On Thursday 19th June we were delighted to welcome Claire Lomas as part of the ‘Stoneygate School In Conversation With…’ series.
Claire spoke confidently and candidly about her experience since the freak riding accident in 2007 that left her paralysed from the chest down. Since then, Claire has worked tirelessly fundraising for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation – an organisation that she hints are very close to finding a cure for spinal injuries and paralysis.
The children were fascinated by Claire’s story, and the admission that her top five achievements in life had occurred after her accident. Claire completed the London Marathon in 2012 using a ReWalk suit that allowed her to walk whilst aided by tilting and balancing her hips. Achieving such an amazing goal only spurred Claire on further, and after lighting the Paralympic cauldron for London 2012, Claire then went on to hand cycle 400 miles from Nottingham to London. On her way, she stopped at schools to give inspirational talks, just like the one we were treated to.
It was fantastic for the children and parents to hear Claire’s positive experiences and hear her mantra: never give up! Even when things appeared bleak, Claire found her inner strength and battled through.
If you would like to donate to the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, you can visit their website here, or purchase Claire’s autobiography ‘Finding My Feet’ here.
