- R
- J
We've set this fundraiser up on behalf of Kirsty (Gwil's partner) these are her words.
2020 has been a rough year for us all. Due to my underlying health conditions, we were forced to isolate. Gwil took this as a good opportunity to invest in a long-standing hobby of his, cycling. We initially found some second-hand road bikes to get us going, dragging my unfit ass up hill, as Gwil wheelied alongside coaxing me along.
2020 has been a rough year for us all. Due to my underlying health conditions, we were forced to isolate. Gwil took this as a good opportunity to invest in a long-standing hobby of his, cycling. We initially found some second-hand road bikes to get us going, dragging my unfit ass up hill, as Gwil wheelied alongside coaxing me along.
Aside from road biking with me Gwil had been riding his mountain bike more. As restrictions lifted, Gwil explored local tracks with friends on their E-bikes, proudly keeping up with them under his own pure pedal power. Extremely passionate about his fitness, Gwil has always participated in a wide variety of extreme sports including running a local ultra-marathon at the end of 2019.
I’ve known Gwil all my life, and in recent years we have found life partners in each other. On many occasions Gwil has expressed how he has always wanted to look after me and help me keep my body as physically fit as possible. He has pushed me to new limits and I now feel fitter and healthier than I ever have before, and I owe that to him.
On the 28th of September this year, we left to go for our usual ride around the Folly forestry, where we are able to let Odin, our dog, run alongside us. Still awaiting the arrival of my mountain bike, which Gwil had ordered for me, we went our separate ways down the hill side. At the bottom, after waiting an unusual amount of time, I realised something was wrong. I raced home to find multiple missed calls on my phone. Fortunately, with the help of some amazing friends we found Gwil. He had fallen and couldn’t feel his legs.
The local emergency services worked under the darkness of night and before too long he was off in an ambulance to the QE Birmingham. He went into neurosurgery the following day and the surgeons attempted to reconstruct his spine. Unfortunately, due to the extent of damage on the spinal cord Gwil no longer has sensation below the point of injury. He sustained a T10 complete spinal cord injury.
This injury is life changing for Gwil: the child, boy and man who could never sit still. However, it doesn’t have to be the end of Gwil’s days getting out on the trails with me, our dog and his friends. Myself, along with friends and family, would love nothing more than to see Gwil out on a hillside with Odin again. In order to achieve this Gwil needs an adapted Bike and has his heart set on a BowHead Reach. The BowHead is a fully adapted E-Bike, handcrafted by a company in Canada. It’s by far the most capable adapted bike that’s taken more than 20 years to develop in its current form. It would mean Gwil could ride the trails but also just take the dog for a walk without worrying about muddy Welsh footpaths and hills. With Gwil’s 30th birthday upon us this coming June we aim to hopefully raise enough money to give Gwil the freedom back that he has always cherished.
A video of the bowhead reach:
'Update'
To achieve £15,000 in such a short amount of time is truly touching. The reach that this fundraiser has had, and outpouring of support that has come about, has shown how many lives Gwil has been a part of and influenced over the years. Now that they are able to move ahead with the purchase of the BowHead Bike, it will transform their lives and give Gwil back some of the freedom that the accident took away.
When we set up the fundraiser, we never expected the target to be smashed so quickly and are so grateful for that. Thank you all so much. If the total continues to rise above and beyond our initial goal of £15,000 we would like to put any extra donations towards allowing Gwil & Kirst to improve their everyday lives. Gwil has always wanted to develop his carpentry business and so any additional funds will help to progress this through the purchase of suitable and adaptable workspace and tools, whilst adding the peace of mind that any adaptations to their living space can be more easily achieved.
Gwil’s instagram is @cabinetsavvy - Give it a follow to see how he progresses in the coming years.
Update from Rory, Dom and Jevon
Co-organizers4
Jevon Hughes
Organizer
Kirsty Morris
Beneficiary
Rory Bennett
Co-organizer
Dominic Garman
Co-organizer