SNN_December_2023

December 2023 

Volume 26 / Issue 3 

Te Tarahiti Manaaki Tuanui 

SNNSpinal Network News 

JAYDEN GLENTWORTH— 

FLYING HIGH ON 

THE SLOPES 

BRENDON VERCOE— 

PUTTING HIS BODY 

ON THE LINE 

HENRY AND TERRY— 

THE IMPACT OF PEER 

AND WHĀNAU SUPPORT 

Sir Tim Wallis 

We pay tribute to the legend 

with those who knew him well

NEW ZEALAND SPINAL TRUST 2 

Contents 

3 

Editorial 

Recognising those in the background 

26 

Jayden's Story 

Adrenaline junkie targets Paralympics 

5 

Supporting Positive Futures 

Hans Wouters—CEO NZ Spinal Trust 

29 

Anyone Want to Travel? 

Hamish Ramsden’s column 

7 

A Tribute to Tim 

We pay tribute to the legend—Sir Tim Wallis 

31 

Library 

New additions 

14 

What Brendon Did 

Putting his body on the line 

32 

Accessible Road Trip 

Waikato to the Bay of Plenty 

18 

Henry and Terry 

The impact of Peer and Whānau Support 

34 

Highlands Motorsport 

Melrose sponsors the thrill of going fast 

23 

Charly the Campervan 

NZ's first rentable accessible motorhome 

35 

Funders and Sponsors 

EDITORIAL TEAM 

Peter Thornton (Editor) 

Bernadette Cassidy 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

In volume 26 no. 2 August issue, we apologise for omitting Jess Vallance’s name 

as a contributing writer. This has been rectified in the online version. 

Peter Thornton 

Dr Bernadette Cassidy 

Hamish Ramsden 

Su Marshall 

Hans Wouters 

Ben Lucas 

Barry Cardno 

Jim Jerram 

Anne Sinnott Jerram 

Christine Gold 

Brett Ladbrook 

Hans Wouters 

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING 

FOR IMAGES IN THIS MAGAZINE 

Su Marshall 

Su Marshall 

Barry Cardno 

Anne Sinnott Jerram 

Hamish Ramsden 

John Davidson 

Jayden Glentworth 

Jeremy Brick 

Graeme Brown 

Catwalk Research Trust 

Ross Mackay 

(Snow Sports NZ) 

Hans Wouters 

Patron of the New Zealand 

Spinal Trust Trevor Harrison. 

SPINAL NETWORK NEWS is 

published by the NZ Spinal Trust 

Send your contributions to: 

The Editor SPINAL NETWORK NEWS 

c/- New Zealand Spinal Trust, Private 

Bag 4708, Christchurch 8140 

Tel: (03) 383 9484 

Email: 

peter.thornton@nzspinaltrust.org.nz 

Web: 

www.nzspinaltrust.org.nz 

Copy Proofing: Bernadette Cassidy 

and Su Marshall. 

Cover Photo: With a legend—Hans 

Wouters with former patron of the NZ 

Spinal Trust, Sir Tim Wallis. 

Disclaimer: The views expressed 

in SPINAL NETWORK NEWS are 

those of its contributors. They do not 

necessarily represent the opinion 

of the members of the Editorial 

Committee or the policies of the New 

Zealand Spinal Trust.

SPINAL NETWORK NEWS 3 

Recognising Those 

in the Background 

Peter Thornton 

Editorial 

A LIFETIME OF LAUGHTER AND HAPPINESS—Back to where it all began. 

It’s been 10 years since Katie and I got 

married and it feels like a lifetime ago. 

I can still remember the day I proposed. We had a 

weekend away at our bach in Pauanui and I had a 

cunning plan, sure that she had no idea. Turns out, like 

most women, Katie knew exactly what was going on and 

just went along with it. 

Earlier in the day, I stashed a bottle with a message in it, 

amongst the rocks on the southern end of Pauanui Beach. 

We went out for an afternoon walk and—just so 

happened—came across the bottle. 

Inside was two pages of photocopied versions of all of the 

receipts, movie stubs, big trips, the receipt from buying 

our first home, and everything in between, from our first 

date to present day. I’m not much of a romantic but it 

wasn’t a bad effort. 

As Katie turned around, I was down on one knee, and 

asked her to marry me. I promised her a lifetime of 

laugher and happiness. She said yes and it was the best 

decision I ever made. 

We had a photo album from our wedding made in the 

States, and it came back with ‘A lifetime of laugher and 

happiness’ which wasn’t ideal but we got it for free. I 

always smile at the title when we get out the album to 

walk down memory lane. 

—Peter Thornton 

I’m not much of a romantic 

but it wasn’t a bad effort. 

I’d like to say that I’ve delivered 'a lifetime of laughter and 

happiness' everyday since those rose-tinted days of 

freedom and fun. I haven’t. But I have done my best and 

most of the time, I’ve kept my promise. 

Fast forward the clock 10 years and life is so different. We 

now have three rowdy kids and there isn’t a dull moment. 

Back then we could do whatever we wanted. Games of golf 

with the lads, evenings out with mates, get aways for the 

weekend, everything was just so easy. Then kids came 

along. No one tells you how hard it is going to be. 

Being a parent is both the most challenging and 

rewarding role you will ever have. Charlie (7), Georgia (5) 

and Toby (2) are awesome kids and I love seeing them 

grow every day. You don’t fully appreciate the term of 

being selfless until you have children. Everything 

revolves around them and you continually put them 

first to make life work. I never hesitate in putting my 

family first.


I have met some 

amazing people in 

these past eight years. 

—Peter Thornton 

As I reflect on my 10 years of marriage, and almost eight 

years of being a Dad, I am appreciative (again) of what 

my parents have done for me. It’s a debt I will never be 

able to repay. 

Throughout this period, I have also been the editor of this 

great magazine, the Spinal Network News. I still love this 

role as much today as the day I started when we put our 

first magazine to bed. It’s a publication that has the power 

to change lives. The best thing about this role is always 

the people I meet. I love connecting with people and every 

time someone welcomes me into their home for a cuppa 

and a yarn about their story, that is a privilege I never take 

for granted. 

I have met some amazing people in these past eight years 

who have in their own right been selfless in sharing their 

story. They have decided to put themselves out there, in 

the spotlight, to help others. That always amazes me. But 

the biggest praise in this magazine I reserve for those in 

the background. 

We believe that when a person sustains a spinal cord 

impairment it is a life changing moment for the person but 

also their whānau, their friends, their work colleagues, the 

team-mates, and in some cases the community around 

them. It is a challenging road on so many levels. We believe 

that there are approximately 5,000 New Zealanders living 

with spinal cord impairments. 

Around 220 people sustain a permanent spinal cord 

impairment in New Zealand every year and 

approximately two thirds of these are accidents and one 

third are health-related. Of course, for the person who has 

the spinal cord impairment, the sudden change of reality 

in many cases is a hard one to get their head around. 

They go from living a full life, doing all of the things they 

love, to a scary and unfamiliar reality in the Spinal Unit. 

The process of accepting and moving forward takes time. 

But the family and partners are grieving too. All of the 

hopes, dreams and ambitions that their family member 

had, their whānau and partner shared them too. It’s not 

easy but they need to be upbeat, positive and encouraging 

at a time when their heart may be broken and they are 

fearful about the future. 

Peer and Whānau Support is not just about supporting an 

individual who has sustained a spinal cord impairment. It 

is supporting everyone who has been directly affected by 

that incident. 

As Mark Glentworth—the father of Jayden Glentworth 

who broke his back at the age of 15 in a mountain-biking 

crash—says: my main advice is to accept the help that is 

NOW AND THEN—10 years of marriage with Katie has 

seen a lot of change. We have learnt how to be selfless. 

on offer. “You can’t do this on your own,” he says. “It’s an 

injury that is so far-reaching, it affects everything. It 

affects everything from your emotions to practical things 

like house modifications. You have just to accept the 

advice and the help that is available.” 

I encourage you if you are caring for a person with a 

spinal cord impairment and you feel alone, reach out. 

There are many others going through exactly what you 

are, and as they say a problem shared is a problem halved. 

Supporting whānau and the people we love is just what we 

do. But there are many moments when it’s not easy. There 

are countless hours when you put your person first. An 

unlimited amount of sacrifice that you never gave a 

second thought. Their siblings or the rest of your family 

you need to consider, and think about their needs. 

Many parents have told me that one of the hardest things 

in this situation is the letting go. Your first instinct as a 

parent is that you want to be there 24/7, and support them 

through everything that comes their way. But the person 

also has to find their own confidence and acceptance with 

their situation. They need to find their own approach, 

attitude and future in their new life. The support crew 

seldom get the thanks or credit they deserve, and they 

seldom do it for that gratitude. 

So, if you are out there living with a spinal cord 

impairment, stop for a moment to say thanks to the people 

around you who help you every day live the life you lead. 

We have some amazing people in our community who 

treat their team with huge respect and humility. 

If you are out there and have committed your life to 

supporting a loved one, thanks. Thanks for being the rock 

that so many people in your life lean on. Thanks for 

showing your family and friends a relentless example that 

you don’t give up in life, and there is always hope. Thanks 

for being positive and patient, and just being there in the 

good times and the bad. Thanks for being a good human 

being. Thanks for helping your people find a new life that 

is full of laughter and happiness.


Supporting 

Positive Futures 

Hans Wouters 

CEO’s Column 

SPECIAL MEMORIES—The NZ Spinal Trust team spending time with Sir Tim Wallis on the Tour of New Zealand. 

