Colin
Colin found Steel Bones about 18 months ago and hasn’t looked back since!! He has a lovely wife and daughter who support him in everything and Sharon always attends events too!
He gradually got to know what Steel Bones was about, enjoyed the support pack and the general advice and support with prosthetics. He realised that he was going out and about more, was doing more and was getting his enjoyment of life back on track……and he thanks Steel Bones for that. Colin says “Steel Bones has given me the confidence to get out and about. It changed my life”.
It was on the theme of giving something back and also getting fitter that Colin decided to fundraise for the charity…..he completed a 100 length Swimathon and was cheered on by a number of family and friends and Steel Bones members!
Sharon and Colin enjoy “giving back” and manned a fabulous raffle last year for Celebration Day after having contacted a huge number of businesses for donations. And a teddy tombola at the Christmas Do. Colin is always happy to get stuck in and help with events, home visits, buddying and more. He mans the Helpline at least once a week too and always,has great advice to give.
Billie
So as part of National Volunteer Week we thought we would let you all know a bit more about some of the people who are helping us!!
First up……Billie and her daughter Erin!!
Billie has taken a place on our management team and loves helping the charity run and grow! She has had a varied career-retail management, banking, working abroad, a coffee/tea taster for a drinks manufacturer, an holistic therapist, working within social housing and homelessness as,well as,teaching anatomy physiology and massage.
Working currently with a Dementia group and a local magazine as well as running a small business. We can safely say she likes to be busy!
Erin is often to be seen “helping” at events alongside Mum who enjoys helping organise and run things like Celebration Day
Billie is one of our “Buddies” on the management team and she is looking forward to meeting those of you she hasn’t met face to face so far and of course catching up with those she has!! Wednesdays are her day for manning the Helpline too.
She says “I got involved with Steel Bones as I could see the passion Emma and Leigh had for making a difference within the amputee community that they became a part of 10 years ago. Its great to be able to help out in any way I can and I have had a huge amount of fun at Celebration Days and other events-it’s like a huge family at Steel Bones”
Paul
Paul found Steel Bones back in 2016, and has been with us ever since. He’s married to his amazing wife Sarah and they have 3 wonderful children Ella, Summer & Riley.
He is a very active person and was in the physio gym two days after his surgery. Over the last three years Paul has gone on to achieve some amazing experiences including climbing Mount Snowdon on crutches, a flying scholarship and playing amputee football for Peterborough United Amputees. and Riley.
Paul likes to inspire other amputees and would like to get more people involved in activities.
Paul’s family have given fantastic support at all of our events and he has now become our events manager and football coordinator working alongside CUCT.
He mans the helpline at least once a week and is a very valuable member of our team.
Jane & Laura
So as National Volunteer Week draws to a close we thought we would tell you about our Trustees!!
They too volunteer their time and are an integral part of the running of the Charity.
Colin you know already but there is also Jane and Laura.
Jane has had a lifelong career in finance and naturally looks after our accounts! A fine eye for detail she keeps a tight reign on all things money related. Jane can also be seen at events, quietly working away helping things to run smoothly and just loves Celebration Day!! Having had ups and downs in ger life she is very understanding of needing help from time to time and is,always happy to be a (fabulous) listening ear.
Laura has,always been in business, sitting on boards of directors and setting up her own business a few years back which is hugely successful and helps small and medium business to grow. Like all the volunteers Laura has always supported charities and after meeting Emma 5 years ago has been passionately behind Steel Bones-giving her time, knowledge and expertise unstintingly. Her company “Your Telemarketing” is a corporate sponsor of Steel Bones and she is very excited for the Charity’s ambitious future and is Speer heading the corporate funding side of fundraising.
Both ladies have busy careers and fab families. Thank you to them both for giving your time to Steel Bones!!!
Debbie
Debbie became an amputee in 2012 and at first struggled with the changes to her life. Once over the initial shocks she wondered what would have made her life that little easier…..and realised that having a trained councillor to talk to before the op and after who also happened to be an amputee would have been wonderful and informative…..so she retrained to be that person!!
She has been popping out to see some of you on request and been giving her time and care. Although not on board on the team of volunteers for long, Debbie has fit right in and is passionate about helping others.
Debbie also realised after her amputation that her family needed support too and is as happy to chat with the amputees as with their familiy-offering a listening ear and practical pointers to “getting on with and enjoying life”.
Emma & Leigh
Many of you will know that Leigh became an amputee over 10 years ago now and although he had Emma’s support and family support really struggled to find information on benefits, prosthetics, mobility, OT who could help “be a voice” for them and more. He and Emma felt isolated too and they wanted to do something about that-Steel Bones began from those thoughts.
Life keeps throwing curve balls at the Joy-Staines family with the kids having health challenges, bereavement and Leigh having further operations (the last one being only a few,weeks ago!) as well as the “usual” issues associated with being an amputee…..but they keep smiling, keep trying to include as many amputee families from across the UK as possible in info, events, support and activities as well as keep time for each other, their family and their business!!
Without their energy and commitment the charity would not exist. They strive for everything to be the best it can be and are thinking to the future with Steel Bones with lots of exciting possibilities and opportunities to come. (fingers crossed!). Working with the trustees and other organisations at the moment to make it all possible!
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