After leaving the Grenadier Guards in 1992, I joined a company working on two production lines. Things could not get any better; I was doing well in civilian life and by 1995 the birth of my beautiful daughter, Alice, made things complete. On my days off, I would get out on my bike and go all over the north east with my friends on some major rideouts. I would take Alice down to Westgate Road in Newcastle to look in all the bike shops and chew the fat with friends and other bikers. Every biker would play the idiot to make Alice smile in her pram.

In 1997 I had an accident at work where I suffered spinal fractures, leaving me wheelchair bound. After some time I was allowed home; whilst at home I had to voluntarily release my motorbike to the HP company. I'll never forget watching my bike being loaded onto the back of the trailer; at this point I felt quite down knowing all I enjoyed was being slowly stripped away.

Not long after, my wife of nine years could not handle me being disabled and said she could not cope looking after someone with a disability and she did not love me the way she should do. So she packed her bags and took my daughter with her. The only thing at this point keeping me going was seeing Alice when my ex-wife brought her round to see me. Over the next five years I made good progress and met my new wife, Nikki, a much sexier and younger model (things do get better from here). With Nikki's help ! managed to get on to crutches with the aid of a lockable leg brace for my right leg. My left leg was getting stronger and I was able to use it with no problems. Nikki never ever sees my disability and always backs me up when I try something new.

By 2002, Nikki and I had a bundle of joy, my son Will James, who has made me and Nikki so happy. At this point I was talking to friends about how I would love to get back on a bike. One friend, Adam, mentioned NABD, that I should look up their website and see what they knew about adaptions for people in wheel-chairs. This I did, and found the NABD site was full of information and ideas. Straight away I knew I would need a trike, but was unsure of what I would need to be done. Whilst on the NABD site, I saw the local representative's name and contact number, Norma Lee (Tyne & Wear). I gave Norma a ring and she was so helpful and encouraging, even telling me about the grants NABD award to help cover for special adaptions done to bikes.
After joining NABD, I applied for a grant and came in contact with Billy Leath, committee member in charge of adaptions and sorting out the grant forms. Billy phoned me and told me what I needed to do and what information they needed, "Thanks again Billy".

Then I searched for someone who could build me a trike which could cater for my wheelchair and do any modification I needed. I found Tony Clack of Wackey's Trikes; if it can be modified, bent, welded or totally rebuilt, Tony is your man. He's a biker himself and takes great pride on the finish and look of his trikes. Tony told me he had just got an 1100 Virago and it was in excellent condition, which he intended to trike. Within four weeks the Trike was finished, registered with the DVLA, taxed, MOT completed, and ready for pick up.

On the day I went to collect my modified trike, I was quite nervous and excited; seven years since my accident I was getting back onto a bike. Tony collected me from the railway station, piled my wheelchair in the back of his car and took me to his garage. On arrival I saw the 1100 Virago Trike for the first time proudly sitting on the main drive. The rear brake pedal had been transferred over to the left side with a wide footrest to allow for gear and brake pedal together. The right footrest had been adapted with a heel support.

An instant smile was on my face and never removed until I arrived home. My first ride was from Devon, back home to Newcastle upon Tyne, 500 miles of nods and major thumbs up from other bikers. Even people in cars when they saw the trike with the wheelchair on the back would give me a wave.

On arrival back home, I had smiled that much I felt like I had gone to bed with a coat hanger in my mouth.
This was all possible to the advice and grant awarded to me by NABD. I feel we should all try and give something back, and if anyone who is a member of any bike club wants to raise money, why not do it for NABD? Like me, you'll never know if you or a friend will need the help which only NABD give to bikers.

Thank you NABD.

This NABD Grant of £800.00 was sponsored by donations in memory of David Rose.