A couple of months ago I celebrated seven 

years at the helm of this amazing 

organisation that I have the great fortune of 

leading. When Andrew Hall as Board Chair 

asked me to be CEO all those years ago, I 

turned him down instantly. 

Andrew is a tetra and has been CEO and Ben Lucas, a 

para, followed him as CEO. I have no spinal cord 

impairment (SCI) so it was a pretty simple ‘no’ from me. 

However, as I pondered and prayed, I came to the 

realisation I did not need an SCI to lead the team. And 

what a team it is! We have enjoyed introducing many of 

them to you over recent editions and will continue to do 

so. In my seven years I have met Prime Ministers, many 

other ministers of the crown, inspirational individuals 

and organisations too many to mention and I have many, 

many highlights. One such highlight was the opportunity 

to meet Sir Tim Wallis on numerous occasions. 

Much has been said in books, documentaries and more 

recently the media about the life and times of our patron 

Sir Tim Wallis or Tim as he preferred. The tributes 

followed a peaceful death in his sleep at home surrounded 

by family on October 17, 2023, aged 85. 

In this very special edition, we focus on the impact Tim 

had on the New Zealand Spinal Trust and the community 

we serve. Tim’s motto, "never let what you can’t do stop 

—Hans Wouters, CEO NZ Spinal Trust. 

Tim was truly a remarkable 

man... He made an enormous 

contribution to the wider 

spinal community. 

you from doing what you can do" is one that resonates so 

powerfully for us and I’m very grateful to the following 

contributors to this piece as we remember our patron and 

his family: past NZST CEO Ben Lucas; Paraplegic Aviator 

Barry Cardno; Jim Jerram and Anne Sinnott Jerram; and 

Mr Allan Bean, a former orthopaedic surgeon in the 

Burwood Spinal Unit. 

The sincerest condolences of the Staff and Trustees of NZ 

Spinal Trust and also The Burwood Spinal Unit go to Prue, 

Lady Wallis and their sons Jonathan and Toby and families. 

Tim was truly a remarkable man in his personal 

endeavours and has made an enormous contribution to 

the wider spinal community. He is an important part of 

our NZST history, will be missed and long remembered, 

and we will be forever grateful to the Wallis family.


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“It's Just Tim” 

That was one of Sir Tim Wallis’ catchphrases—he was uncomfortable 

with being called Sir Tim. It was a fitting moniker after all he did in his 

career and for others. In this issue we say thanks to the man who 

touched many people in his life. 

HAPPY TIMES—Dr Jim Jerram and his wife Dr Anne Sinnott spending some quality time with Sir Tim Wallis. 

Adventurer. Aviator. Entrepreneur. Philanthropist. Family man. Legend. 

Sir Tim Wallis—the late Patron of the NZ 

Spinal Trust—died in October at the age of 

85. He died peacefully at his home 

surrounded by his family. Sir Tim leaves 

behind an incredible legacy. We pay tribute 

to the great man in this SNN by hearing some 

stories from those who knew him best. 

Dr Anne Sinnott and Dr Jim Jerram 

Tim Wallis appeared in my life in 1967 when I was 15. My 

father had become the Wanaka doctor and I was home for 

the holidays when Tim, visiting, offered me a ride to 

Queenstown in his helicopter—my first, but not last, 

experience of his legendary generosity. It was this that 

sparked my own lifelong involvement in aviation. Three 

years later, with my freshly earned PPL, a call came from 

Tim out of the blue—would I take his Cessna 182 to Mosgiel


for maintenance the next day? Would I what!! Such was the 

thoughtfulness and kindness of a man who dispensed his 

largesse to many across many spheres of life. 

You see when Tim married Prue, the connection grew 

further for I had grown up with the Hazledines in Dunedin. 

Decades later, in the new millennium, Annie and I, and 

brother-in-law Jeff Sinnott, pioneered Ostler, a wine 

business in the Waitaki valley, North Otago. In this sparsely 

populated region vineyard labour was hard to come by. So, 

friends and family were inveigled into grape harvest, an 

unsustainable model. In 2009 we turned the volunteer 

army into fundraisers for the NZ Spinal Trust and for nine 

years donated to this worthy cause on the basis of the hard 

labour so willingly provided. It wasn’t long before Tim, 

Patron of the Spinal Trust, heard about this and 15 years 

after his last accident, turned up himself to help. 

I believe it was over five harvests that Tim came for a 

day’s work, and usually stayed the night where he 

thoroughly enjoyed the company of the various NZST 

staff around the dinner table. Sometimes he was with one 

of his nurses, sometimes with Prue. 

Regardless, Tim would arrive, stand out of the side of the 

car, empty his leg bag, then settle into his wheelchair and 

get straight into snipping grapes. At lunch his 

motivational speeches were delivered in his inimitable 

style! It made it easy to ask for vineyard volunteers with 

Sir Tim’s involvement. 

Tim and Prue’s influence in my life has been profound. In 

fact, Prue had given Annie the third degree in the early 

stages of our romance when invited to join Prue for coffee 

after one of Tim’s early morning swim sessions. At the 

time Anne was working with Alan Clarke up at the BSU 

— Jim Jerram 

Tim and Prue’s influence in 

my life has been profound. 

and, in midst of her Masters thesis project concerned with 

shoulder problems and wheelchair use, had undertaken a 

locum holiday job during the summer of 1996. A relevant 

topic for Tim as it turned out, but our budding romance 

was of far greater interest to Prue! 

Regardless the connection to the Spinal Trust was 

fortified and once again Tim and Prue’s generosity and 

hospitality was front and centre. At the opening of the 

Allan Bean Centre (ABC) we recall Tim’s clear directive to 

Alan Clarke to specifically name the research office for 

him, no doubt linked to a most generous donation. He 

said rather loudly, “That can be your office Annie”. 

We can only imagine how many, literally, thousands of 

people around the world were at one time or another in a 

similar situation and can say the same of Tim’s vision. His 

positivity was infectious; he was indeed the greatest 

motivator and inspiration to so many. Our visits to 

Wanaka always included his expansive reflections on the 

important work of the NZST, in particular the Connecting 

People (Peer and Whānau Support) programme which 

Tim saw as a no brainer. Tim knew firsthand the 

importance of support, support and support. Arohanui 

dear generous man and thank you. 

MILESTONE—Sir Tim and investigative journalist Melanie Reid at his book launch in front of his cherished Mk XVI Spitfire.


HAPPY PLACE—Sir Tim Wallis and friends at Big Bay, South Westland, enroute to Wanaka after a fishing trip to Fiordland in his Hughes 500D, registered HOT. 

Barry Cardno, paraplegic pilot 

Easter 1995, at a Hamilton Airshow I saw Tim who I 

knew was a partial paraplegic (from a helicopter crash 

in 1968) and legendary aviator, standing by his historic 

Mk XVI Spitfire. 

I wandered over to introduce myself. This proved ironic, 

as about two weeks later I crashed my Fletcher 

topdressing plane, broke my back, and have lived with 

paraplegia ever since. 

Sir Tim, or just Tim as he preferred to be called, and a pilot 

uncle had been idols of mine as a kid in Wanaka in the 1970s. 

Although we moved away before I started school, Wanaka 

remained a place of frequent holidays, sometimes staying 

with my relatives. Across the paddock from their place 

lived Tim and Prue Wallis and their four boys. Tim had a 

hangar at home, and I can remember seeing Tim land his 

Hughes 500D helicopter, registered Hotel-Oscar-Tango 

(HOT), running across the paddock with a cousin to get a 

closer look. 

Such was the impression these men made on me, in 1991 

I left school early to get a job to fund flight training. 

Fully licenced in 1992, one time in 1993 I landed a friend’s 

vintage Auster on the beach at Big Bay, South Westland. 

With me was a cousin from yesteryear in Wanaka. Peering to 

the south we could hear then see a fast-flying Hughes 500D 

approach at low level, buzz us and land in the scrub just 

beyond the beach. Seeing its registration, HOT, we knew 

immediately it was Tim Wallis, and much like years earlier 

in Wanaka, we sprinted up for a closer look and to say hi. 

In 1994 I obtained a Commercial Pilot Licence and began 

work as a topdressing pilot. Alas, I would crash the 

following year and bust my back. 

Sir Tim had been an 

idol of mine as a kid in 

Wanaka in the 1970s. 

—Barry Cardno 

When at the Burwood Spinal Unit, one day I got a letter 

from Tim. I was excited and couldn’t believe this 

larger-than-life character had taken the time to write to 

me. Later, he would tell me he remembered meeting me at 

the Hamilton Airshow. He wrote ‘Sorry to hear that you 

had a bad crash a few weeks ago… I hope you are getting 

some feeling and movement back in your legs… It took 

over a month before I could wiggle one toe. Luckily I 

improved enough to build on strengthening what I had 

left in order to lead the relatively active life I now lead— 

and of course go back to flying.’ He said that he’d call in 

when he was next in Christchurch. 

Which he did, but that day I was out of the Spinal Unit for 

the first time. He left a note on my bed, and would write 

again. One letter, this self-styled ‘relatively active’ man 

had just returned from a two-month trip abroad and was 

now heading to Korea and Russia. He invited me to visit 

him when I got out of Burwood. I did. 

But on 2 January 1996, Tim crashed his Mk XIV Spitfire on 

take-off at Wanaka Airport and suffered a severe brain 

injury which would ground him for life and end the 

hurricane-like pace he lived. In 1998 and 1999 I worked 

alongside Tim to archive his photographic collection.


