“Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.” - Denis Waitley. Mike was confined to a wheelchair after he was severely injured in a road accident. Being active in sports he represented Great Briton in several sports events and won many international gold medals. After he retired from field sports, he was introduced to cruising yachts and was immediately hooked. To his dismay, when he tried to go sailing on his own Mike found that no one had really considered enabling sailing for less mobile people like himself. Mike took it upon himself to research and organize the solution which culminated in the launching of a one-of-a-kind yacht that was designed to be fully accessible for wheelchair users. Since then, tens of thousands of people with disabilities and their families have sailed with the RoRo project, short for Roll on, Roll off.

What is the idea behind the DSA Ro-Ro Sailing Project?M: Providing facilities for people refused by other organisiations becase they are difficult or expensive to cater for.

What is your most memorable Archery championship and why?M: 1978 - 2 days out of hospital I won by a significant amount and it showed me I could still achieve things from a wheelchair.

What challenges did you face during a spinal cord injury? How did you motivate yourself to face those challenges?M: Constant pain and feelings of inadequacy. Motivation came from anger about able-bodied people using disabled people for their own ends and being refuse access to things that were advertised or sponsored to be for all types of disabled people.

Who is your inspiration?M: Christopher Reeves, a superman on so many levels and Jimmy Saville

What are your other hobbies?M: Building and flying model aircraft and flying real aircraft

What is your favorite place to visit? What do you love about that place?M: The arms of my wife, the only words I can find to describe this is for the amazing sense of relaxation

What is your suggestion for families of children with disabilities to empower their children?M: I do not like the word 'empowerment'. I meet families with disabled children on an almost daily basis and almost all fall into one of two catagories, those where the whole family is dedicated to making the disabled persons life interesting and exciting and those who are over protective and stop the disabled person doing anything. My opinion is that parents or carers should encourage their disabled people to find out what their peers are doing and encourage their disabled person to try these things if they want to.

What tips/advice do you have for those in our community who are interested in sailing?M: I always tell people to try sailing at least 5 times in five different places in five different boats because the people and boats vary a great deal

Any special message for our community?M: Be even more tollerent and accepting towards disabled people, they are just people.