Back Up

We recently held an event to celebrate our fantastic volunteers. There was over 153.16 years of collective Back Up volunteering experience in the room at this event! We’d like to say a massive thank you to all of our volunteers. Your support means that we can keep transforming lives affected by spinal cord injury. Back Up was founded by volunteers, and they remain at the heart of everything we do. Visit our website to learn more about volunteering with us. https://bit.ly/2Aamozu Thank you to Slater and Gordon Lawyers (UK) and Deka Chambers for hosting us and helping make this event possible 🧡

Our recent City Skills course in Edinburgh was a fantastic experience! Participants had the chance to explore the city, build confidence using public transport, and navigate different terrains like cobbled streets. Throughout the course, tailored wheelchair skills training sessions helped everyone work on personal goals and further develop their skills. Along the way they were supported by Back Up volunteers, who have personal experience living well with a spinal cord injury. For more information on the services we offer, please visit our website. https://lnkd.in/diJdJDa

Join us on December 4th and 5th for "What Next?" – a free, two-day online course for people adjusting to life after a spinal cord injury. The sessions will be led by experts who understand the challenges you might be facing, along with people who have been through it themselves. Our team is dedicated to making a positive difference and supporting you through this journey. It’s completely free, so if you or someone you know is interested, visit our website or click the link below for more details. https://ow.ly/l7bB50TTo6a

“For me, supporting Back Up is equal parts about doing something I love, while also giving something back to an important cause” - Ian, Back Up challenge fundraiser. Taking on a challenge for Back Up is fun and rewarding – and the funds you raise will ensure that our life-changing services can support even more people affected by spinal cord injury. We have a great range of upcoming challenges you can take part in, from the London Landmarks half marathon to the “Santa in the City” run! Visit our website to learn more and register for a fundraising challenge. https://bit.ly/2F2TT8z

Living with a spinal cord injury can feel overwhelming, and it’s natural to have questions about how to enjoy life to the fullest again. Our 'What Next?' course is designed to guide you through the challenges of spinal cord injury and help you find the best way to move forward, step by step. What Next?" is hosted on Zoom, with live sessions and workshops supported by volunteers who have lived experience of spinal cord injury - as well as professionals in their field. This course will return on Wednesday 4 - Thursday 5 December 2024. Check out the link to learn more and register. https://ow.ly/kOUm50TPLo0

We’re delighted to say that our mentoring service has been awarded a Mentorloop Impact Award for the third year running! We’re one of just 18 recipients around the world to receive this award in 2024, and it is testament to the impact of our life-changing services. Thank you to our volunteer mentors for making this possible. Are you looking for support after spinal cord injury? You are not alone. Visit our website to learn more about our mentoring service. https://bit.ly/2H7JXiy

"I needed some motivation, so I signed up for a Back Up Multi Activity Course. This gave me the confidence I needed to get back to living life again. "The course was such a positive experience. I met so many others in similar situations who were just getting on with life. It made me realise that I had no reason to mourn anything from before my injury. Some of the people I met had been injured for five years, or even longer. Talking to them and hearing their advice gave me so much confidence." In this month's E-Newsletter, we shared Iwan's story from our 2023/24 Impact Report. Here, he shared how Back Up helped him regain his confidence and independence. Want to hear more stories from people we've supported? Visit our website to sign up for our monthly E-Newsletter. https://bit.ly/2QNdKPt

Back Up's new Christmas card designs for 2024 are here! 🎄 We're excited to introduce an exclusive new design by author and broadcaster Frank Gardner, a passionate wildlife photographer. His card, "Winter Robin," captures the beauty of nature. Frank sustained his spinal cord injury after being shot while reporting for the BBC in Saudi Arabia in 2004. In addition to Frank’s design, we have four other new options for you to choose from. Our cards are eco-friendly and plastic-free - and the best part is that 100% of your purchase goes directly to Back Up, supporting our life-changing work with individuals affected by spinal cord injury. Visit our online shop to get yours! https://bit.ly/2SBpkvW

We are thrilled to announce that The October Club held their annual charitable gala last night at The Savoy, raising vital funds for Back Up. Back Up was carefully chosen as The October Club's charity partner for 2024, and the event drew over 360 prominent guests. During the evening attendees heard from Dr Clair Pollard, a consultant psychologist, about the psychological effects of a sudden spinal cord injury and watched a moving account of Ollie’s recovery from a spinal cord injury after a motorcycle accident. You can watch the full video of his story on this post. In Ollie’s own words, “Back Up opened my eyes that I could live a life with a spinal cord injury. One of the things that sticks in my mind is the moment of going into the Back Up wheelchair skills training session and seeing someone across the room, and further down the line, living a life. That was powerful.” We would like to say a massive thank you to The October Club - their support will help us to reach many more people affected by spinal cord injury, and expand our support services, from 11 specialist centres to all 33 of the UK’s major trauma centres. Visit our website to read the full blog about this event. https://lnkd.in/edN-F4tX Ollie Thorn Horse's Mouth Media

Today is #WorldSpineDay. At Back Up we have a variety of services to help support people affected by spinal cord injury. Through challenge and fun, our services help injured individuals and the people close to them get the most out of life. Check out the quote below from someone who boosted their confidence on one of our ski courses. “It was the best experience – I’m smiling now talking about it. Going with Back Up there’s that underlying understanding. The skiing was liberating. It’s given me that boost and gave me so much confidence feeling comfortable with myself.” To find out more about our services visit our website. https://lnkd.in/er-Asz_D #WorldSpineDay #HealthyHabits #SpineHealth #supportyourspine #wsd24 #wsd2024 #sci