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LEGEND—Sir Tim Wallis always had time 

for people—here he is with Barry Cardno. 

In 2005, Hurricane Tim, the biography on Sir Tim Wallis 

was published. In 2009, my autobiography, Let Fly! was 

published. Tim wrote the foreword for my book. 

At the funeral, son Jonathan spoke of the motto his father 

lived by—“Never let what you can’t do stop you from 

doing what you can do.” 

Indeed, Timothy William Wallis was a quintessential 

example of someone who never let what he could not do, 

stop him from doing what he could do. 

Ben Lucas, former NZST CEO 

As I write this, I have just had the honour and privilege of 

attending the funeral celebration for Sir Tim Wallis— 

better known as just Tim. Those two words—‘honour’ and 

‘privilege’ sums up everything about Tim and my 

relationship with Tim and Prue. It was a celebration. A 

celebration of a life that had so much packed into it. The 

life of a pioneer. The life of an adventurer. The life of an 

entrepreneur. The life of a family man. 

Tim broke ground on so many projects, but is best known 

for helicopters, all things deer and his passion for classic 

aircraft. He was also a pioneer in the sense of his spinal 

cord injury, having broken his back in 1968. This was a 

time where big spinal cord injury advancements were still 

being made. This spinal injury meant nothing to Tim. He 

just got on with it, embodying everything the later formed 

NZ Spinal Trust stood for, and stands for to this day. 

Tim was told he’d never fly again, but he worked it out and 

convinced the CAA to give him back his rating. One of 

Tim’s mantras was, “Don’t let what you can’t do stand in 

the way of the things you can do”. This summed up his 

life after his injury. 

He continued to think up new projects and see them 

through to fruition. These projects were often in 

—Barry Cardno 

Timothy William Wallis was 

a quintessential example of 

someone who never let what 

he could not do, stop him from 

doing what he could do. 

challenging situations including Siberia, Russia, and the 

wilds of Fiordland. He did this all with a spinal injury—all 

without a thought to the challenges that we know his 

spinal injury would have presented. 

I only knew Tim after his 1996 Spitfire crash which left 

him with a significant brain injury. Again, he was 

presented with one of his most significant challenges. Yet 

another he overcame. 

Tim and Prue came into my life when I became Chief 

Executive of the NZST in 2011. I knew as soon as I met Tim 

and Prue that they were both exceptional people. Tim 

always had a big smile and expounded the wonderful 

work the NZST does to anyone and everyone who would 

listen. That smile was ever present in all the photos that 

were on display at his funeral. 

Tim’s presence was immense, and to me, his head injury 

may have slowed him down a bit but his spark and zest for 

life burned like a furnace within him. I loved his 

perpetual positivity—he was one of those people who, 

after you’d been with him, you left feeling just that little 

bit better. Every time.


SPECIAL DAY—One last flight in HOT. 

I recall having a long conversation with Tim one day. His 

recall of his life was exceptional, and having read his 

book, Hurricane Tim—which I highly recommend (and is 

available through the NZST Library), we had a wonderful 

conversation about his past achievements and his life. 

Again, his recall was immense. One particular part of the 

conversation was about his several chopper crashes. He 

held my eye with a steely glare for a moment, and with a 

twinkle in his eye, said something along the lines that “… 

of course the authorities regard any damage to the 

undercarriage a crash”. Yet something else that defined 

Tim’s character. 

“Active body, active mind” was another of his mantras. It 

was a mantra that obviously served him well. He had a 

punishing exercise regime every day with his swimming, 

rowing machine and gym work. It kept him young, 

spritely and in good health. 

Time was an avid support of the NZST. Every time I had 

the pleasure of spending time with him, he would always 

and without fail, speak of the NZST and the wonderful 

work everyone involved did for the Trust and for spinal 

cord impairment. 

Tim was a family man. I would often catch up with him at 

Lake Ruataniwha at rowing regattas. Tim’s twin 

granddaughters rowed and were powerhouses in their 

age-group. Tim knew everything about them in relation 

to their results and standings. His pride blazed like a 

beacon from him. 

Prue is just as amazing and was his rock. It was with Prue 

that, as CEO of the NZST, I discussed the support that she 

and Tim gave the Trust. There were countless fundraisers 

where Prue would organise Wanaka and Central Otago 

‘Honour’ and ‘privilege’ 

sums up everything about 

Tim and my relationship 

with Tim and Prue. 

—Ben Lucas 

‘experiences’ for us to auction at events. It would be an 

interesting exercise to total how much Tim and Prue have 

raised for the Trust. It was a big job to coordinate these 

experiences and the Trust is eternally grateful for the 

support of the Wallis family. 

At Tim’s funeral celebration, I met a couple of wheelies 

from Wanaka. They both said that Tim reached out to 

them after they were discharged from the Spinal Unit back 

to Wanaka. Both said he had a big impact on their recovery 

and adjustment to their new life. If you ever met Tim, you’d 

know how profound his influence on your life was going to 

be. I met him 22 years into my spinal journey, and he had a 

big impact for me then and still does to this day. 

It gave me solace when I heard of his passing, that he left 

us due to old age and on his terms. Tim lived such a 

high-risk life with his amazing adventures including 

being basically run out of Russia by the mafia, and his 

several plane and chopper ‘crashes’. 

For Tim to die peacefully with his family close 

by and a helicopter on his front lawn was fitting for such


Tim was the embodiment 

of living life to the full, 

no matter what. 

—Ben Lucas 

an incredible man. To have played such a small part in his 

life was an honour and a privilege. For Tim to have had 

such a huge impact on my life was also an honour 

and a privilege. 

Mr Allan Bean, former orthopaedic surgeon in the 

Burwood Spinal Unit 

I didn’t know Tim personally, but I remember him fondly 

when he was a patient in the Burwood Spinal Unit. 

Whenever Tim visited the unit he would be treated with 

awe and respect by staff and patients. His determination 

to overcome his disability was inspiring. 

While in the spinal unit Tim continued to run his deer 

business from his bedside using a radio/telephone set. He 

was supported by the director of the spinal unit at the 

time, Bill Utley. I remember Tim arriving by helicopter 

one day, he parked on the lawn near the spinal unit and 

went directly to Bill Utley’s office. 

PROUD—Former NZST CEO Ben Lucas said that Sir Tim Wallis 

and Lady Prue made a big impact on his life. 

Another memory is when Tim flew his Spitfire around the 

spinal unit, it was a great display watched with interest by 

patients and staff. However he got into trouble with Civil 

Aviation Authority (CAA) for flying below 500 feet! 

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An Incredible Journey 

Brendon Vercoe, a former physio at the Burwood Spinal Unit, put his body 

on the line in November to raise money and awareness for the NZST. 

SACRIFICE—Brendon Vercoe and his wife Nicole, and their kids (from left to right)—Finn (4), Harriet (6), and Ollie (2). Credit: John Davidson. 

For over 10 years Brendon Vercoe was a 

physiotherapist at the Burwood Spinal Unit in 

Christchurch. He played a key role in the 

recovery of New Zealanders after they 

sustained a spinal cord impairment. In 

November, Brendon attempted to ride the 

length of Aotearoa, from Cape Reinga to Bluff. 

Brendon Vercoe says it was hard to put into words how he 

was feeling as he came up short of his goal of completing 

the Cape2Bluff ride in world-record time. 

The 37-year-old physiotherapist from Christchurch was 

taking on the 2100km ride to make a difference. 

He was making incredible progress and was ahead of time 

to break the record for the marathon ride when he tested 

positive for COVID-19 near Kaikoura on the afternoon of 

Sunday 19 November. 

The father-of-three had been feeling unwell since 

Saturday morning and was dreading that it might be 

To say I am gutted is 

an understatement. 

—Brendon Vercoe 

COVID-19. Brendon had completed around 1240km of his 

ride and was on track when he began to deteriorate and 

made the difficult decision to stop. 

The former physio from the Burwood Spinal Unit had 

trained for months to be ready for this challenge. “To say I 

am gutted is an understatement,” he said from his 

support team’s van on the way home. “I have put in a huge 

amount of time and effort to be ready for this and we were 

tracking well. It was a great feeling to be in the South 

Island and on the home stretch, but I just got worse in 

terms of how I was feeling, and there was only one call I 

could make.


“I would have boxed on if it was just a head cold and a 

sore throat, but to know it was a risk to my long term 

health and the health of others with COVID-19, was a key 

factor in the decision.” 

Craig Harper remains the record holder for riding the 

length of Aotearoa. The Blenheim endurance athlete 

completed the feat in four days, nine hours and 45 

minutes in 2017. 

“It’s disappointing but, sometimes in life, there are things 

that are out of your control,” says Brendon. “When I have 

time to reflect on this, I’m sure I will look back with pride 

at what I managed to achieve over the two and a bit days 

and I am so grateful to everyone who has got behind this 

great cause.” 

A heart wrenching moment 

The NZ Spinal Trust CEO Hans Wouters was tracking his 

progress and says the news that Vercoe had to pull out 

was like a punch in the guts. “To have COVID-19 thwart 

his record attempt after a superhuman effort to ride from 

the Cape to the Capital without sleep is heart wrenching 

to say the least,” says Hans. 

Brendon was ahead of the world record when he rode into 

Wellington. He faced further adversity when low cloud 

scuppered his plans to helicopter across the Cook Strait. 

