I am a dedicated Disability Advocate and Systems Change expert, focused on providing support and empowerment. With years of experience as a consultant, motivational speaker, and mentor, I influence societal attitudes towards disabled individuals, driving change in systems that often fail them. My commitment to amplifying the voices of the often unheard is at the core of my work.
About Fossy
Disability Champion at West Midlands Combined Authority
I have worked at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) since 2018, when I was initially brought in on secondment one day a week to collect disability evidence. Since then, I have developed the role into a full-time secondment (5 years) to a Fixed-Term contract role with a focus on disability and health, which included wider health outcomes such as creative health, health in all policies. To now a permanent post dedicated to reducing the inequalities disabled people face and championing change, and amplifying the voice of those often unheard.
Part of this change and development has arisen from a groundbreaking approach to making the West Midlands an Exemplary Region for Disabled People, spanning multiple sectors, connecting decision-makers and lived experience and improving services, changing systems and influencing societal attitudes and behaviours.
Disability
I was born with my disability. It is called Ectrodactylly and basically means I was born without any feet or ankles and two fingers on each hand.
I have never known any different but I have never let my disability define my but rather use it as driver and motivator to be the best person I can be.
From an early age I was given two prosthetic legs and that was the freedom I needed. Every holiday I would attend sports camps and was always on the go.
I was always active and remained so until getting COVID-19 early on. I ended up with two lots of pneumonia, empyema (fluid in chest) resulting in a collapsed right lung. It did not look good and the consultant does not know how I made it through. This impacted on my mental health and fitness levels and have struggled since.
In 2024, I undertook an ADHD diagnosis following a raised awareness of my thinking. I received the diagnosis being told that I had used my other disability and my intellect combined with my ADHD to be a strategic thinker and high performer. It is probably the reason I was able to work full-time, train and play full-time and still have a good family life.
Retired Paralympian
Represented Great Britain in three sports:
Standing Volleyball - Atlanta Paralympics
Wheelchair Rugby - World/European Championships, Performance Director, Team Manager Beijing Paralympics
Wheelchair Basketball - World/European Championships
I realised from a young age that I could use sport as a way to show what I was capable of. Attending holiday camps, trying out different sports and learning to taransfer skills to be better as I progressed.
By 16 I had:
- Represented my school and Portsmouth in Hockey
- Represented Portsmouth in Athletics
- Represented Hampshire and Southern Region in Wheelchair Basketball
- Qualified in multiple outdoor activities teaching: Sailing, Canoeing, Widsurfing, Skiing, Climbing,Archery, Rifle Shooting, cycling
Then while at University I continued to hone my craft as I completed a BA Hons Degree in Leisure Management and Sport & Exercise Science, where I was the first ever Fresher to captain a club. I was also a sabbatical Sports and Societies Officer for the Students’ Union. Achieved ‘Full Colours’ attended my first Paralympics representing Great Britain in Standing Volleyball.
Post University, I continued to work full time alongside my playing career from trouble shooting fitness facilities and club management to running a sports department at a specialist college for disabled people including acquired brain injuries. From being Perfomance director for Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby to sports development at a County level then multi-regional level. All while representing Great Britain in Wheelchair Rugby and then Wheelchair Basketball.
Alongside these honours I have also managed to get national records in swimming and indoor seated rowing.
Family Man
Married with 2 children and one angel baby
I have a fantastic and supportive family who have supported my time as an elite athlete as well as my professional progression and development.
Married for over 16 years, my wife and I have had significant highs and lows. It was no lower than to find out on Christmas Day that our firstborn daughter at full term was going to be stillborn. With no clear reason, the next two bundles of joy in the form of my two amazing boys were equally stressful.
Part of retiring from International basketball was not only for the secondment opportunity with WMCA but also to enable me to be more present in the boys' developing years.
Both are growing up to be amazing, thoughtful boys who care about people and how they treat others. Yes, they have their own struggles but as a family we can work through it together.
Other Interests
After retiring from elite sport I wanted to remain active so took up cycling initially on the virtual platform Zwift before undertaken some large rides outside. Large rides have included:
- 100 mile bike ride for Prostate Cancer
- Etape Loch Ness
- 100 mile Cheshire Classic
- Several Midnight Ride events
However since having Covid really bad (nearly wasn’t here) I have struggled with motivation and keeping up cycling on a regular basis.
However I have now discovered Pickleball and have become obsessed. It is a fantastic, inclusive sport and one that I am using to try and get back some motivation and fitness. If you have not yet tried it, I encourage you to give it ago. My only warning is that you will become as obsessed as I have become.
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