On yer bike! Sign Up Now... please.

A few months ago, I was invited to join lots of cyclists in the New Life Cycle Challenge to promote organ donation.  I was thrilled, but thought I’d better get on my bike!!!

I saddled up on the tandem with our Health Minister, Edwin Poots, who started the challenge at the Royal Hospital, for Sick Children on Saturday morning.  Minister Poots and I cycled from the City Hospital to Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn, where all the cyclists were warmly welcomed and after some well deserved lunch, various speakers, including myself said a few words on the importance of signing the Donar Register.

The challenge will travel around the Province over the next 6 days, visiting all the hospitals, so watch out and cheer on all the transplant recipients and their friends and families!

The most precious gift we can ever give…..is life!!!   So if you are not already on the register…..sign up now!!! - CLICK HERE

Titanic Reading on Radio Ulster

In April I found myself caught up with all the hype and excitement of the Titanic Centeenery Celebrations and was thrilled to be invited to read  one of the Titanic Letters on Radio Ulster.  In order for me to read the letter, I memorised it and then we recorded it and it was the final letter to go out on 17^th April.

The letter was an actual letter written by one of the survivors, a young girl called Mary, who was travelling home to America on board the Titanic with her Mother  on that fateful night. 

Reading the letter, I was struck by the horror, panic, sense of futility, fear, pending doom and immense loss, which Mary and her mother, Elizabeth were experiencing.  It was an amazing feeling to be reading Mary’s words one hundred years later!

Inspire Event at Castle Buildings

In the run up to the Olympics, I have been attending a lot of events.  One of these was the Inspire Event at Castle Buildings, Stormont on 3^rd May and I thought you might like to see a photo of  what I got up to at this event!

Photo of Wayne and  myself, lol!

Venture Outdoors Toolkit

As President of Disability Sports NI I headed up to the City Hotel in Londonderry on 26h April to launch the Venture Outdoors Toolkit.  Venture Outdoors are the umbrella body for outdoor recreation and sport providers and the Toolkit was developed in partnership with DSNI.  As a  water skier, I fully appreciate the benefits of being able to enjoy an outdoor sport and the Toolkit will provide practical help and guidance to providers to make outdoor recreation and sport more inclusive of people with disabilities.

http://www.derryjournal.com/sport/toolkit-launched-to-help-young-people-from-north-west-with-disabilities-towards-sport-1-3789492

Sensory Learning Unit at Harberton Special School in Belfast

On the 27^th March, I was delighted as an Hon Lady Taverner to be invited to officially open a Sensory Learning Unit at Harberton Special School in Belfast.  It was a lovely event and I enjoyed meeting and having a bit of craic with the pupils.  The Sensory Room is absolutely fabulous and will provide a wonderful learning experience for many children with various disabilities.