The Interislander got him on board at late notice to keep 

his chances of claiming the record alive. 

“We feel deeply for Brendon and his incredible support 

team who themselves have contributed immensely to the 

Cape2Bluff record attempt,” says Hans. 

—Hans Wouters 

Despite the unexpected end 

to this endeavour we are 

incredibly grateful to Brendon. 

“The comments on social media regarding the work of NZ 

Spinal Trust and the fundraising target being met has 

been humbling and despite the unexpected end to this 

endeavour we are incredibly grateful to Brendon, his 

family, the Cape2Bluff team, and the many supporters 

and donors.” 

Brendon began his incredible journey in fine conditions 

at Cape Reinga on 9am on Friday. He rode for 43 hours 

without sleep—all the way to Wellington—to put in a 

herculean effort and set up a chance at the record. 

As he rode down the country, the support for his effort 

grew. He achieved his fundraising target of $10,000 and 

at the time of going to print he has raised almost $22,000 

for the NZ Spinal Trust. 

“To everyone who has supported the NZ Spinal Trust 

through this fundraiser, I am hugely grateful,” says 

Brendon. “The support the NZ Spinal Trust give to people 

with spinal impairment and their whānau is simply 

incredible and something that they can’t do without.” 

PLANNING—A huge amount of thought and planning went into mapping out the Cape2Bluff. Credit: John Davidson.


GETTING READY—Brendon Vercoe and Hans Wouters out for a quiet ride ahead of the Cape2Bluff. Credit: John Davidson. 

Brendon was immensely grateful for the support from his 

family, friends, colleagues, and the public with a special 

mention to his support crew. 

“Your encouragement fuelled my determination, and 

your collective support will remain etched in my heart. 

Thank you for being the unwavering force that 

accompanied me, even when the road was cut short.” 

Inspired by the people he’s helped 

Over the past decade Brendon has been inspired by 

people who have sustained spinal cord impairments and 

never given up in their recovery. 

—Brendon Vercoe 

The blood, sweat and 

tears I put into this pale 

in comparison to the 

rehabilitation journey post 

spinal cord impairment. 

“This challenge was about seeing what grit and 

determination I have,” he says. “And the difference here, I 

guess, is that I've chosen this challenge, whereas those 

people that I worked with certainly didn't choose to be in 

that position.” 

He says the resilience these people have shown in the 

face of adversity gave him a sense of perspective. 

“When I was in those positions where I was hurting and 

it was so unbelievably hard, I drew upon that and 

reminded myself that there are others doing it much 

tougher than me.” 

Brendon has seen the work the NZ Spinal Trust does 

first-hand and says: “it's amazing”. Brendon wanted to 

highlight the need to support people living with a 

disability and the great work of the NZ Spinal Trust. 

“If I have helped people in our communities become 

aware of the help and support that is available to them, 

then it’s all worthwhile.” 

Unconditional support 

Brendon says the support and encouragement of his wife 

Nicole made the effort possible. “There was a significant 

amount of time away from the family training to make 

sure I was ready. 

COVID-19—The dreaded result that ruled out the Cape2Bluff.


“I have said to my wife this will be my last hurrah with 

this sort of sporting challenge, at least until the kids leave 

home. She knows how much biking means to me and that 

this has given me a sense of purpose, passion and drive. 

That’s something that you can’t do this without, that 

unconditional support.” 

Brendon admits it’s a challenge that took some time for 

him to get his head around. In his preparation he called 

upon the help of a sports psychologist. “I tried to prepare 

myself for the adversity I was going to face and the 

places that I had to go in my mind to overcome those 

challenges.” 

Back at home in Christchurch, Brendon says it will take 

some time for the drama of his Cape2Bluff effort to sink 

in. “The blood, sweat and tears I put into this pale in 

comparison to the rehabilitation journey post spinal 

cord impairment. 

“If there is one thing in common, it’s that there is no 

reward without hard work, and it’s not just about the 

outcome, but it’s also about the journey.” 

THE START LINE—Fine conditions at Cape Reinga on the first morning. 

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“The Phone Call that 

Changed My Life” 

We caught up with Peer Supporter Henry Matthews and his good 

mate Terry Fage to talk about how important it is to connect. 

GREAT MATES—Henry Matthews (left) and Terry Fage (right) share a friendship that is like a brotherhood. Credit: Graeme Brown. 

Over the past two years, the NZ Spinal Trust 

and Spinal Support NZ have been delivering 

the Peer and Whānau Support programme on a 

nationwide scale. The ACC-funded programme 

is making a huge difference. We caught up with 

Peer Supporter Henry Matthews and his good 

mate Terry Fage to talk about how important it 

is to look out for one another. 

When Terry Fage talks about what Henry Matthews’ 

friendship means to him Henry is very emotional. It’s a 

beautiful moment of raw feeling that captures and 

personifies the power of Peer and Whānau Support. 

Terry and Henry have become great mates and Terry says 

it’s not going too far to say the help that Henry has offered 

him has changed his life. 

It was so good to know 

that someone cared, and 

they were interested in 

how I was doing. 

—Terry Fage 

For five years (2018–2022), Terry, a 62-year-old tetraplegic, 

didn’t leave his home in Palmerston North. He was lonely 

and isolated. It was the darkest time in his life. “It was soul 

destroying,” he says. “I felt like I was on a treadmill, and I 

couldn’t get off. I wasn’t making any progress with the 

issues and pain I was having, and I felt completely alone.”


But Henry—a Peer and Whānau Support worker for the 

NZ Spinal Trust—didn’t give up on him. He called him 

every week to check in and just see how he was doing. The 

invite was always there for a coffee or a catch up, but Terry 

was never really interested. It was just too hard. Until one 

day he thought, why not? 

It was a moment that has changed his life and perspective. 

Now an independent life for Terry—which once seemed 

like an impossible dream—is within reach. 

The day they will never forget 

Henry became a tetraplegic when he was 18. He was 

injured diving into shallow water in Matauri Bay in 

Northland. He says that it took him two years to get used 

to his new life in the wheelchair. 

“It was so hard I didn’t really want to go outdoors,” he 

says. ”I just wanted to stay inside. The first couple of years 

I was in denial. Why me? I had a good job and I never 

thought it would happen to me.” 

Terry sustained his spinal cord impairment when he was 

27. He was a self-confessed motorhead and he was racing 

motorbikes. He came off his bike on a sweeping corner 

and another rider rode straight over the top of his head 

and broke his neck. 

“That was 35 years ago, and I can still remember it well,” 

he says. “I was totally exposed and unfortunately in the 

wrong place at the wrong time.” 

in a country like New Zealand where we have a scheme 

like ACC. I mean I cannot imagine my life today as a 

wheelie without their support,” he says. 

“I wouldn't be here if we didn’t have such a thing as ACC. I 

will never complain about everything they have given me 

because that support has always been there and helped 

me start again.” 

A lifelong friendship 

Henry and Terry both attended Otara Spinal Unit as they 

looked to rebuild their lives. They were there around the 

same time—the 1990s—but they never met. 

“I met Terry about 20 years ago through a friend of mine,” 

says Henry. “We hit it off straight away. We were always 

laughing when we were together. He’s a good man and it 

has been great to pick up where we left off.” 

“It was soul destroying”— 

Terry Fage on being away 

from social connection. 

Terry can remember his father and girlfriend running to 

his side as he lay prone on the track. “I said to her I 

couldn't feel anything. I was pretty scared by that as I 

knew what it meant. That was the day my life, as I knew it, 

changed forever.” 

The long road to recovery 

Terry says waking up in the Otara Spinal Unit was a hard 

reality to accept. His main memory was it was “bloody 

tough” and “a huge challenge mentally to get my head 

around my new reality”. 

Terry never gave up. He was going to the gym every day 

and working with the physiotherapists and support team. 

The progress was slow. He would tire easily and get 

frustrated. 

“There were days when it all felt too hard, but the team 

helped me a great deal and the people you meet along the 

way make a big difference. I have great memories of the 

banter—the laughs I would have with the other wheelies.” 

He says going home from the Otara Spinal Unit was a 

hugely challenging step. “I got quite institutionalised in 

the spinal unit as the support helped you so much but 

when you are on the outside you need to connect with 

others who are going through the same thing.” 

He says society has come a long way since those days and 

that is a good thing. “I found that people in general didn’t 

really know how to relate or communicate with a person 

in a wheelchair and that is hard to deal with.” 

Terry says the support of ACC has been a mainstay 

throughout his rehabilitation. “We are so fortunate to live 

BIG TEST—“It was one of the hardest things I have ever done.” Terry Fage 

says of his first venture out with Henry. Credit: Graeme Brown.


Terry says it made a huge difference that the person 

calling last year was someone he knew and respected. 

“Yeah, I would say that the call from Henry changed my 

life,” he says. “It was so good to know that someone cared, 

and they were interested in how I was doing.” 

Terry says the connection was everything to him and he 

appreciated his mate’s patience. “Henry knows that a 

journey with a spinal injury is complex and full of ups and 

downs,” he says.“He just let me make my own decisions 

about what I wanted to do and if I wanted to catch up for a 

coffee or whatever.” 

Problem after problem 

When he looks back now, Terry can’t believe he was at 

home for five years without social connection. Problems 

snowballed for him, and he could not get on top of some 

pressure injuries which were hugely debilitating. 

“I would have to spend a lot of time in bed and before I knew 

it was going from one problem to the next and time just 

went on,” he says. “As you get older you find you have more 

complications with your body and your body takes longer to 

heal which is a huge challenge and very frustrating.” 

Terry was living in constant pain. He was miserable. “I 

was basically depressed because I felt like there was 

nothing to really live for.” Terry says he would see his 

nurses and his carers on a daily basis but outside of that, 

his interactions with the outside world was zero. 

For around five months (2018–2019), Terry was in 

constant pain. He was admitted to St John of God for 

eight weeks, but he wasn’t making progress. “I was lucky 

that one of the surgeons looking after me in Palmerston 

North Hospital wrote to Dr Raj at the Burwood Spinal Unit 

with daily photos and it was he who arranged for me to 

have plastic surgery.” 

He was admitted to Burwood in an effort to get on top of 

his pressure injuries. The sores were on his left buttock, 

and they took a skin graft from his thigh to fix it. He was 

discharged to go home in December 2019. “There is a lot 

that they did for me and I’m forever grateful.” 

Meanwhile ACC announced they were investing into a 

two-year pilot for Peer and Whānau Support across 

Aotearoa. The Peer and Whānau programme extended 

across 18 regions from the far north (Whangārei) to the 

deep south (Invercargill). It included up to 50 community 

peer support staff employed on a casual basis. 

Be brave and step outside 

of your comfort zone. 

—Terry Fage 

HOPE—Terry’s eyes light up when he talks about getting behind the wheel of his new adapted van. He will be free. Credit: Graeme Brown.


He has put himself back 

into a scenario where 

good things can happen. 

—Henry Matthews 

The first venture out 

No one knows what that feels like more than Terry. He 

can still remember the first time he went out for a coffee 

at The Plaza, he was incredibly self-conscious. “It was 

uncomfortable,” he says. “It was one of the hardest things 

I have ever done. I felt like everyone was staring at me. I 

felt so different to everyone else.” 

Terry’s first venture out was during peak COVID-19 time 

in New Zealand. Everyone was wearing masks, but Terry 

couldn’t wear a mask because he has asthma, and it 

would affect his breathing.“It was intimidating… I felt like 

I was going to have a panic attack.” 

But Henry was there to support him through it, and they 

tried again. Now going out feels normal. He loves getting 

out into nature and feeling the sea breeze on his face. 

Henry is proud of his good mate. “He has put himself back 

into a scenario where good things can happen; a lot of 

beautiful stuff happens when you are brave. I can’t wait to 

see what is next.” 

Finding hope again 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE—Henry Matthews says the 

Peer and Whānau Support programme has made a big 

impact over the past two years. Credit: Graeme Brown. 

New Zealand Spinal Trust Chief Executive Hans Wouters 

labelled it the most significant support for the collective 

spinal cord-impaired community in New Zealand since 

ACC's inception in 1974. 

Henry was one of those and he began the process of 

contacting wheelies in the Manawatu region. “I didn’t 

want to give up on Terry. I knew that he had faced some 

challenges and been out of society for a while. It’s not easy 

to come back from some of those challenges.” 

From that first phone call last year, the two now have a 

friendship that is like a brotherhood. “He’s just an 

awesome mate,” says Terry. “There have been a few times 

when I have been caught short and I needed a lift to 

hospital appointments or whatever…. it’s late and Henry 

will drop everything to be there for me. I know that he has 

always got my back.” 

Henry says the investment into Peer and Whānau Support 

has made a big difference to the spinal injured 

community. “To know that there is a dedicated team of 

people who are there fulltime to check in on people and 

make sure they are doing ok. That’s a huge step—you 

don’t know how much you need that connection until you 

don’t have it.” 

When Terry is asked what it feels like to have hope again, he 

pauses for a moment. “It’s an incredible feeling now to have 

that independence back,” says Terry. “I do have hope again 

and it has taken me a long time to be able to say that.” 

Terry’s eyes light up when he talks about getting behind 

the wheel of his adapted van. “It has been a long time in 

the making and I will be happy to see that arrive. Then I 

will be off. It will be hard to get my head around having 

that sort of independence. I have a lot of people to thank 

for never giving up on me. My mum and Henry, their 

support has meant everything.” 

He has advice for others in the spinal cord impaired 

community who are feeling lonely and isolated. “Be brave 

and step outside of your comfort zone,” he says. “There is 

a big wide world out there and you don’t want to miss out 

on opportunities because you keep saying no and taking 

the easy option. Give things a go. You don’t know where 

that moment will lead. You realise life is short and you 

don’t have forever. 

“We are all going through the same stuff and that shared 

experience is so important to feeling like you are not 

alone. The help I have had from Peer Support has changed 

my life, so I encourage anyone who was in a place like me 

where they were struggling and couldn’t break the cycle, 

reach out for help. There are good people waiting to help 

and support you through that journey.”


Charly the Campervan 

New Zealand's first rentable wheelchair accessible motorhome has arrived. 

TOP QUALITY—Charly was 

built by the Director of ACM 

motor homes, Chris Cunard. 

New Zealand's first rentable wheelchair 

accessible motorhome has arrived. For all 

“wheelies” looking to stay some nights with 

friends, pop out to the country on a roadie or 

just plan your holiday as you go—Charly the 

accessible campervan makes it all possible. 

Designed and built by ACM motorhomes with the 

assistance of wheelies, Charly makes the accessible 

adventure all about the fun and not the logistics. 

Charly—which means “free man” or “valiant”—will 

give disabled New Zealanders a holiday option they 

never had before. We sat down with CatWalk Founder 

Catriona Williams to hear the backstory about how 

Charly was made. 

Tell us about where the idea of Charly came from? 

Pre-COVID-19, I proposed the idea to my husband Sam 

that we do a roadie and catch up with our friends. The 

idea was to drive a campervan. Having an accessible 

campervan meant we could stay with friends and not 

worry about what kind of accommodation they had, if 

they had steps into their house, so that we could all have a 

good time together. We would be able park up outside 

their front door wherever it is, in the middle of Auckland 

or Wanaka, it wouldn't matter. 

“The non-negotiable was 

that the wheelie got to 

travel in the front. 

—Catriona Williams 

But when we went online, there literally was not an 

accessible campervan in New Zealand. I thought this is 

ridiculous. I don't want to buy one. And I certainly don't 

want one for 52 weeks of the year. So how about we build 

one that's accessible for everybody? 

The non-negotiable was that the wheelie got to travel in the 

front. That was the one thing that I was not prepared to 

give up on because we get chucked in the back of taxis or in 

the boot of cars if you hire a taxi in Sydney! And when 

you're in a taxi van, you often can't see out the window 

because of the height of the wheelchair. So if you’re going 

to do a roadie, you want to be able to enjoy the view. 

I went to see a good friend of mine, Alyssa Wade—from 

Wade Equine Horse Trucks in Hamilton—we had ridden 

together many years ago. I told her about my proposal, 

and she said she would love to be a part of it. But then



It is a $450,000 vehicle, 

and it is pretty schmick—I 

make no apologies for that. 

COVID-19 hit and we spent lockdown doing a lot of 

research, gathering some intel from Tiff Perry and her 

husband, Chris, and also Craig Vincent, and other 

wheelies, just to get a perspective on the different levels of 

wheelies, and what they needed, bathroom layout, and 

those sorts of things. 

A friend who was visiting a yacht and campervan show in 

Auckland phoned me to say ‘Oh, my gosh there was the 

most beautiful, accessible campervan there’. I reached out 

and got in touch with the Director of ACM Motorhomes, 

Chris Cunard, to see if he wanted to be involved. 

He said, ‘I'd be delighted and I’ll build it for you’. So I 

phoned Alyssa back to tell her that Chris loved the 

proposal. She replied, “Oh, my goodness. We have got to 

go for it”. After a number of conversations Chris said it's 

going to cost between $350k to $400k and agreed to put in 

$50k of labour and time. 

It is a $450,000 vehicle, and it is pretty schmick—I make 

no apologies for that, because I think we're all short on 

holidays. When we do take one, we want it to be special. 

Between Chris Cunard, who is Auckland based, myself, 

and other wheelies, we've created a vehicle for all 

wheelies. People with cerebral palsy, MS, SCI, elderly… 

whatever the need, a big enough bathroom, and your 

wheelchair can be wheeled up front and tied down—like a 

wheelchair taxi. 

If you are a para and can transfer—or if you’re a tetra and 

can transfer—hand controls are available, able-bodied 

people will be able to drive it as well. 

The campervan has also got a couch and at the press of a 

button, it folds out into a ready-made bed. There are cool 

features throughout this van that people will really enjoy. 

It's still going to be the van that you need to travel with an 

able-bodied buddy, but it will be set up for wheelie needs 

rather than just able bodied needs. 

How does it work in terms of renting Charly? 

We're proud that Milner Mobility will manage the hiring 

of it. So, it can be hired from Auckland or from 

Christchurch, and that they will take 40 percent of the 

rental rate but the other 60 percent gets split between the 

CatWalk SCI Trust and NZ Spinal Trust. 

An important part of the story are the people who got it 

off the ground—our Awesome Foursome. I put a footnote 

in the CatWalk magazine—‘We are aiming to build a 

wheelie campervan, if you're interested in supporting, 

please get in touch’. 

The day that magazine was sent out I got a text from Scott 

Malcolm (Greenstone partners) who is the ex-Chair of 

CatWalk to say what do you need? I said, I'm looking for 

four people to put up $100,000. And he came straight 

back and he said you have your first $100k. So that was 

pretty exciting. So that was our first box ticked it also 

meant that I had to follow through and make this happen. 

