The Back Up and Thriving Accessible Travel Podcast

What does freedom look like when you redefine what is possible after spinal cord injury?

In this episode of Back Up and Thriving, Sophie Elwes is joined by Nathalie McGloin, the first female tetraplegic racing driver in the world and President of the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission. Nathalie shares her journey from sustaining a complete C6–7 spinal cord injury at 16 to becoming a licensed racing driver and international leader in motorsport accessibility.

Nathalie reflects on spending 11 months in hospital, returning to school and university, and how wheelchair rugby shaped her confidence, resilience and independence. She speaks candidly about learning to drive with extensive hand controls, the emotional impact of driving independently, and how mobility opened up travel and opportunity.

Travel, movement and access are central to Nathalie’s story. She discusses driving as a form of freedom, navigating cities, long journeys, and racing circuits, and how preparation, health management and peer support underpin independence. Nathalie also shares insights into founding Spinal Track, creating access to motorsport for disabled people, and using lived experience to drive systemic change.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How driving and travel support independence after spinal cord injury
• Why peer support builds confidence and ambition
• What it takes to race safely with a spinal injury
• How Nathalie uses her platform to improve accessibility in motorsport
• Practical advice for living well and travelling with a spinal cord injury

Key Moments:
00:02 - Nathalie McGloin introduces her story
03:38 - Peer support and early independence
06:21 - Understanding her spinal injury
08:21 - Learning to drive after injury
13:23 - What driving independence means
16:23 - Favourite places to drive and travel
18:01 - Motability and vehicle adaptations
19:42 - Discovering track driving
26:03 - Getting a racing licence
31:12 - Confidence, setbacks and progress
38:13 - Racing wins and career highlights
41:19 - Leading the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission
48:03 - Founding Spinal Track
58:42 - How Spinal Track works
1:00:39 - Safety and exiting a race car
1:02:49 - Advice to her younger self
1:04:19 - Living well with a spinal cord injury

🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?

If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.

Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:

👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

How do you rebuild your life after a career-ending accident — and find joy again in travel, creativity and independence?

In this powerful episode of Back Up and Thriving, host Sophie Elwes speaks with David Holmes, a former British gymnast and stuntman whose career on the Harry Potter films changed forever after a devastating on-set accident left him a tetraplegic.

David opens up about his incredible journey from the film industry to becoming a passionate advocate for disability awareness, accessibility and resilience. He shares the lessons behind his HBO documentary and book, revealing how he’s learned to adapt, travel the world, and live with purpose.

From practical travel hacks to emotional truths about recovery and self-acceptance, David’s story is raw, insightful and deeply inspiring. He discusses everything from navigating airports and accessible vehicles to maintaining verbal independence and using consumer power to drive accessibility change.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How David rebuilt his life after a spinal cord injury
• Strategies for travelling confidently with a disability
• The importance of communication, preparation and independence
• Why adaptability and creativity are key to living well
• How to “vote with your wallet” and push for inclusion

Key Moments:

00:36 - From gymnast to Hollywood stuntman 

02:29 - The accident that changed everything 

05:05 - Lessons from trauma and resilience 

06:51 - Adapting creatively to life with a disability 

09:56 - Travel hacks and preparation strategies 

16:04 - Navigating airports and airlines 

17:32 - Overcoming travel fears post-injury 

19:26 - Independence through driving and road trips 

23:32 - Favourite travel adventures around the world 

26:18 - Travelling with a partner and care team 

29:49 - Don’t be a victim: mindset and self-belief 

31:05 - Communicating care needs and verbal independence 

34:35 - Voting with your wallet for accessibility 

37:23 - Working with caregivers and planning for care 

42:04 - Taking risks and creative expression 

43:04 - Message to his newly injured self 

45:38 - Connection to Back Up and community 

48:55 - Advice on living well with a spinal cord injury

🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?

If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.

Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:

👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

These resources are proudly supported by the Motability Foundation.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

What does it take to rebuild your life after a spinal cord injury while pursuing a career in medicine?

In this episode of Back Up and Thriving, Sophie Elwes speaks with junior doctor and disability advocate Grace Spence Green, who sustained a spinal injury in 2018 while at medical school. Grace shares her remarkable journey of returning to medical studies as a wheelchair user, becoming a trustee at Back Up, and her mission to improve disability representation in healthcare and society.She reflects on navigating the media spotlight, the importance of visibility, and the value of community support. Grace also opens up about radical acceptance, self-compassion, and how travel has shaped her perspective — from her first daunting trip to Venice to recent adventures in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Grace returned to medical school after her injury and the challenges she faced
• The role of visibility and representation for disabled people in healthcare and society
• Practical travel tips and confidence-building advice for wheelchair users
• Why community and peer support are vital for recovery and identity
• The philosophy of radical acceptance and how to apply it to daily life

Key Moments:

00:00 - Introduction to Grace Spence Green 

02:39 - The accident and early rehab journey 

05:34 - Returning to medical school as a wheelchair user 

08:39 - Media coverage and taking back her story 

11:39 - Training as a doctor and career in paediatrics 

14:29 - Building confidence and taking space 

16:43 - First post-injury travel experiences 

19:54 - Accessibility, travel hacks and learning balance 

23:06 - Favourite trips and solo travel 

25:44 - Advice for newly injured travellers 

27:47 - The role of social media and community 

30:16 - Challenging misconceptions about disability 

32:54 - Radical acceptance and unpicking ableism 

35:19 - Gratitude, resilience and new perspectives 

38:59 - Independence, care and dignity 

40:36 - Grace’s future plans and next steps 

41:59 - Final advice on living well with spinal cord injury

🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?

