Physical Activity Advisor – Southport
Steve is the Physical Activity Advisor at the Northwest Spinal Injuries Centre, Southport where he works alongside physiotherapists to introduce and encourage newly injured and previous patients to take part in different activities and sports.
Steve is 56 years old and is from Liverpool. He sustained a spinal cord injury in a motorcycle accident in 2003 and undertook his rehabilitation at the Northwest Spinal Injuries Centre, Southport. It quickly became evident to him, just how much he had learned and benefitted from that process. Whilst there he had his first taste of wheelchair basketball. Once discharged home, Steve sought out a local club and began to train regularly. It wasn’t long before he was involved in the running of the club as well as playing and later coaching.
"It is very rewarding to see the smile on peoples’ faces when they have experienced the joy of wheelchair sport."
Remembering how important his rehabilitation at Southport had been, he was keen to put ‘something back in’. He volunteered with the Spinal Injuries Association in their Peer Support Service, and went on to coordinate this service across the Northwest region, overseeing Belfast, Oswestry and Southport.
This role provided the opportunity to encourage newly injured patients to try out wheelchair sports such as basketball, handball and hand cycling in sessions at the centre. Steve’s other pastime is hand cycling and when time permits he takes his handcycles to the continent.
When the opportunity arose to continue encouraging others into disability sports, with the additional support and resources of WheelPower, it was too good to miss.
Contact
Email: steve.rimmer@wheelpower.org.uk
