Helping Individuals

SSIT has been assisting people with spinal cord injury since 2006, enabling greater independence and quality of life. Our catchment area covers the South and South West of England. View Map

Here is small sample of some of the awards we have made. In 2018 we gave 49 awards, purchasing equipment costing £97,000. Since we started in 2006, SSIT has helped many dozens of people and their families.

James Price

TriRide

Jame’s Triride has enable him & faithful St Bernard to have freedom and independence to get out and about plus going for walks and to the beaches in Devon.

James says “I am now able to get out into the fields with my dog this is not something I have been able to do before, so thanks again for providing the equipment it really has been life changing”.

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Joanna Birley

Basketball sport chair

Joanna Birley was keen to resume the sport she loves, but without a suitable wheelchair could not hope to play at a senior level. SSIT’s grant changed all that, and Joanna has been able to compete in the national Women’s League this year.

Taking part in major tournaments for the first time in many years, Joanna is thrilled with her...

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Laura Collinson

I've been using the Team Hybrid Cougar for 4 years now after receiving a grant from SSIT. Having retired due to health issues around my SCI, I am so grateful that on a dry, sunny day I can head off out for some fresh air and exercise.

Living alone can be difficult but through my travels around the city on my bike, I've made a whole new bunch of friends. Some are other disabled people also using handcycles and others with no disabilty but interested in the bike and what I'm up to.

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Steve Hodges

A grant towards the cost of an off-road handbike was awarded to Steve Hodges. Steve is looking forward to the freedom of new cycling challenges, and is pictured on the slopes of Cadair Idris in mid Wales.

Stuart Wright

Rifle

Stuart Wright from Taunton was awarded a grant to purchase a rifle and shooting jacket. Talent spotted for shooting at a Paralympic Sports Fest in 2013, Stuart goes to Stoke Mandeville Sports Stadium once a month for coaching and development as part of their Talent Development Programme. Having his own equipment will enable him to practice locally at club level, in addition to taking part in Disability Target Shooting events...

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Bruno Hansen

Freewheel

Bruno Hansen was awarded a grant to fund a Freewheel wheelchair attachment which, he says, has “revolutionised his life”. A former charter yacht captain, who suffered a T12 spinal cord injury, Bruno continues to lead an active life in Cornwall but this wheelchair attachment means getting out and about is so much easier.

“Rough terrains are no longer a barrier and I am so much more independent.

Badg Champion

Standing wheelchair

Badg Champion, suffered a C6/7 incomplete spinal cord injury when he fell off the steps while hedge trimming in the early 1990s. In 2010 SSIT assisted with the funding of a standing wheelchair.

“The chair is wonderful. I take it to any social event where people are standing around chatting and it also means that in the house if anything is out of reach...

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Mark Rothery

Powered Wheelchair

SSIT provided a grant for a powered wheelchair to Mark Rothery in the new year of 2008. Nine months later, he contacted us to say that he’d already travelled 700km in it!

“Life can be very difficult to cope with when you are affected by a severe paralysis and those things that make life easier are often beyond your means. My new powered wheelchair is going to make such a fantastic difference...

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Leck Krawczyk

Powered hand cycle

Leck Krawczyk was left with a T6 spinal cord injury after a motorbike accident in November 2006. SSIT provided funding for a powered hand cycle turning his manual wheelchair into an all-terrain vehicle which can go almost anywhere off-road. Leck commented:

“I love to get out to the Eden Project and to visit the beach where I live in Cornwall. Without the powered hand cycle...

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Jon Harris

E-motion wheels

An active and independent tetraplegic, Jon Harris broke his neck aged 26 when he was thrown over the handlebars of his bike while motocross racing near Tidworth. He spent a year in the spinal centre. Jon was awarded a grant to fund e-motion wheels.

“I use my e-motion wheels every day and they allow me to get out and about independently. I have...

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Sallyanne Haigh

In October 2015 my life as I knew it changed forever. I was at a rally with my local riding club on my horse Oubles. She is a character and a handful at times. This particular day she was in character!! In the afternoon we were doing cross country training when she reared up and fell over backwards with me still in the saddle.

I was lucky enough to be attended to by the Great Western Air Ambulance who air lifted me to Southmead hospital in Bristol. I had broken my vertrabra...

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Sean Kelly

Sean was given a grant for this wearable tech device called a Glassouse. It’s like a pair of glasses which provides someone with no or weak hand/arm function to use a hands free mouse.

In Sean’s words “I have found it so beneficial and useful as a tool both for work and play, it’s made a huge difference. Please pass on my gratitude to all trustees and staff at SSIT for supporting me it’s much appreciated”.

IVF Treatments

SSIT helps towards the cost of IVF and this has resulted in some very happy outcomes