Charity Outreach Leader teams up with Recare to help more people get mobile after spinal cord injury

Mark was an avid mountain biker until a life changing accident in July 2023. He crashed whilst on a biking holiday with friends in mountainous Morzine, France, which resulted in multiple injuries to his back and spinal cord. Following extensive reconstructive surgery in Switzerland, he returned to the UK to begin a year-long rehabilitation period in several spinal units, concluding in Stoke Mandeville. Whilst at his last hospital department, he was introduced to a representative called Chris from the Backup Trust. Chris helped Mark learn new skills for his life moving forward in a wheelchair. They became friends which led to the charity offering Mark a role as an Outreach Leader after his discharge in March 2024. During this time Mark also discovered Recare as he was researching wheelchairs online. Fast forward to today and Mark is thriving in a charity role he ‘adores’ and is now a proactive advocate of the wheelchair specialist supplier Recare.

Before his spinal cord injury, Mark worked as a store manager for the two largest food discounting chains. He was also a prison officer for 10 years. Following his accident there was the possibility of him returning to retail management; however, the prospect of helping fellow wheelchairs users through charity work was much more appealing. Mark picks up his story:

“In hospital I spent a lot of time in bed looking at wheelchairs and came across Recare. Over the years they have been brilliant with wheelchair adaptations, accessories and providing me with big chunky off-road wheels. This March I won one of their competitions and now have a set of brand-new Omobic Challenger MTB Off-Road Wheels! As Recare adapted my wheelchair to have a wider axle, I have more stability when I’m pushing the limit in the woods. This type of equipment allows people like me, with higher level spinal injury, to live more fulfilled lives.”

Mark’s wheelchair and Triride handbike ensure he has the power and mobility to do his job and go off-roading. He loves his new career as he continues: “I show people the basics like the best way to push a wheelchair and how to have good posture. I take people out to show them how to tackle kerbs and how to get round a restaurant or pub for example. I’m all about building confidence and independence in people of all ages – we pair individuals up with mentors which really helps too. We also offer educational support for kids such as getting them back into school after injury through to helping adults return to work. It’s all rewarding however the most exciting stuff I get involved in is with the Calvert Trust on Exmoor and in the Lake District. We run multi-activity holidays for wheelchair users which include abseiling, canoeing, archery and horse riding – amazing memories for us all.”

On a daily basis, Mark visits spinal injury wards, clinics and rehab departments teaching wheelchair skills and letting people know how the Backup Trust can support them. He now wants to spread the word more about Recare’s unique services. 

Mark continues: “I see so many people in hospitals who need better support and advice about wheelchairs. And out of around 4,500 people who have a spinal cord injury per year, these patients only represent around 20% of the total. So, I want to tell everyone far and wide about the difference Recare can make.”

“Many new wheelchair users can struggle at the start and might not be given equipment that’s the best for them so I always say, ‘speak to Recare, they can help’. Recare will always tell you the truth about what’s right for you. It’s not just them protecting their reputation, they are basically just doing the right thing for everyone. I hear of so many people being ripped off by other companies or receiving bad customer service. Recare are totally different, they care.”

“Take for example the wheels I have just won, they gave me such amazing customer service for something that was free. They asked about so many details about my wheelchair, such as what bearings I use, to making sure the wheels would max my performance. I’ve worked in retail so understand the importance of customer service; they are not a company that just sell products for the most profit. They say ‘look at this, try this, or try this instead… they really assess your needs, listen to what you have to say and together you get the ideal equipment for your life. Their customer service is brilliant, and I’m determined as many people as possible experience this so they can go out and do what they want to do.”