, but I soon realised it had actually become more difficult getting me in and out of a building than them!

In the following months as I started the journey of accepting the new normal in my life things took a turn again and I came down with the hospital superbug MRSA. In some ways I think this had more of a detrimental effect on me than the accident as I became very ill and eventually had to have all the reconstructive metalwork removed from my back.

Its was down to my friends and family getting me through this tough time, everyone rallied and I worked hard at staying positive. During this time I started asking more questions about disability, and without realising my research had started into something that was going to help reshape my life.

There are some fantastic organisations out there with some wonderful people helping the disabled community to help rebuild shattered lives, so I started to reach out to many of them.

My first experience was a multi activity course in the Lake District. I remember vividly the first morning sitting outside the B&B with about ten other wheelchair users when the organisers turned to the tallest mountain in view and said, “We’re going to climb that today!!” The feeling of sitting on top of that mountain and having the realisation that I could still achieve my dreams was a very powerful emotion. One that made me realise that I could still have a life.

That was in 2005 and in 2006 I went skiing to Colorado with The Back Up Trust and six other wheelchair users. Returning from Colorado, this was when the first of my ideas for building a website for the disabled came about.

My first venture was a site called The Wheel Life, the first social network for wheelchair users. This was before Facebook, when Myspace was the network of the moment and we connected chair users from all around the world and gave them a platform to express themselves on. It also worked very well for me on a personal level by putting me in the centre of the disabled community, this meant people, charities and organisations would contact me about events going on and ask me to help spread their message.

After engaging with professionals, organisations and other wheel chair users I soon realised though there just wasn’t enough information readily available to the disabled community. Its got much better but you really have to research things, it certainly wasn’t easy. So after hearing one too many wheelchair users say “I wish I had known about that” I decided to start Disability Today, now rebranded Ability Today, primarily to help give everyone the opportunity to access the information they need but often miss out on.

Over the last few years I have been lucky enough to be involved in some incredible adventures. From climbing Ben Nevis for Capability Scotland, pulling a jumbo jet along the runway with other wheelchair users to break a world record, to flying, gliding, micro-lighting, rally driving, quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, water skiing and even getting back on a motorcycle and racing round Castle Combe at over a 100 miles an hour! I have also become a trustee of The White Lodge Centre, a charity that’s been going for 55 years, supporting children and adults with severe disabilities.

As well as the charitable side a few years ago I got involved with a research project looking at the advancement of exoskeletons for the paralysed, and I’m participating in an on going study in to the effects of osteoporosis and the drugs being developed to hold it back, I’m a test case but it seems to be working. My scans reveal that after 13 years in a wheelchair, my bone density is still the same as an able bodied man my age. This is obviously great news for me and others living with paralysis.

So I’m 47 now and it’s been a serious rollercoaster ride so far, with definitely some ups and downs but I really do know………………“I am one of the lucky ones!!”

 

Ability Today – Ambassador

Olivia Gallagher

 

 

Ability Today – Roving Reporters

Khaleel Chimma

My name is Khaleel al-Soubur Chima, born in Glasgow on 11th October 1990. I am Pakistani decent and part Iranian. I am the eldest out of three brothers. At nine months old, I was diagnosed with Glutaric aciduria type 1, an inherited disorder affecting my limbs and vocal cords. However, I put this behind me and strive to succeed in life.

I started nursery which was only for children with disabilities. I did some tests to help people discuss my future education and soon I attended both a mainstream nursery and the special nursery. I went to one in the morning and to the other during afternoons. 

When I moved to Slough in Berkshire, I was put into a school for children with disabilities, in Reading called The Avenue School. There I learnt how to drive a powerchair before turning six.  I then transferred to Priory School, which had both children with special needs and those who did not. I moved into the mainstream class full time. This is where my intellect level and social life started to boom. 

For secondary school, I first attended Charters School in Ascot. Due to my spinal operation, I had to attend a more local school called The Westgate School. I went back to Charters for sixth form.

I gained an Upper Second Class degree in BSc (Hons) Mathematics at Kingston University, in the year 2016.

I consider myself to be very lucky and am thankful for becoming a confident, energetic, enthusiastic and motivated wheelchair user with a hardworking and positive attitude. As proven in my academic and personal life, I have the courage, determination and desire to succeed. 

My other achievements include ‘Child of Achievement’ award 1998, nominated for bravery. 

Interests are writing poetry, most been published. Powerchair football, played in the national league for Reading Powerchair FC. I produce and upload math tutorials onto YouTube..

 

 

Stephanie Carfrae

Steph Carfrae was born in February 1992, in Chobham, Surrey. She is a quarter dutch. At the age of 7 years old Steph was diagnosed with a disability. By the time she was 11 years old she was confined to be in a wheelchair full time. Steph then attended Charters school where she learned not to let her condition overcome her. She made many friends who were able to overlook her condition and Steph
was able to grow up happy and surrounded by friends. Steph has an older Sister and two older Brothers, the youngest of whom shares the same condition with Steph.

Steph attended St Mary’s University in Twickenham where she got a 2:1 in Professional and Creative
Writing. She made many more friends there and for the first time in her life had a taste of real
independence. After Steph graduated she and her brother found out that their original diagnosis of
Cerebral Palsy was false and that they did in fact have a very rare form of HSP (Hereditary Spastic
Parapesis) called SPG35. Steph has always considered this a physical challenge rather than a
disability.  Steph now resides in Bagshot, Surrey with her boyfriend. She enjoys reading, writing, theatre and
makes her own motivational videos under the name of The Helpful Pebble. These are posted
regularly on Youtube. Steph hopes you enjoy them!  Steph volunteers at Ability Today, she loves working at the office and creates blogs as a Roving Reporter.

 

Heather Farley

 

Ability Today – Advisory Board

We are delighted to have established an advisory board at the beginning of the year.  This includes members from various sectors within industry that advise Ability Today on how to achieve its goals.

Grant Logan  – CEO Founder – Linkedin

Jacqueline Winstanley – Chair – Linkedin

John Black – Linkedin

Damian Bradbury – Linkedin

Colin Betteridge – Linkedin

Lee Davison-Poltock – Linkedin

Sarah Davison-Poltock – Linkedin

Phil Evans – Linkedin

Pete Kirtley – Linkedin

Craig Logan – Linkedin

Joanne Mickelwright – Linkedin

Andrew Moody – Linkedin

& Harley Logan – Ability Today Mascot !

 

Ability Today – Volunteers