WHERE I AM NOW AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
I took up fishing again in 2009 because I had enjoyed it so much as a hobby. I taught myself
again, mainly carp fishing on lakes - getting a personal best of 24 lbs 12 oz. As a result of
travelling around and meeting people I was talked into doing some match fishing. In my first
ever match I shocked myself by finishing 2nd in a charity event at Woodlands View Fishing
Lakes, near Droitwich, Worcester in 2011.
I joined a club called the Midland Bears, based in Bromsgrove. The club holds most of the
matches at Woodlands View, which is good for disabled access; the pegs are very flat and ideal
for wheelchairs. However I live over an hour away from this venue so my fishing days are long
ones. Fishing is now my passion... I have now been match fishing for Ten years and the biggest
weight so far is 168lb 4oz. I feel that I am improving all the time and would very much like to
continue to improve in this sport.
In July 2012 I took part in a disabled angling event at The South Cerney National Angling
Festival. This event is only run once a year and there were nearly 100 disabled anglers
competing on three lakes. I was thrilled that having only been taking part in match
fishing for nine months, I finished 3rd on my lake, and out of the dozen people in a
wheelchair I won Top Wheelchair Fisherman, winning a second trophy. I also won the
racing welfare Fredd Webb fishing Shield 4 times which is over 6 matches a year. I feel
that I have a lot more to offer the sport and that I am improving with each match.
I am looking for help and assistance to become more involved in the sport of fishing and
match fishing. I have worked part time for Cotswold Angling an Fishing Republic as a Web
consultant and also social media as well as being involved with customers as much as I
could for 4 years. I also ran a garden maintenance business of my own called ( Burtons
Blooming Gardens ) for 3 years. I love being involved in sport, and I have also passed level
2 in customer services and I am now improving my skills in website design.
I am fully mobile and drive on a daily basis. I am also seeking sponsorship to help cover
the costs of fishing and basketball matches, fuel, equipment such as rods, reels, poles,
nets, basketball chairs and tyers. Any assistance in helping me improve, develop and
become more involved in fishing and basketball would make a massive difference for me
and my life.
I joined a basketball team in the early 2013 called the themes valley kings and feel I have
progressed into the sport. We got together a Adult team for the first time in the clubs
history as thy only had a junior team in the past years but now we have a division 3,
division 2 and a premier league team. There is always welcome for people to come an try
on any training session who knows you could be in love with the sport like I am now!!
BEFORE I WAS WHEELCHAIR BOUND
I left school in 1999 and went straight into horse racing; a sport I love. I trained to be
a jockey and started as an Apprentice jockey on the Flat. In 2005 I struggled with my
weight and got too heavy to be a Flat jockey, so I trained as a Conditional jockey
(National Hunt Jockey) to ride over obstacles. I have always been an outdoors person,
and enjoyed football and fishing in my spare time, though working in horse racing
there was not a lot of spare time.
I was unfortunate to suffer a bad injury in 2008 in a National Hunt hurdle race at
Exeter Racecourse. I suffered injuries to my head, broke my back and damaged my
spinal cord in the T4 - T5 area which put me into a wheelchair. Since that time I
have been doing lots of rehabilitation and fitness work, keeping myself as fit and
strong as possible.
