RJAH 43 06 PRESS CALL Fundraising hero drives in to specialist orthopaedic hospital

Date: 30th August 2006

Time: 3.30pm

Photo opportunity: Mr El Masry, head of spinal injuries centre at Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic hospital meets inspirational fundraiser Colin Javens, founder of the Colin Javens Spinal Injury Trust

Location: Spinal Injuries Unit, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt NHS Trust


Oswestry’s Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic hospital will welcome fundraising inspiration Colin Javens as a special guest when he calls in to meet spinally injured patients during a sponsored trip from Lands End to John O’Groats.

Founder of the Colin Javens Spinal Injury Trust, Colin (26), is paralysed from the shoulders down after breaking his neck in a diving accident in 2000. Since then, he has been raising money for his charity which funds spinal research and rehabilitation. His first major fundraising event was an expedition which took him from Stoke Mandeville hospital to Cape Town in South Africa behind the wheel of his specially adapted car which allows him to drive using just one tiny movement in his wrist.

The main purpose of Colin’s visit to RJAH is to speak to some of the patients with spinal injuries about his achievements since he was paralysed and give them hope and encouragement for the future. He will also be demonstrating the incredible technology used in his car which has enabled him to carry on driving.

To date, Colin, a former student at Harper Adams University College near Newport, has raised £378,000 through his charity but hopes to top the £1 million mark. All the money will go towards spinal research and rehabilitation in the UK and Africa.

Colin’s current trip from Lands End to John O’Groats was inspired by a colleague from his charity who is cycling the same route. Their journey begins on 26th August and is planned to finish on 7th September.


Ends

For further information please contact Vicki Baxter or Sarah Hooley at Bell Pottinger North on:
Tel: 01625 506444 or e-mail: vbaxter@bellpottingernorth.co.uk or shooley@bellpottingernorth.co.uk

Notes to editors:

There are approximately 40,000 paraplegics and quadriplegics in the UK, with these numbers increasing by about three each day.

The Colin Javens Spinal Injury Trust was founded to raise money to fund research into cures for spinal cord damage and for organisations involved in the rehabilitation and welfare of those paralysed by spinal injury.