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Generic Press Release

On September 4th 2012 Martyn Sibley is undertaking his toughest challenge yet. He plans to travel across Europe with his adapted hand-controlled car, accessible caravan and his Personal Care Assistants.

Martyn is 28 and has Spinal Muscular Atrophy meaning he relies on an electric wheelchair, 24/7 care and other support functions. Alongside his work with other disabled people, he has travelled a great deal and completed various adventurous activities.

This latest venture takes him to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Poland and reaches Lithuania, where his grandfather came from. Then it’s back through Poland, Germany, Holland and Belgium, before home.

Martyn will share this with his 20,000 strong online community through articles, pictures and videos on his blog, his magazine Disability Horizons and twitter feed. He will discuss the personal challenges, the wheelchair access/barriers, people’s differing attitudes to disability and video interview other disabled people and charities. Alongside this there will be press coverage and fundraising for beneficiaries in each country.

Sibley says his aims are:

– to showcase individual achievement in tough situations
– to paint a true picture of disability (the rough and the smooth)
– to highlight the differences across Europe of having a disability
– to educate society on this subject matter and promote social inclusion for all

To make this project a success the following is needed:

-Accessible caravan
-Finances for fuel, caravan parks and other route costs
– media and PR support
– introductions to people and organisations in the visited countries

Sibley simply states: “I’m just an individual sharing a personal challenge and experience. My hope is that it can be a catalyst for change in many ways. Younger disabled people can see what is possible, society will see disability in a cool light and it will be a lot of fun. The awareness and money raised will provide a platform for others to progress this social cause”.

ENDS

Additional info:

Martyn Sibley is a blogger, social entrepreneur and disability advocate.

Since starting his blog (martynsibley.com) in July 2009 he has built up a large online presence with disabled people using social media.

He left his job as a fundraiser at the disability charity Scope and since launched online magazine www.disabilityhorizons.com, disability webinars, disability econference and disability ecourses.

Alongside this he has partnered with charities, councils and companies in the disability field around technology strategies.

With a mantra of ‘inspire, inform and change’; Martyn shares his journey, his passion and his vision.