Challenge number 2 of ♾️

For those of you that don’t know me….

Hi I’m Phil, a car crash survivor and someone who is trying to give back by completing challenges to raise money for charities that supported me and that mean a lot to me.

I’m trying to turn my pain into something positive.

I suffered a multitude of injures from my accident, some of which have healed but some that I have to live with, namely a brain injury, permanent damage to my right hand and a titanium rod in my femur.

This will be the second challenge I take on, the first was a 5 hour exercise bike ride, where I cycled 100 miles and raised over £2,000 for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated and supported me during my last challenge. Your generosity truly meant more to me than I can put into words.

Now it’s time to go again and once again I’m asking for your support.

This time I’m hoping to complete a Hyrox, in the upper limb impairment category, to raise money for Flint House Police Rehabilitation.

When I first met my private physio, Jason at Limbwise Physio, I was mainly confined to a chair and relied on a gutter frame to get around. Through sheer determination and Jason’s incredible guidance, I progressed to using a walking stick, which was the condition I was in when I walked through the doors of Flint House on my first day. Although I was proud to have moved on from the frame, I knew I still had much more progress to make.

During my time at Flint House, the daily sessions on the gravity treadmill, the use of the hydrotherapy pool, the group balance classes, and the one-to-one physio and gym sessions transformed my recovery.

By the end of my two stays, I was able to walk out unaided, even with a slight spring in my step. The range of facilities available there (that aren’t viable for my physio session at home), combined with the expertise and professionalism of my appointed physio, Chris, had a huge impact. It gave me an incredible platform to continue building on for my recovery back home, which is why Flint House means so much to me.

Flint House Police rehabilitation is a charity, funded by donations from those in the police service and their families. It is with these generous donations that they help and heal over 3,500 serving and retired police officers each year, providing physical rehabilitation and mental health support.

Police officers are there at the time we really need them, they put themselves in danger and on average deal with 300-400 critical traumatic incidents in their career, compared to the average 3-4 that everyday people encounter in a lifetime.

Since 1980, Flint House has offered a safe, relaxed environment for serving and retired officers, when they need a place to heal or receive help.

This challenge will not be an easy one for me. The different disciplines involved, combined with the limitations I now live with, will push me physically and mentally. But if, by safely pushing my boundaries, I can raise enough money to support even one person’s stay at Flint House, then every ounce of effort will be worth it and this challenge will mean more to me than I can ever explain.