Articles written by Mark Borland
When Max Burt, 45, received massive head injuries after a freak collision with an out-of-control fire engine 10 years ago, he was left paralysed on his left side and a permanent wheelchair user. The head injury also left him deaf in one ear, with uncontrollable tremors, and severe sight and speech impairments.
Since his accident, Max has learned that, to achieve full inclusion of disabled people in society, 2 barriers need to be overcome: firstly, physical, and secondly, the barriers in peoples’ minds. This has led Max to become involved with many disability-related organisations, in an attempt to overcome real obstacles and prejudices.
Max’s fitness regime (using a reclining exercise cycle) led him to the idea of the Everything Is Possible In …
Read all of SEVERELY DISABLED MAN SETS OFF ON MARATHON 714 MILE CYCLE JOURNEY FROM ABERDEEN TO LONDON, SHOWING THE PUBLIC THAT ‘EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE’
Pablo is 10 years old and lives with his parents and two younger brothers in north-west London. He attends a local school and goes swimming once a week at the local leisure centre.
Pablo was clinically diagnosed with infantile epilepsy at an early age and this has led to his severe developmental delay. He is unable to weight bear or walk without specialist equipment or assistance and because he has no speech, he communicates by making noises, eye pointing and touch. Pablo is also prone to frequent and repeated infections due to a blood disorder.
To enable Pablo and his family to go out more and access parks and …
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Amelia is 4 years old and lives in the centre of Exeter. She really loves arts and 
crafts, playing with her friends, horse riding and making people laugh.
In 2007 Amelia was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II. This neuromuscular condition affects people in different ways. Amelia was able to walk on her own until she was 18 months old, when her condition deteriorated and she now needs a wheelchair to move around independently.
In June 2009 Amelia was given her ‘Koala’ Permobil powered wheelchair, through the support of The Priority Trust. As soon as she received the chair, she worked out the controls and just got on with using …
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In March 2009 The Priority Trust made a grant of £30,596 to provide mobility equipment to seven children as requested by Newlife Foundation. As of the 15 September 2009 is that all equipment has been delivered. Priority and Newlife are working together to develop feedback on the impact the equipment is having on the children’s lives and this has been received from six of the seven families involved. More updates will follow as information is received, but here are the stories so far:
Imaan is 5 year old girl living in the west of England who has a diagnosis of global developmental delay, microcephaly and epilepsy. She has profound learning disabilities and is unable to communicate verbally. She has disturbed sleep …
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Keira, a three-year old girl has recently been provided with her first powerchair, with the help of Priority. The SnapDragon powerchair, made with her specific requirements in mind will help her develop and be as independent as possible.
In September 2008, when the Occupational Therapist from Dragonmobility first met Keira at the request of Keira’s OT, she was shy, withdrawn and clinging. She had undergone a lot of medical interventions in her short life, and at the age of 2 had a natural tendency to cry and ask for cuddles when presented with anything new.
Keira has an undiagnosed neuromuscular condition which causes severe weakness, particularly in …
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We are delighted to announce that Priority has funded wheelchairs, buggies and trikes for another ten disabled children. This equipment will make a huge difference to these young people and give them the independence to develop and achieve their potential. The £25,750 grant means that Priority has made grants of £84,500 to fund mobility equipment for 20 children in our first year.
*All names have been changed to protect the individuals concerned
We will be following the progress these children as they receive their equipment and start to enjoy the freedom and change it will bringto their lives.
Once again Priority would like to thank all those who have generously supported our work as we look forward to funding more equipment going forward.
From the very start, the key to Priority’s success was developing a network of influential supporters to help us grow. We started with some of Kieran’s contacts and asked them to help us broaden our support.
To recognise this invaluable support and demonstrate the success we have had in attracting some of the best people in business we have formed the Priority Advisory Board. By joining, the members of this board are demonstrating their implicit support for the cause and the efforts of the trust and will help us to secure wider interest.
Priority is delighted to welcome David Blood, Max Burt, Glenn Earle, Stanley Fink, Stephen Holowesko, Peter Sutherland, John Thornton and Peter Weinberg as founder members of the Priority Advisory …
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The idea behind Priority was to use Kieran Prior’s experience of pushing boundaries as the inspiration to raise funds and provide more disabled children with the right mobility equipment. We set out to build a group of supporters from the banking and business world who could help make a real change.
We were both aware of the lack of funding for the right wheelchairs that give disabled children their independence (see Why Priority). Priority evolved to provide a simple and effective way of bringing new funding to this issue and 18 months later we’ve funded equipment for 22 children.
So why the Priority Blog?
Well if Kieran’s experience is our inspiration, …
Read all of Why have a Priority Blog?
Do you have an experience of disability that you’d like to share? If so, please leave us a comment in the box below. We’d love to hear from you!
The Priority Trust has made its first grant of £52,750 to fund mobility equipment for the nine physically disabled children listed below. Over the coming months the children and young people will receive equipment that specifically meets their everyday needs and will give them greater freedom and independence.
This is a huge milestone for Priority that we intend to build on, supporting more disabled children as effectively as we can. The grant of £52,750 has been made to Whizz-Kidz with whom we are working in partnership and all the funds will be spent on the mobility equipment.
*All names have been changed to protect the individuals concerned
We will be keeping in touch with Whizz-Kidz to track progress with the delivery of the …
Read all of Priority’s first grant funds nine disabled children
