Protect yourself. Protect others. Protect the NHS.

And help support Whiteleys Retreat while you do so. Now that the Scottish Government have advised us all to wear face-coverings in enclosed spaces on the very rare occasions that we should be out and about, Whiteleys Retreat’s “buffs” have become rather popular. They are also a very elegant way of wearing something a bit…

Read More

5 million reasons to head to ASDA.

I wanted to write this earlier, but I actually rely on food deliveries from Asda normally too, and for a while it was rather difficult to find a delivery slot. However, with constant checking, I have ALWAYS found a slot (although many products are still “out of stock” – thank you very much Stockpilers!). On…

Read More

MND Scotland to invest £250,000 in new accessible holiday lodge.

MND Scotland’s purpose-built accessible lodge gets the go-ahead. MND Scotland is investing a quarter of a million pounds to build a brand new, bespoke accessible lodge, as a part of their accessible holiday service. Construction of the state-of-the-art disabled-friendly lodge, which has been specially designed with MND in mind, will begin towards the end of…

Read More

#RareDiseaseDay – 28 February 2018

Rare Disease UK, created by the Genetic Alliance, is the national campaign for people with rare diseases and all who support them. Genetic Alliance UK is an alliance of over 200 patient organisations who support those affected by all types of genetic conditions. Providing a united voice for the rare disease community by capturing the…

Read More

Moscow. October 2013.

Even after 30 years of traveling, this event, which happened in Moscow in 2013, is one of the most amazing travel experiences of my life: Towards the premature end of my 2013 “round the world by train” trip, I found myself in Moscow. I was already aware then that something “wasn’t quite right”, and that…

Read More

Winter Wonderwheels 2017. What a day!

Due to the progression of my own ataxia, Winter Wonderwheels was probably my last fundraising “walk” (but most definitely NOT my last ataxia fundraising/awareness-raising event). And there’s nothing better than “Going Out with a Bang”. The team. With team captain, Gold Medal winning Paralympian Susie Rodgers MBE. It was such an amazing day, being surrounded…

Read More

International Mountain Day 2017.

To mark the UN’s #InternationalMountainDay, here is my favourite photograph – taken in 2012, just a year before #ataxia struck. The photograph is of myself sitting on top of a mountain on Mallorca, on the famed GR221 route (near Puig de Massanella). I also love this photograph because it shows just how quickly, and without…

Read More

The Little Big Things. Henry Fraser.

If I ever park my kilted backside in the one place for long enough to hang a Christmas Stocking, then I hope to find this book inside it on Christmas Day. This book will change your life – for the better. You don’t need to be disabled, or know anyone who is, to really enjoy…

Read More

#pinksocks?

I was first introduced to the #pinksocks phenomenon by Alan Thomas, from ataxiaandme.org, almost a year ago. And it was during my first real-life meeting with Alan yesterday, in Barcelona*, that I became a very happy member of the #pinksocks tribe. So what’s all this #pinksocks about? Connection. A personal connection. [photo, of some very…

Read More