Andy from England's Wheelchair Rugby 7s

Having previously played the rugby union running game for 12 years (at club, county and midlands level), wheelchair rugby allowed me to carry on my love for the game. I play Rugby League for the Hereford Harriers and was then 'selected' to be part of England's squad. It was more of an honour to play for them than a choice to be honest!

It reflects my belief of the importance of 'setting yourself goals'. From focusing on something, being the domestic part of wheelchair rugby, achieving those goals, you can be rewarded by something as big as the England squad. In other words, it results in the general state your mind should be in....the more you put into something, the more you will get out.

The first week of lockdown was strange. Suddenly my daily routine of work (I was furloughed), keeping fit, the gym and rugby training had stopped. My first thought was to make a new routine, keeping busy is important, both physically and mentally. Weekdays were for reaching set goals and weekends were for relaxing.

Every weekday, weather permitting, I would get in my wheelchair and go for a push around the area. I worked out a 3mile route; 1 mile to the park, 1 mile around the park and 1 mile back home. The first day took me 2hrs. So, my goals were automatically set - improve on that time. A few days I failed beating the previous day’s target, due to wind, rain or punctures. I now do this keep-fit course in 1hr 39mins. I also have some fitness resistance cables, so I spend time stretching my upper body and keeping as supple as possible. 

I am paraplegic and a permanent wheelchair user but refuse to be refined to a wheelchair. I have 2 leg callipers and some parallel bars to try and learn somehow to walk again. My first goal was to put one foot in front of the other, whilst gripping onto the parallel bars. If I could manage that, the idea would be to try and walk with a Zimmer frame, then crutches and who knows? I've been trying to achieve this goal for the last 7 years, with smiles and tears but most importantly a very stubborn mind! I attempt this goal a couple of times week too. 

My goal for lockdown was to come out the other side safe and well, whilst having achieved something positive. Well, I haven’t let myself down. I am fitter than I was, I have improved my walking and balance between the bars, I can manage a few steps with my Zimmer frame, and I can balance holding my crutches. My thought process is I don't care if it takes me 1, 10 or 15 years to achieve this, I have nothing to lose!

I’m proud to have achieved many things over the last eight years.

I have been solo scuba diving in Egypt, been on safari in Africa and been 'sit skiing' in the French alps.

I won a year's scholarship for a disabled drivers rally team, racing a hand controlled rally car up and down the country including the circuits of Donnington and Silverstone, competing against able bodied rally drivers in normal rally prepared cars, finishing 23rd out of 48 competitors by the end of the season.

I formed a team and built myself an off-road wheelchair to participate in the Tough Mudder events (for the able-bodied athletes in us). It’s a 10-mile cross country assault course with 12 obstacles and 12ft walls to climb over. I won a Sunshine Radio FM 'Pride Award' for 'Sporting Achievement of the Year' from this and have successfully completed 2 more Tough Mudder's since, raising more than £7,500 for my disabled wheelchair rugby team, the Hereford Harriers.

My cup is always half full which I think is the best attitude to have! Since being in a wheelchair permanently, I’ve refused to let it get the better of me. Tell me I can’t and I’ll bet you I can!

The escapades I have conquered are examples of me taking life by the scruff of the neck, proving to myself and other disabled people, that having a disability is not the end of the world, it's the start of a new one.

I am quite an active wheelchair user and outside of work in my spare time I like to go to the gym and keep fit, which makes my life in a chair a lot easier and allows me to be fully independent. Even as far as to say I can transfer myself and my chair into my car completely on my own and drive off in less than 60 seconds (not that I’m competitive or anything).

During lockdown, and part of keeping fit, I've been taking my day chair out for a 3 or 4 mile push around my village a few times a week. Someone in my area regularly saw me, and had a handcycle they no longer used, and asked me if I wanted it.

So I have now taken up a new hobby, which has turned out to be such good fun and great for keeping fit and active, especially with the wheelchair rugby season put on hold for obvious reasons.

There are many things I thought I would miss becoming a paraplegic, but in reality, you just find different ways to achieve different activities and accomplishments.

I sometimes go out on my own, or I go out with my friends on cycle rides. After all it's no different to an able-bodied person going out a cycle ride (and much more fun I must add).

It has 21 gears so no problem for going up hills. It also has a wireless speedometer (I have reached 50mph), which tells me how many calories I have burnt, the distance I’m travelling, a stopwatch and the time, all whilst not letting go of the hand grips.

My new goal is to complete a half marathon, and then a full marathon. Ideally when the coronavirus is under control and everyone can run and ride together.