Friday 6 December 2013

National Powerchair Football Week.




November 23rd saw the start of National Powerchair Football Week, now I must admit I was slow on the uptake with this. That surprises me... A lot!

It surprises me for two reasons. The first being my love of football and absolutely everything about it, in every respect.

Secondly because I'm a realist, I know my body’s destiny. I live with Limb GirdleMuscular Dystrophy, a progressive condition that deteriorates my muscles and the ability to use them. This isn’t to sound bleak; It’s just that I find it easier to adjust things in early stages rather than be overcome by a physical change.

With that in my mind, over a very short period of time I realised that powerchair football could be an opportunity for me. I decided to enquire about the game and pondered going to a local team and trying to get an insight into it and its heritage.

It didn't quite work out that way.

I tweeted the governing body (WFA) asking where my local club is and immediately got a response with a very helpful link to ALL the clubs in England. I then decided to get in touch with Alun Watson, player/manager of the MK Dons SET FC, Milton Keynes’ powerchair football club. Alun was extremely accommodating and replied with “fancy having a go Martin? Get down here Saturday and we’ll have a chair ready for you”
This was a bit of a shock to me, like I mentioned earlier, I have a progressive condition and at the minute I do not rely on a powerchair to get about. I’m still able to walk (just) and the idea of getting in a chair, for me, was a bit daunting. Within five minutes of arriving in Milton Keynes Alun had me in a chair and my 7 year daughter, Olivia was watching from the side-lines.

I thought it was important that Olivia came along too as she has a massive interest in all sports, especially football. She has been watching football from a young age and I wanted her opinion afterwards. I don’t need to tell you how brutally honest children can be! 

So here we are, myself and about 11 other people in a sports hall in powerchairs. In at the deep end! Firstly Alun gets me used to the chair and asks me to run the line to get used to speed and movement. These things have five speeds and they are rapid! Then when I was used to that, Alun had me slaloming through some cones and told me that soon we would introduce a ball.

I must also add that whilst all this was going on Alun was explaining rules and also telling stories of some the players and their playing traits. The players were a vast array of ages and totally different conditions. Alun, like me, has LGMD and also has a massive interest in the beautiful game. (It’s quite easy to see how we immediately clicked.) He goes on to tell me about one of the players called Ross. Ross is 17 years old and has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and it’s at this point that Ross’s mum (Marie) comes over to where I’m practising. I start to ask her about the sport and what Ross thinks of it. “It’s fantastic and has changed Ross’s life; he looks forward to it all week, every week” Music to my ears!

So training is done and apparently I’m ready to get involved with a game! 

Its 4-a-side and we have 20 minutes left, I simply cannot explain how this feels, I’m on a pitch and I’m in a team… playing football, I haven’t done this for 22years! Initially I’m riddled with frustration, I cannot operate the chair fast enough and with the precision I desire. 
Then near the end I pick up the ball in front of what I call the ‘Bull bars’, big bumper things at front of the chair that help gain control and protect the chair/occupant. I’m in my own half and all that’s in front of me is the opposition so I go straight to make my way
Myself,Ross and the main man Alun.
through the players and (luckily) everything is going my way, controlling the ball past others with a lucky deflection of an opposing player back to me and I can see the goal now, Surely not! I keep going and with what feels like a slight right turn I score a goal! 1-0!!! 
We went on to win 2-0.
Again, this is simply indescribable, It feels exactly the same as being 17 years old and scoring on grass, anyone who has ever scored ANY goal will know that feeling, Immense!

At the end we pack everything away and I cannot thank Alun and the team enough. It was simply fantastic and Alun is a credit to the game, a very good ambassador.

Will I go back and do it again? Without a doubt, I wish I’d have heard about it sooner.

To finish I would like to tell you about what I consider the best bit… As we got in the car Olivia said “Daddy I’ve never seen you play football until today and the first time I saw you, you scored and that made me proud in my heart and made my belly feel funny” … I did warn you about how brutally honest children can be and that just made my year!


If you’d like to get involved then get in touch with the WFA here… http://www.thewfa.org.uk/

I highly recommend it!







Friday 22 November 2013

Monday 21 October 2013

The Muscular Dystrophy Conference and Presidents Awards 2013



On the 12th October Michelle and I was invited to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s National Conference and President’s Awards.


Tuesday 8 October 2013

The Importance Of Being Idle.

Here I'm lucky enough to get input from two fantastic people who have helped make this regarding respite and our unsung heroes behind it.



