Iam delighted to introduce our new impact report and show you what Back Up has been doing to inspire people affected by spinal cord injury to get the most out of life.

I’m incredibly proud to tell you that we supported over 1,000 people affected by spinal cord injury last year. Every day, I hear stories of the lives that Back Up has touched – whether that’s someone rebuilding their confidence on one of our outdoor activity courses, pushing to the shops independently for the first time, or just saying at the end of a call that they no longer felt like they were in this alone.

In this report, you will read the stories of seven people we helped last year. Their stories were made possible by our wonderful fundraisers, donors and corporate sponsors who bring in more money each year to support our vital work. Their tireless efforts saw Back Up raise £1,682,167 – the most income in our history.

For every staff member here, we estimate that there are around 10 volunteers supporting our work in a multitude of ways. They are the lifeblood of Back Up, delivering the services that make a huge difference to so many people’s lives.

To each and every one of you who gives their time or money, I want to thank you for all that you do and encourage you to read on to see the difference your contribution makes. If you’ve never supported Back Up before, please join us as we work towards a world where everyone affected by spinal cord injury can realise their full potential.

Sarah Bryan | CEO

Sarah Bryan | CEO

Mirka

‘‘     When she said, ‘it does get better,’ something just clicked. Someone who has gone through it saying that to you is so important.’’

‘‘    When she said, ‘it does get better,’ something just clicked. Someone who has gone through it saying that to you is so important.’’

When Martin came home from hospital, I called Back Up. I had been functioning fine till then, keeping busy and sorting out the move to the new flat, but I really wanted to know the practical stuff – what will life look like, will we be able to travel – and how other people dealt with what we were going through once they got home.

I was put in touch with a great volunteer mentor who didn’t sugar coat things. They were living a fully functioning life, but they still had their struggles.

When she said, “it does get better,” something just clicked. When you’re in a rut and you have no one to talk to, someone who has gone through it saying that to you is so important. That’s when things started turning around. I did have counselling, in the early days, but it didn’t work for me - the lady didn’t have experience of spinal cord injury. It makes a huge difference when you speak to someone who can understand what it’s like.

Before his accident, it felt like Martin and I were living separate lives. We’re much closer now and our relationship is stronger too. We’ve also just had our first daughter. We were really lucky that the IVF worked for us. She’s given us such a boost.

Kevin

‘‘     It was particularly special to me as it was the first time I met and got to know other people with a spinal cord injury.’’

‘‘    It was particularly special to me as it was the first time I met and got to know other people with a spinal cord injury.’’

When I was just a baby, I had a condition called epiglottitis. This left a blood clot on my spinal cord which caused my injury.

I first heard about Back Up when I got to junior school. At the time, I was looking to improve my wheelchair skills so I could go out with my friends and get around.

My mum contacted the physiotherapist at my spinal centre about training, and they put us in touch with Back Up. The first thing I did with them was the youth advisory group weekend.

It was such a fun few days. I got to share stories and learn new skills like one-handed pushing and reversing backwards. It was particularly special to me as it was the first time I met and got to know other people with a spinal cord injury.

I then went on one of their activity courses, trying out abseiling and canoeing! I loved the campfire dinner and even learned a much better way of how to get up and down kerbs and stairs.

Back Up have helped me make new friends, and improved my confidence and public speaking. They showed me what was possible with a spinal cord injury, so I started to volunteer when I was 13 to help other young people get more confident and learn new skills.

Elinor

‘‘     Back Up have been a lifeline for me, and just knowing that they’re there if I need them makes things easier.’’

‘‘    Back Up have been a lifeline for me, and just knowing that they’re there if I need them makes things easier.’’

For over 30 years, I’ve led an exciting career as a marine biologist. I’ve also been really active in my community, and I even set up a local historical charity.

Then last year, my life changed completely. I had a bacterial infection 20 years ago which affected the tissues around my spinal cord, leading to a progressive decline in my mobility. In 2017, I had four major operations to halt the deterioration, but the last one left me with a permanent spinal cord injury.

I first met Back Up at my spinal centre, and they stayed in touch when I left the hospital. After being at home for six months, I felt like I lost the confidence and skills I’d gained during my rehabilitation. So, I decided to go on Back Up’s over 50s multi-activity course to push my boundaries in a safe environment. I couldn’t have made a better decision.

I learned so much just by talking to other people on the course and sharing experiences. The skills instructors were brilliant too, and they helped me set up my wheelchair correctly and improve my confidence. I learned that you can still enjoy doing things like canoeing and getting outdoors. You just have to approach them differently.

Back Up have been a lifeline for me, and just knowing that they’re there if I need them makes things easier.

Kevin

‘‘     When I hear from a mentee that I’ve helped them, it lights me up inside.’’

‘‘    When I hear from a mentee that I’ve helped them, it lights me up inside.’’

On 5 May 2013, I was coming out of my bathroom at home when I passed out and fell over, causing me to hyperextend my neck. When I came to, I couldn’t feel my hands and was initially paralysed from the waist down.

After some time at a local hospital, I spent 10 weeks at the Stoke Mandeville spinal centre. The team there were great, and the more I gave, the more I got in return.

The staff there mentioned Back Up’s courses so I reached out to them because I wanted to meet other people with a spinal cord injury to see how they coped after they went home. I went on the multi-activity course in the Lake District which was incredible. Speaking to the other participants and volunteers showed me that everyone can adapt to a new situation. Back Up show you that there’s so much you can still do and achieve with a spinal cord injury.

In 2017, I became a volunteer mentor which has given me a chance to help other people with a spinal cord injury gain a more positive outlook. I absolutely love it. When I hear from a mentee that I’ve helped them, it lights me up inside. If my experience can inspire and motivate one person, it’s all worthwhile.

Life has changed immeasurably, but I’ve got a lot to be thankful for.

Everything we do is driven by the needs of people affected by spinal cord injury. We listen to what the people we support tell us to ensure our services remain relevant and have the greatest impact possible.

We recognise that meeting people early on is key to helping them make a positive long-term adjustment to spinal cord injury, and so we will be focusing on maximising our presence at general hospitals and spinal cord injury centres next year to make those vital connections.

With the unprecedented level of demand for our family support service, we’ve expanded it to support even more family members. If the whole family is supported, everyone is more likely to adjust well – including the individual with the injury. We’ve also increased our resource for spinal cord injury and family mentoring to account for the increasing number of referrals. And with a larger team, we’ll be able to make more high-quality mentoring matches.

As the only UK charity with dedicated services for children and young people with a spinal cord injury, we’re continuing to drive forward a collaborative project to establish a young person’s care pathway – ensuring all under 18s can receive specialist care at a UK spinal centre.

In 2018/19, we will be consolidating the range of courses we offer. We’ll continue to run a diverse course programme that meets the unique needs of many different people with a spinal cord injury – offering life skills, outdoor activities and more. We want everyone to have the opportunity to access our courses, and we’ll be alternating our Sweden and Colorado ski programmes annually to ensure people with all levels of injury can experience the freedom of life on the slopes.