Once we’d secured the first donor, I then had to find the 

other three. And it's not easy asking someone for 

$100,000. So for the next one, I was sitting in Australia at 

a horse-sale auction. And a man by the name of John 

Messara of Arrowfield Stud was at our table. 

I said, John, I need to talk to you. And I started my pitch 

on the campervan. And he said Catriona I am in. And I 

carried on with the pitch. I hadn’t heard him. He just said 

Catriona, I am in. I stopped and thought, ‘Oh my gosh we 

have just received a second $100,000. 

It was important that we got people that understood the 

why. When you're in a wheelchair, it's very easy to work, in 

the sense that you get behind a computer, pick up the 

phone, but it's hard to find the fun stuff. You can't go 

running on the beach and feel the sand between your 

toes. You can't reach down and pick a child up and give 

them a big squeeze. It all has to be managed and planned 

and logistics sorted. Even going on a holiday. 

That was the biggie for me. You even feel guilty because 

you're going on a holiday but somebody able-bodied has 

to spend a lot of time looking after you. You could book 

into a hotel, is the shower accessible and all those factors, 

it just makes planning a holiday easier. 

ACCESS—It's still going to be the van that you need to travel with 

an able-bodied buddy, but it will be set up for wheelie needs rather 

than just able-bodied needs. 

The third person that I talked to was Debbie Kepitis. I got 

to know her through the thoroughbred industry. Debbie is 

famous for racing a horse called Winx which is one of the


It was important that 

we got people that 

understood the why. 


each year, we'll be asking for applications to be sent to 

Milner Mobility. They'll be assessed by an independent 

panel of three who are anonymous, and they will select 

deserving people or families to use Charly for a week. 

INNOVATOR—Catriona Williams with Chris Cunard, 

the director of ACM Motorhomes. 

biggest earning racehorses in Australasian history. She 

came back within days and said yep, we're on board. 

And then the fourth and final donor. Our Managing Director 

Meg Spiers directed me towards the Hugo Foundation, 

after a lot of research, I sent Maryanne Green an email. 

They have an accessible house down in Wanaka called 

Hugo House, that they give to people who are in a 

wheelchair for their use. We will take advantage of that 

next year, Sam and I, with a couple of friends. I talk to 

Mary, and I just sit there, and I just can't believe that we 

haven't met before, I said ‘your mantra and your strategic 

plan is so in line with what we do, you know’. We tick a 

couple of boxes that they want to tick. Now we have the 

Awesome Foursome on board. 

Other people have contributed—Jean and Rob Johnston, 

who put in $10,000, and Jonathan Munz who put in 

$10,000 too. And that's just to help us with the 

finishing touches. 

There's been some pro bono, Featherlight hand pegs and 

things. HT systems have given us a hoist for people who 

can't do lifts or standing transfers. We have a clever hoist 

system that can be put in the shower and used if people 

need to take it with them. 

Also—we've created the Charly Voucher—this came from 

Maryanne. People who want to give to those that can't 

afford. The Charly Voucher has been set up so that 

anybody anywhere in the world can purchase five nights 

or more to use Charly. This is a lovely gift that people can 

give as an opportunity of a holiday in a campervan. To get 

Charly for two weeks or a month would be pretty cool. 

We're really hoping that Lions, Rotaries, fundraising 

groups, will support this and buy a Charly voucher to 

support someone in need. 

How did you set the rate? 

It was difficult. We want Charly to be as accessible as 

possible. But the reality is it is a $450,000 vehicle. And we 

have to put a value on it. I really hope people treat it as 

their own and look after it so that the next person gets to 

enjoy it as well. Because if it gets wrecked, it will need 

repairs. And that will mean someone misses out. 

I appreciate that accidents happen. But we want as many 

people as possible to enjoy Charly. And the reality is if 

they do, and it gets used, maybe we'll fund another one. 

We will wait for feedback. If people want something 

smaller and cheaper, that’s fine too. 

People have to realise there are other vans out there, that 

are not as schmick as this one that are getting rented for 

more than double the rent for the Charly. I realise it is a lot 

of money. The target to reach is 180 nights for the first year. 

And if it reaches more than that, that will be fantastic. 

More ways to enjoy Charly 

We also need to mention Sugar Design, Emma who has 

donated her time, and worked with me on all the 

presentations and the graphics to help with his project, 

What do wheelies do who can’t afford to hire 

the campervan? 

There are two ways. For the first three years each of our 

Awesome Foursome donors will donate a week to a person 

or a family that can't afford to rent Charly. In November 

Win One of Four Weeks 

Buy a Charly Voucher 

Charly will be available for hire from 25th January. 

For more information www.milnermobility.co.nz


The mobility vehicle experts. 

Sales 

Rentals 

Adaptions 

9 Pacific Rise, Mt Wellington, Auckland www.milnermobility.co.nz


Jayden’s Story 

Adrenaline junkie targets Paralympics after life-changing injury. 

GOOD TO BE AROUND—Through it all, Jayden has retained his 

sense of humour and love of extreme sports. Credit: Jeremy Brick. 

Speeding down mountains over snow or dirt 

has been a long-time passion for 19-year-old 

Para athlete Jayden Glentworth. 

He’s always led an active life and has been drawn to 

adrenaline-pumping sports from a young age. But it 

was just this type of activity that changed his life forever 

when a devastating accident sent it flying in an 

unexpected direction. 

Four years ago, Jayden was mountain biking with his 

mates in the Arapuke Forest outside Palmerston North 

when he crashed while attempting one of the most 

difficult jumps on the track, which he’d already completed 

with no problems three times that day. 

“I don't know what happened exactly,” he says. “I don't 

fully remember, but I ended up crashing. When I came to, 

I was curled up in a ball. It all just felt a bit wrong, so I lay 

back and had a breather.” 

His mates found him on the ground, unable to move or 

feel his legs. “I tried to move my legs and I couldn’t. My 

mates were asking me if I was all right and I remember 

saying, ‘Boys, I can’t feel my legs’.” 

—Jayden Glentworth 

I remember saying, 

‘Boys, I can’t feel my legs’. 

Jayden had sustained a T12 burst fracture in his spine. 

His Dad Mark was working when he received a phone call 

from Jayden’s phone. It was a paramedic who said there 

had been a crash, they had been called up there and the 

helicopter was enroute. “I have been in the NZ Police for 

30 years, so I am used to being involved in traumatic 

situations and I knew it was significant for him to be 

flown directly to Christchurch,” he says. 

His Mum Kathy didn’t want to believe what she was 

hearing. “There was a bit of denial for me,” she says. “I am 

quite an optimist so right from the start I was thinking 

that he would be fine. It’s been a hard ride that’s for sure.” 

Jayden was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital for 

emergency surgery, then transferred to Burwood Spinal


There’s always a light at 

the end of the tunnel. 

—Jayden Glentworth 

Unit where he spent the next three months in 

rehabilitation learning how to become mobile again. 

“The first few weeks were really hard,” he admits. “It was 

a challenge just getting up and out of bed, and my body 

was really sore. But the help of the team there was huge. 

“My occupational therapist and physio told me they’d 

seen plenty of cases like mine and they just wanted to get 

me moving and rehabilitated as best they could. They 

were so encouraging in my development.” 

Jayden’s parents have also been there for him every step 

of his journey. “They’re awesome supporters of mine and 

there’s no doubt that I couldn’t have done it without 

them,” he says. “They’ve kept me positive and to know 

they’re always there to chat about stuff has been huge.” 

Mark says every time they went into their son’s room over 

the three months he stayed at the Burwood Spinal Unit, 

they tried to be encouraging and positive. “There were 

times when that was quite difficult, but I think that it was 

really important just to let him know he wasn’t on his own.” 

When he was in Burwood, Jayden had plenty of time to 

think. He wrote down the goal of walking out of the hospital 

but unfortunately that became “a bit unreachable”. 

“It was good for me to think that way anyway for added 

motivation,” he says. “Another goal was to be nice and 

competent getting around in my wheelchair. I wrote down 

the goal to leave Burwood in a positive mental state and a 

good physical state, and I felt like I achieved that.” 

Through it all, Jayden has retained his sense of humour 

and love of extreme sports. With the help of ACC, Jayden 

was able to access those physios and occupational 

therapists, as well as having his car fitted out with hand 

controls so he could get his licence and be self-reliant. 

With an electric trike, he’s able to race around the 

mountain bike tracks of Wanaka where he’s now based. 

He’s also taken up sit-skiing and trains with the Cardrona 

Alpine Para Race Team in the hope of one day making it 

to the Paralympics. 

In the meantime, he’s happy to enjoy the snow and simply 

have fun while training. “It’s incredibly freeing,” he says. 

“I can ski just as well and better than a lot of able-bodied 

people, it really levels the playing field.” 

Jayden is a member of the Para Sport Collective, a 

programme run by Paralympics New Zealand. It is for 

athletes in the pre-High-Performance stage of the Para 

sport pathway, where a need was uncovered for greater 

support and community. 

His advice to others who are recovering from 

life-changing injuries is to try to stay positive and keep 

leading an active life. 

NEVER GIVE UP—No matter how bleak your situation may appear, Jayden says there will be a way forward.


“It does seem like your whole life gets ripped away from 

you. It is rough and it’s probably the biggest challenge 

you’ll face in your life,” he says. “So, all you can do is 

make the most of every opportunity you get. Trial some 

equipment and make the best out of the situation. 