If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.

Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:

👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

These resources are proudly supported by the Motability Foundation.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

What happens when you refuse the story you are told about disability and choose to write your own?

In this episode of Back Up and Thriving, Sophie Elwes speaks with Kyla Harris, actor, producer, writer and co creator of the BBC series We Might Regret This. Kyla shares her experience of sustaining a spinal cord injury at 15 and the long process of rebuilding identity in a world with limited disabled role models.

Kyla speaks openly about internalised ableism, medical pessimism, and how community helped transform her understanding of self worth. She reflects on her journey into filmmaking and the responsibility of TV and film to shape honest disability representation.

Travel is a central theme. Kyla discusses her first trip after injury, extensive travel across Europe, Central America and North Africa, and the practical realities of travelling as a disabled person. Her advice is direct, grounded and shaped by decades of lived experience.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How internalised ableism shapes confidence after spinal cord injury
• Why disability representation in media matters
• Practical travel advice for disabled people
• How to communicate needs clearly when travelling
• Why community is essential for living well with disability

Key Moments:

00:01 - Meeting Kyla Harris

02:12 - Life before and after spinal injury

03:42 - Medical perspectives and early challenges

08:24 - Understanding internalised ableism

12:36 - From acting to filmmaking

17:45 - Disability representation in TV and film

22:33 - First trip after spinal injury

29:28 - Travelling the world as a disabled person

34:45 - Travel preparation and communication

36:37 - Advice for newly injured travellers

42:40 - Community and living well with disability

🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?

If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.

Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:

👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

These resources are proudly supported by the Motability Foundation.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

What helps you rebuild confidence, identity and freedom after a spinal cord injury?

In this episode of Back Up and Thriving, Sophie Elwes is joined by Clair Pollard, who’s a Clinical Psychologist and paraplegic who sustained her spinal injury in 1999 while travelling in Africa. Clair shares how discovering Back Up shortly after leaving hospital changed the direction of her life and reshaped her belief in what was still possible.

Clair reflects on her first multi activity course in the Lake District, the power of peer support, and how it became central to her recovery and long term wellbeing. She also discusses the growth of Back Up from a small charity into a national organisation supporting people with spinal cord injuries and their families and shares the evolution of the family support service and mentoring service - which she helped pioneer alongside another Clinical Psychologist in 2005.

Travel plays a major role in Clair’s story. She speaks candidly about navigating the world as a wheelchair user, accepting help when needed, managing setbacks, and building confidence through experience. Her perspective is practical, honest and grounded in decades of lived experience.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How peer support and mentoring support long term recovery
• Why travel remains possible after spinal cord injury with planning and confidence
• How to balance independence with accepting help when travelling
• The emotional impact of injury on family members and why their wellbeing matters
• Practical advice for newly injured people considering travel

Key Moments:

00:00 - Clair Pollard introduces her journey

02:05 - Discovering Back Up after spinal injury

04:45 - The Lake District course that changed everything

07:29 - Returning to work and rebuilding confidence

10:09 - Peer support and mentoring at Back Up

14:56 - Why mentoring works so powerfully

19:12 - Travelling the world as a wheelchair user

22:54 - Losing spontaneity and learning to plan travel

26:19 - Asking for help and verbal independence

29:38 - Advice for newly injured travellers

33:38 - Travel hacks and flying with a wheelchair

37:19 - What Clair would tell her newly injured self

38:50 - Living well with a spinal cord injury

41:36 - Supporting family members after injury

43:11 - Final reflections on purpose and gratitude

🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?

If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.

Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:

👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

Find out more about:

Mentoring: www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/mentoring

The Back Up Lounge: www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/the-back-up-lounge

Family Support: www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/family-support

Back Up Courses: www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/life-changing-courses

These resources are proudly supported by the Motability Foundation.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

What happens when a life-changing crash leads to a world-class comeback?

In this inspiring episode of Back Up and Thriving, host Sophie Elwes speaks with Benjamin Pritchard, a Paralympic, World, and European rowing champion whose story proves that strength comes from adaptability.

After a cycling accident in 2016 left him with a spinal cord injury, Benjamin faced one of life’s toughest challenges: learning to rebuild his independence and identity. From the early days at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to standing on the Paralympic podium, he opens up about the setbacks, breakthroughs and lessons that shaped his path.

