The ‘Swasie’ Column
©
“he says it how it is” by Swasie Turner MBE
New ‘Crossfire’ wheelchair a brilliant off-road capability
L
L Y L Q J O L I H R Q ¶ W K H V H D W R I P \ S D Q W V · I R U W K H S D V W and extremely arduous push from Westminster R I ¶ < Q \ V 0 R Q · W K H E H D X W L I X O V F H Q L F L V O D Q G R I
H O H Y H Q \ H D U V P \ W U X V W \ ¶ F K D U L R W · D Q G , K D Y H 3 D U O L D P H Q W W R % U X V V H O V 3 D U O L D P H Q W ) X U W K H U Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. Here,
F R Y H U H G R Y H U W K R X V D Q G P L O H V 0 \ S X V K H V equally mind boggling distances too included I tested the chair thoroughly. I pushed across
have taken me all over the world where I have W K H L Q I D P R X V - R K Q 2 · * U R D W V W R / D Q G V ( Q G S O R X J K H G À H O G V W K U R X J K W K U H H I R R W K L J K J U D V V
been blessed with the privilege of having raised push, which I completed in 44 gruelling days. I gorse, heather and through mud and water and
many, many thousands of pounds for numerous am also deeply involved with Hunter Company, H Y H Q I R U J H G G H H S Á R Z L Q J V W U H D P V 2 E Y L R X V O \
charities and worthy causes. I can truthfully Royal Marines at their Commando Training such endeavours are extremely demanding,
state that my standard NHS Lomax chair has Centre at Lympstone in Devon. but thanks to my strength and stamina I was
withstood many traumas and knocks without able to successfully complete these pushes
suffering any serious damage. My pushes Here, my involvement includes lectures in as the chair took all in its stride without any
K D Y H L Q F O X G H G W K H D V F H Q W R I % H Q 1 H Y L V * U H H Q ¶ 2 Y H U F R P L Q J $ G Y H U V L W \ · W R W K H \ R X Q J U H F U X L W V G L I À F X O W \ Z K D W V R H Y H U ( Y H Q W K H V W H H S H V W R I K L O O V
Mountain on Ascension Island and crossing the L Q M X U H G G X U L Q J W K H L U H [ W U H P H O \ G H P D Q G L Q J or embankments can be negotiated a lot easier
inhospitable terrain of both Falkland Islands. week initial training. As well as my lectures I L Q W K H & U R V V À U H G X H W R L W V E L J J H U µ Z K H H O V D Q G
0 \ ¶ D G Y H Q W X U H V · K D Y H D O V R W D N H Q P H W K H O H Q J W K \ D O V R D F F R P S D Q \ W K H P R X W L Q W K H À H O G D V W K H \ wide, deep treaded tyres. The chair is indeed the
S X V K I U R P - R K Q 2 · * U R D W V W R / D Q G V ( Q G D V Z H O O À J K W W K H L U Z D \ E D F N W R À W Q H V V D Q G U H W X U Q W R monster truck of wheelchairs that is designed
as other equally long distance pushes through mainstream training. My dedicated and inclusive to leave some serious tracks on the landscape!
P D Q \ F R X Q W U L H V 1 H H G O H V V W R V D \ S X V K L Q J ¶ R I I involvement in various endurance courses and Its big wide front casters too give added traction
U R D G · L V D W R W D O O \ G L I I H U H Q W V F H Q D U L R D V W K H O L W W O H
O R Q J G L V W D Q F H P D U F K H V S X V K H V H W F L V Y H U \ R Q G L I À F X O W V X U I D F H V 7 K H J U R X Q G F O H D U D Q F H L V
F D V W H U V D U H H [ W U H P H O \ G L I À F X O W W R Q H J R W L D W H W K H
demanding as I push my wheelchair across all excellent, but I did have to shorten side supports
long grass and heather etc. My chair is only
sorts of inhospitable terrain in my trusty steed. of the footrest because the footrest was a mere
intended for use around the house or wards,
, Z D V H Y H Q W X D O O \ D Z D U G H G W K H 5 R \ D O 0 D U L Q H V · and totally obstructive and inadequate 2 inches
or perhaps a gentle push to the local shops!