Thursday 5 September 2013

Just Giving


One mile ... 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or about 1,609 metres: doesn't sound like much, does it?
This is my challenge and at the end of August is when I push myself to help raise awareness and vital funds for the Muscular Dystrophy campaign.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the biggest genetic killer of young boys and young men. Let's change this.
Why is walking a mile difficult for me?
Find out more here:- Link

Friday 30 August 2013

My Mile for Muscles

On the 25th August I started my challenge, a mile for muscles.


This was my chance to push and challenge myself and an opportunity to raise awareness and vital funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and try to help fund world class research to find treatment and cures for muscular dystrophy.

I chose the location for my walk quite easily and family and friends may not even realise why I had been quite specific. I was to start my walk from Stoke Mandeville Stadium; The Guttmann centre.

Ludwig Guttmann was a German born British neurologist who believed that sport was a major method of therapy for injured military personnel helping them build up physical strength and self-respect… This is something I truly believe in and also in this day and age spectating sports too. To be included and feel that you’re part of something can be imperative, able bodied or not.

Sunday 4 August 2013

Mile for Muscles

To many, walking a mile may not seem to much, but for me it was a challenge that I had set my heart on...

Here is a link to the Bucks Herald newspaper article.

Thursday 1 August 2013

Physically Pushed to the Limit

Here is a link to the local news websites reporting on my "Mile for Muscles" achievement.

Thank you for all of the support before, during and after the event.  It means a great deal to me to have such a wonderful supportive family and some amazing friends.

Bucks Herald - Link

Mix 96 - Link

Thursday 4 July 2013

Move a Mile for Muscles

1 Mile… 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or about 1,609 metres, doesn’t sound like much does it?

This distance is my challenge, something I’ll need to overcome to raise awareness and vital funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

It really shouldn’t be a problem should it? It’s not far at all, fairly easy for most people. But I’m not most people; I have Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. I’m lucky enough to have this lesser strain of the condition and therefore I’m able to help support this charity by doing this walk.

Friday 7 June 2013

On The Right Track

Twelve months ago, pretty much to the day, I started to write.

Someone had given me the opportunity to write a blog for a football fanzine, to capture ‘a day in the life' of me getting myself to a football match. To my surprise the story went viral but the greater surprise comes from the events that have followed.


I've since appeared in my football clubs match day programme, Charity magazine & website, made a presentation to everyone of my work colleagues, telling them about Muscular Dystrophy and how devastating the condition is. I have written a guest blog on ‘Harrisons fund' website (a Duchenne charity), I‘ve been asked to appear in a filmed Ad campaign later this year by a national newspaper, and so much more...

Thursday 25 April 2013

A Very Special Sunday

Supporter Martin Hywood and his wife Michelle volunteered at last Sunday's Virgin London Marathon to help us cheer on our 103 Team Orange runners, including Martin's brother, Andrew.

06:20, Sunday, 21 April 2013...

Never have I hated my alarm clock so much as right now! Then as I slowly wake up and get my head together I realise why I'm being 'beeped' at... The 2013 London Marathon!

We're up, ready and set off to the station for the train. We're very lucky with our train journey, travelling through the Chilterns at this time of the morning is something else; the mist rolls off the hills to reveal a stunning patchwork quilt of forest and field. This takes away some of the anxiety I am feeling right now.

Friday 19 April 2013

Me and MD

You may wonder why I go on about Muscular Dystrophy. It’s because I’m lucky to have a lesser strain (Limb Girdle) and I have the ability to shout for those that can’t; and if I can make a difference then so can you.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is the biggest genetic killer of infants and toddlers. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the biggest genetic killer amongst boys and young men (only 1% of those affected are girls)

Thursday 21 March 2013

Me Myself and PIP

Martin Hywood is 39 and has limb girdle muscular dystrophy. Here he shares his experience of his first muscle group meeting and his thoughts on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) - the new benefit replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

"I'll start with a little introduction, although the above may well tell you quite a lot already.

I was 23 when I was diagnosed with this condition. At that time, I knew nothing about it and didn't want to know anything about it- complete denial. I never wanted help and I didn't want to talk about it.

Friday 22 February 2013

Tony, Tony Yeboah,Tony Yebo-o-ah

In some respects, occasionally, I consider myself lucky to be an aged supporter of Leeds United.

Like every football club far and wide players come and go; some will make an impression on you, make you feel like they are involved for you as well as themselves and team mates. I’m not a lover of the badge kisser; it seems transparent and somewhat diluted in this day and age, and besides sometimes it’s unnecessary. Usually what they’ve just done is enough to show you the love they have for the club, and it’s on that note that I’d like to talk about Tony Yeboah.

Yeboah played for Leeds 65 times (league and cup) and scored 32 goals… 32 amazing goals!