“There’s plenty of opportunities out there and it might 

just mean asking around or seeking out the right people. 

It’s really important to take those opportunities, to either 

help you get back to the quality of life you had prior to 

injury, or even just to try something new.” 

No matter how bleak your situation may appear, Jayden 

says there will be a way forward. “There’s always a light at 

the end of the tunnel,” he says. “It may feel like the world 

has fallen in on you, especially at the start. But whatever 

situation you’re in, there are always going to be better 

days ahead. 

“There will be hard times throughout your journey, but 

you will get through it—and the better days make it all 

worthwhile.” It’s advice Jayden has certainly taken on 

board for himself. 

“Life’s for living,” he says. “And I’m going to live mine to 

the fullest.” 

AWESOME FUN—Jayden loves nothing more than hitting the slopes 

every day at Cardrona. Credit: Ross Mackay, Snow Sports NZ. 

What you do is your history. 

What you set in motion is your legacy. 

A spinal cord impairment—whether it happens through injury or 

illness—can be a sudden life changing event. It can feel as though your 

life has stopped. It can be challenging, confronting, daunting, scary. 

It can also be the start of a new, positive, unexpected and fulfilling 

life journey. 

A decision to include a gift in your Will for the work of the NZ Spinal 

Trust supports people across Aotearoa NZ as they learn to embrace 

a positive future with spinal cord impairment. 

If you are considering writing or amending your Will and would like 

an information brochure on how to include NZST, please email 

Su Marshall (su.marshall@nzspinaltrust.org.nz). 

If you would like to chat about who we are and who a bequest 

would support, please contact Hans Wouters, CEO 

(hans.wouters@nzspinaltrust.org.nz) or phone 03 383 6881 

www.nzspinaltrust.org.nz 

Te Tarahiti Manaaki Tuanui 

“Having the Trust there to help navigate those first 

few weeks or even the first few months was just 

incredible, because it’s extremely overwhelming.”


Anyone Want to Travel? 

Hamish Ramsden is back with another informative and engaging column. 

—Hamish Ramsden 

At times I really wonder 

why I bother to go through 

the stress of it all. 

extra cost of this, but I don’t like to compromise too much 

if I can avoid this. 

GOOD MAN—Hamish Ramsden is always 

keen to put his hand up to help others. 

Published author Hamish Ramsden is a 

regular columnist for the Spinal Network 

News. He has a unique take on life and a very 

dry sense of humour. 

Travelling is a joy, or it is meant to be, but it is also the 

cause of a lot of stress and expenditure. So why do we 

even bother to do it? We do so because we want to see new 

things, catch up with friends or relatives, catch that show 

or sports game or to just get the hell out of town. In theory, 

if we can financially afford it, the more we do travel the 

easier it should get. I think that is probably true as when 

there is so much involved in doing the exercise, if you 

leave it too long between “drinks” the old confidence 

factor can diminish somewhat. 

So, when I am about to go travelling, I pull out the list of 51 

items that I have on my phone and go through them one 

by one, to make sure I have got all the medical stuff 

etcetera that I need. This list does not even include my 

clothes or shoes or grooming stuff, so it is a wonder that I 

can manage to make it all work at all. Travelling in the car 

is generally a lot easier as I can throw things in and since I 

keep some spare stuff in the car all courtesy of living in 

Christchurch and being earthquake prepared, I am 

generally not too worried when we take off that I have 

forgotten something. Slightly different story when I am 

flying as space limits what you can pack unless you are 

prepared to pay for excess baggage. 

I always have to take a carer with me or have one 

organised at my destination. Generally, if I can manage it, 

I like to take one with me as it means they can help with 

the actual travelling bit but also they can be on-call if I 

need anything while I’m away. Of course, there is the 

Driving is generally okay. Since I cannot drive myself, I 

have to rely on my support person doing it for me. This 

can lead to some interesting times as no one ever drives or 

does anything the same way as your good old self. There 

is no point bringing too much up in conversation unless 

you really are feeling in danger, as it just tends to tense 

the driver up even more and they drive even more 

erratically. So ultimately you both end up at your 

destination slightly frazzled. 

Flying is one of those things that you need to do often to 

ensure that you remain feeling confident in the process 

and the stress levels don’t get too high, as there is always a 

lot of stuff that can go wrong. For example, you cannot 

turn up at your destination without your essential 

medical gear or medications. If your bag goes missing, it 

is not that easy to replace, especially on a weekend. Add 

to all of this is the fact that (if your situation dictates it) 

you have to get hoisted by the Eagle lift (on Air NZ) plane 

in a sling to get in and out of your snug airline seat which 

is conveniently situated in row three. You are not allowed 

to be seated in the first row where there is a lot of room, as 

you are blocking the emergency exit. Yay for rules! 

Generally, the airport staff are okay and if you are lucky, 

you will get someone who has actually helped someone in 

a wheelchair before. But I will never get used to the sight 

of them rolling their eyes when they see me wheel 

through the door and I can see them thinking, excellent, I 

am really looking forward to this. So, it is important as a 

community service, that we do keep travelling as often as 

possible so that they do not lose their confidence or their 

skill base, even if we feel that we are doing all the training 

with them every time we travel. 

Travelling is expensive, not only in time but also in cost 

and often that will restrict, or limit it, or how extensively 

you can manage to do it. At times I really wonder why I 

bother to go through the stress of it all. Mostly I am 

always pleased I/we have made the effort and the feeling 

when you get home and can say “I ticked that one off” and 

there is that moment of exuberance which lulls you into 

the sense that it will be no problem doing it all again.


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This wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) is specifically 

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and Driver Trained Occupational Therapists. 

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What’s new in the 

Resource Centre 


December 2023 

Driving forwards: a journey of 

resilience and empowerment after 

life-changing injury by Sophie 

Morgan, 2023 

Driving Forwards is a remarkable and 

powerful memoir, following a serious 

car crash. The book details Sophie's 

life-changing injury, her recovery, 

and her life since. 

Over the next eighteen years, she has 

had to learn to cope with the many 

unexpected and unpredictable 

setbacks of living with paralysis; she 

has had to overcome her own and 

other people's perceptions of 

disability and explore the limits of 

her abilities, all whilst searching for 

love, acceptance, meaning, identity, 

and purpose. 

The Better brain: how nutrition 

will help you overcome anxiety, 

depression, ADHD and stress 

by Bonnie J Kaplan and Julia 

Rucklidge, 2021 

Kaplan and Rucklidge share their 

groundbreaking research for the first 

time and explain how to feed your 

brain to stabilise your mood, stave 

off depression and make yourself 

more resilient to daily stress. 

The Better Brain also reveals the 

hidden causes of the rising rates of 

depression, from the nutrients in our 

soil to our reliance on processed 

food. It explains why a diet rich in 

fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, fish 

and olive oil is healthiest for your 

brain, and why some people benefit 

from supplementary minerals and 

vitamins added to such a diet. 

Complete with a nutritional plan and 

thirty delicious, mood-boosting 

recipes, this book will be a complete 

guide to a healthier, happier brain. 

Stronger: how losing everything 

set me free by Dinesh Palipana, 2022 

Halfway through medical school, 

Dinesh was involved in a 

catastrophic car accident that caused 

a cervical spinal cord injury. After his 

accident, his strength and 

determination saw him return to 

complete medical school—as a 

quadriplegic. Dinesh was the first 

quadriplegic medical intern in 

Queensland, and the second person 

with quadriplegia to graduate 

medical school in Australia. 

Despite all of the pain and hardship 

he's faced, Dinesh now sees his 

accident as a turning point for the 

better in his life. He believes it has 

made him a better doctor, with a 

stronger grasp of the concerns and 

fears of his patients, and a more 

sensitive, open human. 

Note to Self: the secrets of calm 

by Rebekah Ballagh, 2020 

This is an inspirational personal 

development book including helpful 

tips and cute illustrations to aid with 

anxiety, overthinking and depression. 

It is jam-packed with handy tips, 

bite-sized wisdoms & thoughtful 

illustrations to help you navigate 

through feelings like anxiety, stress, 

worry, guilt and sadness. 

Journals/magazines 

Dynamics of Human Health 

Vol 10 issue 2 2023 

Forward UK SCI: Fundraising Challenge 

Issue 170 Spring 2023 

New Mobility 

Issue 350 Sept/Oct 2023 

Spinal Network News 

Vol 24 no. 2 August 2023 

Sports ‘n Spokes Wheelchair Recreation 

Vol 49 no. 4 July 2023 

Topics in Spinal Cord injury 

Rehabilitation 

Vol 298 no. 1 Spring 2023 

Check out our 

catalogue! 

Visit the Resource 

Centre catalogue 

abc.mykoha.co.nz 

All of the listed items are available 

to loan from the Resource Centre. 

We are located on the way to the 

spinal gym, call in and see us! 

Contact Bernadette Cassidy for 

more information 

bernadette.cassidy@nzspinaltrust.org.nz 

or phone: 03 383 9484


Accessible Road Trip: 

Waikato to Bay of Plenty 

ADRENALIN RUSH—the Luge and Sky swing have accessible options, just check ahead to gauge suitability. 

Looking for advice and inspiration for a 

summer road trip? Here’s part one of a 

three-part series that we hope will bring you 

both. It covers a classic Kiwi route that 

delivers beautiful scenery, culture, unique 

activities and the magnificent beaches of the 

Bay of Plenty, all from an accessible 

perspective. Christine Gold from Freedom 

Mobility starts the series with an overview of 

what is available in Rotorua. 

The route from the central North Island to the Bay of 

Plenty is a New Zealand treasure. It offers so much to so 

many people and has become a classic Kiwi holiday 

journey as well as a staple cruise ship tour for passengers 

disembarking at Tauranga. 

The sheer variety of what’s on offer means there’s a ton of 

accessible options too. So, if you’re looking at planning a 

road trip this summer, the 12-day itinerary we cover in 

—Christine Gold 

There’s so much to see and 

do in and around Rotorua 

you could spend your whole 

holiday here. 

this three-part series might be perfect. You can of course 

do it in reverse, take bits out and shorten it, or even just 

dip your toes in for a part you particularly fancy! 

Actually, choosing a base and doing days out can be just as 

enjoyable and avoids the constant loading and unloading of 

luggage. As well as our suggestions here, check out the 

Accessible Travel Forum for NZ Facebook group for some 

great tips on finding accessible holiday homes. Visit Making 

Trax website for other ideas www.makingtrax.co.nz


HAVE VAN, WILL TRAVEL—Renting will get you 

mobile. 

Selecting the right 

accommodation is crucial 

for any accessible travel. 

Transportation 

—Christine Gold 

If you haven’t got your own modified vehicle, or you’re too 

far away and need to fly in, renting from an accessible 

vehicle company such as Freedom Mobility and Milner 

Mobility will get you mobile. 

Both companies have a fleet of vehicles, ranging from 

hand-controlled cars to drive-from-chair vans and 

passenger-wheelchair vans. Delivery is available 

throughout New Zealand, including to your home or the 

airport. Demand is high, especially during the holiday 

season, so pays to book in advance. 

The crucial details 

As you’ll be aware, selecting the right accommodation is 

crucial for any accessible travel. Missing out on an 

activity because of accessibility issues may be 

disappointing, but if the accommodation you’ve booked 

doesn’t measure up it can be a disaster. Although the 

options we mention have been based on accessible 

travellers’ feedback, homework is essential. Be sure to call 

providers in advance and do the usual talk-through on 

your requirements. Don’t shy away from asking for 

photographs and measurements to ensure what you need 

is there, from flooring and grab handles to worktop and 

basin heights. While you’re at it, cover parking and what’s 

accessible nearby, like cafés, shops and supermarkets. It 

all helps to ensure a hassle-free holiday! 

Same with activities. Again, the ones selected are based 

on people’s feedback, but nothing beats calling ahead to 

determine exactly how something might work for you. 

Days 1-3, Rotorua 

There’s so much to see and do in and around Rotorua you 

could spend your whole holiday here. The choice of 

activities alone is immense, ranging from the serene to 

heart-stopping, with varying degrees of accessibility. 

One of our favourites is the Kayak Glow Worm Tour to a 

cavern on the shore of Lake Rotorua. Of course, it requires 

a certain level of physical ability but Paddle Board 

Rotorua has accessible bathroom and changing facilities, 

and a seating system to help support the kayaker. Check 

with them to see if it’s right for you. 

One activity anyone can enjoy is the Skyline Gondola, with 

its spectacular views. Beyond that, the Luge and Sky swing 

have accessible options, just check ahead to gauge suitability. 

Rotorua is of course famed for its Māori cultural and 

geothermal experiences, and you can enjoy both at Te 

Puia along with a high degree of accessibility. Plus, 

discounted prices for those with disabilities. Other 

fabulous choices that provide for accessible visitors 

include the Sulphur Spa at Hells Gate, Paradise Valley 

Springs, The Buried Village, Waiotapu geothermal park 

and Te Pā Tū Māori Village (formerly Tamaki Village). 

Again, accessibility including parking provision varies. 

But all aim to be welcoming, and a call beforehand can 

reveal all the details and often enlist some help on arrival. 

For great entertainment the Sir Howard Morrison Centre 

is always worth checking out. Depending on 

configuration, there are up to eight allocated wheelchair 

spaces in the Sir Owen Glenn Theatre and up to four in Te 

Haumako | Black Box Theatre. You’ll find wheelchairaccessible 

toilets on the ground floor and a drive-through 

drop-off zone at the front of the building. Just check 

availability before booking. 

After that taster, next time we delve into some accessible 

accommodation options in Rotorua, walks and trails that 

can be tackled by wheelchair, plus some fantastic day 

trips into the surrounding areas. 

Catch you next time! 

With that said, let’s get started!


An Adrenaline Filled Day Out! 

Melrose Kiwi Concept Wheelchairs sponsored trip to 

Highlands Motorsport Park. 

I’d definitely do it again 

and would recommend 

to others with an SCI. 

—Anthea Dixon 

admired them but never been in one. “I love the sound of 

them too, it’s not a proper Mustang if it doesn’t make 

plenty of noise!” 

NEED FOR SPEED—Every year since 2017, Brett Ladbrook has travelled to 

Cromwell with a group of keen enthusiasts to have a drive around the racetrack. 

Highlands Motorsport Park is a world-class 

facility in Cromwell offering multiple 

ways to experience the international race 

circuit at speed. 

In 2017, Brett Ladbrook, Senior Peer Support Coordinator 

approached Highlands to ask if they would be open to 

putting hand-controls in their U-Drive Ford Mustang. 

Highlands were agreeable and within a couple of months 

they had set up a push-pull hand-control with a spinner 

on the steering wheel. Since then, Brett has travelled to 

Cromwell each year with a group of keen enthusiasts to 

have a drive around the racetrack. 

This year he incorporated the event with a Peer Support 

get-together in Central Otago along with Meika Reid and 

Andrew Hall. The trio woke to snowy mountains and a 

little chill in the air. Undeterred the group arrived at the 

racetrack to a gorgeous morning which warmed up as the 

day went on. 

This time round, there were four newbies, a couple of 

people went for a fast lap in the Highlands' Ferrari and the 

electric Porsche. One of the newbies was Anthea Dixon. 

Anthea has watched a few races and enjoyed watching 

‘Drive to Survive’ but this was the first time she had a go 

on a track, although driving on the autobahn in Germany 

did feel like being on a racetrack sometimes! 

Were you nervous? “Not really, I’ve driven left hand drive 

before and once I worked out where the brake was, I was 

fine. I think it helped being secure in the seat, and Rianna 

the pro driver was helpful. It took a bit to get my head 

around not needing to brake for a corner but the car was 

so responsive to turn and brake it was much easier to get 

more confident with a bit more speed than usual.” 

It’s fair to say that Anthea loved the experience and would 

have liked to drive another seven laps as she was just 

getting the hang of it and more confident with the speed 

when her time was up! 

“The team at Highlands were super helpful and it was 

great to be part of the group with the Spinal Trust. I’m not 

really a petrolhead but I like to try new things and 

certainly the people I’ve come across are always keen to 

try and make it work for me so I can experience the same 

as everyone else as much as possible. 

“I’d definitely do it again and would recommend to 

others with an SCI. How great is it to have this 

opportunity set up with hand controls! A big thanks to 

Brett, Andrew and Meika and the NZ Spinal Trust for 

making this happen.” 

Brett would like to thank Melrose Kiwi Concept 

Wheelchairs and Highlands Motorsport Park for helping 

make this an affordable event for all. Without their 

support it would not happen. 

Usually, she just sticks to single horsepower for fun! It was 

also Anthea’s first time in a Mustang, she has often


Thank You to Our 

Funders & Sponsors 

The New Zealand Spinal Trust appreciates the generous support of the following 

funders. Without their kind support, the Trust would not be able to deliver the 

variety of services to assist clients to live independent lives right now. 

Permobil is a global leader with over 50 years experience in providing advanced 

medical technology and state-of-the-art healthcare solutions. Today, those 

solutions include the sale and rental of power wheel chairs, manual wheelchairs, 

power assist and seating & positioning products. 

Access Community Health has been at the forefront of keeping people healthy 

and safe in their homes since 1927. Today our nationwide team of skilled nurses 

and 3,000 support workers make over three million visits per year, ensuring 

people can remain active and independent in their own homes and community. 

Able Axcess are the leading suppliers of aluminium mobility ramps for 

residential and commercial disability access. We also manufacture rubber 

threshold ramps and level shower inserts, at our factory in Feilding. 

Milner Mobility is a family owned and operated business. Our vision is to give 

people independence and assist as many families as possible into mobility 

vehicles. With expert knowledge and support, we can assist you in your 

adaption, service, sales or rental requirements. 

Avonhead 

Rotary 

Rehabilitation 

Welfare Trust 

The Elizabeth Ball 

Charitable Trust 

Burwood 

Volunteers Trust 

Deluxe Box 

Riccarton Rotary 


Crusaders 

Canterbury Masonic 


Cube Design 

The Palms Shopping Centre 

A F W and J M Jones 

Foundation 

Fresh Choice Parklands 

Rotary Club 

of Christchurch 

Hyman Marks 


JBS Dudding Trust 

Melrose Kiwi Concept Chairs 

Are you a subscriber? 

It’s easy to subscribe to the NZST and it only costs $30 a year. Your subscription 

helps with the printing of the Spinal Network News magazine and helps us 

support the positive futures of people with spinal cord impairment. 

Go to our website and click 

on the red ‘Donate’ button 

www.nzst.org.nz

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Permobil New Zealand Limited | 0800 115 222 | sales.nz@permobil.com | permobil.com/en-nz

SNN_December_2023

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