most coveted award, the infamous Green from the ground. I cut the sides and telescoped
However, such was my determination right from
% H U H W E \ I D U P \ P R V W S U R X G D F K L H Y H P H Q W the cross member up to the base of the frame
the start all those years ago when I suffered a
and treasured possession. My Royal Marines below the seat. This then gave me plenty of
traumatic life changing scenario after losing my
H Q G H D Y R X U V L Q Y R O Y H G Q H J R W L D W L Q J W K H G L I À F X O W Q H F H V V D U \ J U R X Q G F O H D U D Q F H D Q G W K H D E V R O X W H O \
leg due to a gratuitous act of violence whilst on
terrain of Dartmoor and Woodbury Common necessary adjustment in no way compromised
G X W \ D V D S R O L F H R I À F H U W K D W , Z D V G H W H U P L Q H G
and during all these extremely physically W K H F K D L U I U D P H · V V W U X F W X U D O V W U H Q J W K , I R X Q G W K H
to become an ardent charity fund raiser. I found
demanding endeavours my chair has never let chair so totally reliable in its purpose built cross
W K D W D I W H U R Q H O L I H V W \ O H · V G R R U K D G E H H Q V O D P P H G
P H G R Z Q , K D Y H D O Z D \ V E H H Q W R W D O O \ F R Q À G H Q W country role that I unhesitatingly purchased the
in my face, and due to my future intentions, a
of my unrelentingly reliable wheelchair. After item and intend to use this for all my future cross
new door had inadvertently been opened to
F R P S O H W L Q J D P L O H $ X V W U D O L D Q S X V K I U R P country pushes. The chair will shortly be once
create a new, therapeutic and possibly satisfying
$ X J X V W D W R 3 H U W K D V V L V W H G Q R Z E \ 6 X Q U L V H D J D L Q S X W W K U R X J K L W V S D F H V D V , S X V K W K H
way to live and at the same time allow me to
0 H G L F D O , U H W X U Q H G K R P H W R % O L J K W \ D Q G R Q P L O H O H Q J W K R I + D G U L D Q · V : D O O I U R P 5 D Y H Q J O D V V
overcome, or at least, come to terms with, my
my arrival back home I was made aware of Cumbria to Tynemouth in Northumberland, in
new life on the seat of my pants. Gone was
D Q H Z Z K H H O F K D L U ¶ . L G R Q W K H E O R F N · S U R G X F W May 2010 to raise much needed funds for the
my previous life of participating in weightlifting,
namely the ¶ 7 R S ( Q G & U R V V À U H $ O O 7 H U U D L Q · 5 R \ D O 0 D U L Q H V · % H Q H Y R O H Q W I X Q G 7 K L V S X V K Z L O O
martial arts, boxing, the gym, all those activities
wheelchair , F R X O G Q · W Z D L W W R O H D U Q P R U H D E R X W be followed by a push of 110 miles in July from
were now to be replaced by me working in my
W K L V D Q G G X O \ F R Q W D F W H G * H R U J L H / D N H U D W * % / Winchester to Eastbourne along the tracks of
new gym, my wheelchair!
Wheelchair Services Ltd down in Hanworth, W K H ¶ 6 R X W K ' R Z Q V : D \ · W R U D L V H I X Q G V I R U W K H
Middlesex. Georgie went into great detail ¶ ( Q D E O H 0 H 3 U R M H F W · D F K D U L W \ W R U D L V H G L V D E L O L W \
3 X V K L Q J W K H O E F K D L U X S K L O O V D O R Q J U R D G V
R X W O L Q L Q J W K H F K D L U · V Q X P H U R X V R I I U R D G ¶ Y L U W X H V · awareness and assist the disabled fraternity.
H W F Z D V D W À U V W T X L W H W L U L Q J H Y H Q W K R X J K , Z D V
and then, amazingly offered to allow me to
already blessed with a certain amount of upper
W U \ W K H F K D L U G X U L Q J R Q H R I P \ F U R V V F R X Q W U \ Please check out my website at:
body strength due to my weightlifting and other
endeavours. I enthusiastically took up the
www.swasieturner.org all donations welcome.
physical activities. My long distance pushes
N L Q G O D G \ · V R I I H U D Q G V X E V H T X H Q W O \ S X V K H G W K H
increased in mileage, which in turn built up a
& U R V V À U H D F U R V V W K H À H O G V D Q G V D Q G \ F R D V W O L Q H & R S \ U L J K W 6 Z D V L H 7 X U Q H U 0 % (
tremendous amount of stamina. I started to
S X V K Q R Q V W R S G L V W D Q F H V I R U F K D U L W \ R I
and even 60 miles in one day. My efforts to raise
funds were enhanced, as I steadily became
N Q R Z Q D V D ¶ S U R O L À F I X Q G U D L V H U · * H W W L Q J V R
well known opened other doors, which in turn,
L Q F U H D V H G W K H À Q D Q F L D O F R I I H U V R I P \ H Q G H D Y R X U V
I R U P D Q \ Z R U W K \ F D X V H V 0 \ ¶ H F F H Q W U L F · \ H W
highly rewarding ventures reached the ears
of Lomax, my wheelchair manufacturer up in
Dundee. Mr John Wilmot, the Lomax MD invited
P H D Q G P \ Q R Z E D W W O H V F D U U H G Z K H H O F K D L U
up to his Dundee factory where I was afforded
D Q D O P R V W X Q G H V H U Y H G F H O H E U L W \ V W D W X V 0 U
: L O P R W Z D V V R L P S U H V V H G Z L W K K L V S U R G X F W · V
capabilities and achievements that he offered
me unreserved assistance should I require this
on any future endeavour. It is due mostly to Mr
: L O P R W · V N L Q G R I I H U W K D W , Z D V D E O H W R H Y H Q W X D O O \
reach the dizzy heights of success that I have.
/ R P D [ Q R Z 6 X Q U L V H 0 H G L F D O S U R Y L G H G E D F N
up facilities in the way of a van and driver to
accompany me on a 500 mile push to Germany,
followed a short time later by another similar
10
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