Benjamin also shares practical advice on travelling with a disability — from airline planning and accessible accommodation to the mindset that makes exploration possible. His honesty about the highs and lows of rehabilitation, sport, and travel offers encouragement for anyone navigating life after injury.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Benjamin rebuilt his life and career after a spinal cord injury
• The mindset and routines that fuel Paralympic-level performance
• Tips for travelling confidently as a wheelchair user
• Why accessibility begins with attitude, not infrastructure
• How to live actively, adapt, and thrive after injury

Key Moments:

01:00 - From cyclist to Paralympic rower 

02:40 - The cycling crash that changed everything 

04:30 - Rehabilitation and the road to acceptance 

08:12 - Life after hospital and learning independence 

11:47 - Family, friends and community support 

18:05 - Discovering adaptive sport and rowing 

22:36 - Training, trials and joining Team GB 

29:15 - From rehabilitation to the Paralympic podium 

35:04 - Inside the Paralympics: lessons and emotions 

36:25 - Travelling as a wheelchair user 

39:27 - Airline tips, accessibility and booking advice 

44:43 - Facing fear, scuba diving and skiing after injury 

49:51 - Advice for newly injured individuals 

52:28 - The road to Los Angeles 2028 

54:55 - Living well with a spinal cord injury

🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?

If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.

Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:

👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

These resources are proudly supported by the Motability Foundation.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

Welcome to the pilot episode of Back Up & Thriving, a podcast exploring accessible travel, real experiences, and practical support for people navigating life after spinal cord injury.

In this short introduction, we share what this podcast is all about, who it’s for, and how Back Up supports people to travel with more confidence, independence, and clarity. Whether you’re thinking about your next trip or simply want to hear from people who understand the challenges and possibilities of accessible travel, this series is here to support you.

👉 Explore the Accessible Travel Toolkit and get support to travel confidently:
 https://www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit

These resources are gratefully supported and funded by the Motability Foundation.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

In this episode of the Back Up and Thriving Accessible Travel Podcast, host Sophie Elwes interviews TV presenter, disability advocate, and artist Sophie Morgan about her journey and experiences travelling with a T5-6 complete spinal cord injury.
 
The discussion covers the challenges and tips for flying with a disability, the importance of self-advocacy, and the impact of travel on a person's independence and confidence. Sophie Morgan shares personal anecdotes, valuable advice for newly injured individuals, and emphasises the importance of pushing boundaries and embracing adventures despite disabilities.

Episode Highlights:

01:34 Sophie’s Journey with Back Up

16:02 Navigating Air Travel with a Disability

24:49 Managing Long Flights: Tips and Tricks

27:30 Essential Travel Hacks and Preparations

30:08 Encouragement for New Travellers

Episode Links:

• Rights on Flights
• Back Up Courses
• Back Up Mentoring

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

In this episode of the Backup and Thriving Accessible Travel Podcast, host Sophie Elwes interviews Hannah, who sustained a C5 incomplete spinal cord injury in 2018, and her father, Darren. They share their experiences and insights into navigating life and travel with a spinal cord injury. 

Hannah discusses her journey from sustaining her injury as a trampoline gymnast to becoming a physiotherapist and a wheelchair rugby player, emphasising the importance of adaptability and independence. Darren provides a parent's perspective on the journey and highlights the significance of family support. They delve into the challenges and triumphs of driving, transferring, and travelling; offering valuable tips and advice for new drivers and travellers with a spinal cord injury.

Episode Highlights:

01:18 Hannah's Journey and Achievements

10:59 Driving with a Spinal Cord Injury

33:17 Tips and Tools for Accessible Travel

40:05 Top Travel Memories and Final Advice

Episode Links:

• Back Up courses
• Youth Advisory Group (YAG)  
• Appy Parking
• Motability Scheme
• fuelService
• Google Maps

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes at Back Up Trust and produced by Lucy Lucraft.

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. 

In this episode of the Back Up and Thriving Accessible Travel Podcast, host Sophie Elwes interviews Pete Donnelly, who has lived with a T6 spinal cord injury for 18 years. They discuss Pete's journey with Back Up, his rehabilitation, mastering wheelchair skills, and his exceptional travel experiences globally. Pete shares valuable insights into overcoming internalized ableism and the societal barriers faced by people with disabilities. He also offers practical advice for living well with a spinal cord injury and his top travel tips to make life easier for wheelchair This conversation aims to inspire listeners to view travelling post-injury as not only possible but potentially life-changing.

Episode Highlights:
04:05 The Accident and Rehabilitation
05:55 Facing Perceptions and Internalized Ableism
09:59 Mastering Wheelchair Skills
19:37 Navigating London with a Wheelchair
25:12 Adventures Abroad: Traveling with a Wheelchair

Episode Links:

• Back Up Wheelchair Skills App
• Back Up Courses
• Taking Flight 

Credits:

This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.

Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin.