London 2012
STEVE Brown, Captain of the GB wheelchair rugby team and a client of Clair Rayner (Partner at Sittingbourne), is currently pulling out all the stops to ensure that he and his team will be in peak physical condition for the games.
Whilst many of us fell at the
fi rst hurdle when it came to our 2012 fi tness intentions Steve has been busy preparing both himself and his team for one of the most important games of their lives the Paralympics, London 2012.
AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL! CLIENT
PROFILE
In 2005 Steve was left paralysed from the chest down after a fall from a balcony in Germany. Once his condition stabilised, Steve returned to the UK where he undertook intensive treatment and physiotherapy at the renowned Stoke Mandeville Hospital. As a keen sportsman Steve naturally became despondent that at only 22 years of age he had to come to terms, both mentally and physically, with his disability and the impact this would have on the rest of his life. It took his dad, taking him to watch a wheelchair rugby match, before he started seeing any hope for his future. After that Steve was hooked! Never one to follow what he calls “a fl at, safe and easy life” he remarked that “it took losing the use of two thirds of my body to put the other third to good use!”
When Steve isn’t training he travels to schools and hospitals to assist other people in coming to terms with their disability
and to raise awareness of his chosen sport. He also works as a motivational speaker and draws on his experience of coping with his disability to help motivate disabled and able bodies alike. His top tips, when giving his motivational talks, are to not waste opportunities and to make the most of the people that surround you.
About the sport
Originating in Canada in the late 1970s as an alternative to wheelchair basketball this sport is also known by the ominous nickname ‘murderball’. The sport offi cially entered the games in the Centennial Games in 2000.
Going for Gold? Team GB are currently ranked 5th in the world behind USA, Australia, Canada and Japan. However, with recent wins over Japan and Canada and having
Advice worth its weight in Gold
LARGE amounts of funding are required to enable athletes just to take part in their sport but as in all walks of life income may be subject to tax.
The way in which athletes are assessed for tax will depend upon the approach they take to their sport. The vast majority of athletes will be engaged in a leisure pursuit or hobby whilst some will approach their sport in a much more business like manner.
Unfortunately, the question of whether an athlete is carrying on a profession or not, and the point at which a sportsman becomes a professional for tax purposes is not easily determined and is subject to a review of the athlete’s specifi c circumstances. Sittingbourne offi ce partner Clair Rayner who specialises in audit, accounts and charities was pleased to be able to assist Steve with his fi nancial matters and give him one less thing to worry about.
For more advice contact Clair at:
clair.rayner@mfw.co.uk.
previously beaten the USA there is no reason to think that our team can’t achieve a medal this time round, and you can bet they will put their all into it. When asked what winning a
medal might mean for Steve and his team he smiled and said: “Winning a medal would be a real statement of what we have all achieved both personally and as a team and will demonstrate that Team GB are amongst the best at the sport”. In the current economic climate it is easy to get despondent with gloomy news around every corner. Talking to Steve, however, does make you realise just how lucky you are and it is hard to come away without feeling determined to appreciate life that much better and to simply not take things for granted. We wish Steve and the rest of the GB Wheelchair Rugby team all the best in their medal hopes.
Steve fl ies the fl ag for Great Britain at a parade in London
®
Business Matters 3
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8