Adventure traveller Judy Woolfenden MBE, from Kenilworth in Warwickshire, has confirmed her attendance to the UK’s only consumer show for people with disabilities seeking a more active and independent life. Visitors to enABLE 08, held at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on 28&29 November, will be motivated by Judy’s journeys, drive and determination in her special Travel seminar.
Judy has Spinal Muscular Atrophy – a progressive neuro-muscular wasting disorder, as well as several other serious medical conditions. Every year Judy undertakes massive personal challenges to fundraise for her ten chosen charities and promote a positive awareness of disability. Her previous achievements include the New York Marathon, dog sledding across Norway, the BUPA Great North Run and the London to Jerusalem JNF car rally.
With around 10 million people in Britain now classified as having a disability, the engaging free seminar programme in conjunction with the UK’s leading disability charity, Leonard Cheshire Disability, will cover a wealth of topical issues at enABLE 08. The show’s content will be underpinned by the UK’s largest piece of research into the needs and aspirations of the disabled community, conducted by YouGov. The event is completely free to attend and you can log on to www.enableshow.co.uk to register for a complimentary ticket.
Hosting the Travel seminar, chaired by Able Magazine, Judy will be sharing her expedition experiences and showing the special journal she penned during her first major charity fundraising expedition, cross-country skiing across Australia. “I am delighted to be invited as a special guest to enABLE 08,” said Judy. “I am surprised and honoured to be able to share my travelling experiences with like-minded enthusiasts. I happily accepted the invitation to host a part of the Travel seminar because I want to encourage as many people as possible, whether they have a disability or not, to take a rest from the norm. Instead of staring at a computer screen all day, do something different and get active.”
After nearly 20 years of fundraising, the Judy Woolfenden Challenge has raised well over £60,000 for her ten chosen charities - Combat Stress, Coventry Friends of the Home Farm Trust, the Disabled Living Foundation, Riding for the Disabled Lowlands Farm Group, the RAF Benevolent Fund, the Gurkha Welfare Trust, Young Voices at 12, South Warwickshire Haematology Trust Fund, Warwickshire Hospital’s Charlecote Ward and the National Osteoporosis Society. In addition to her astonishing expeditions, Judy is a keen indoor rower who has won several medals including silver at the 2008 Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championships.
During her visit to enABLE 08, Judy will also be hoping to attract support for her next planned adventure; to complete as many endurance marathons as possible in 2009. To meet that particular challenge, however, Judy needs to raise over £2,000 to buy a revolutionary Trekinetic wheelchair. Based on a unique carbon fibre monocoque and three wheel design, the wheelchair would provide Judy with unrivalled manoeuvrability.
Show organisers Centaur Exhibitions is delighted to make a donation towards Judy’s Trekinetic wheelchair.
The enABLE show will be held in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, which offers the most disabled-accessible exhibition halls in the country, plenty of parking spaces and excellent travel links by car and train.
To register for free tickets to enABLE 08 and for the latest show news log onto www.enableshow.co.uk
Photography Attached - Dazcat Power 15 – Desiderata. (High resolution images available.)
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Notes to Editors
To be held in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 28-29 November 2008, the very first enABLE show will be free to attend and will meet the information needs of visitors while offering an engaging seminar programme. The Ricoh Arena, which offers the most disabled-accessible exhibition halls in the UK and thousands of parking spaces, also boasts excellent travel links by car and train. Around 120 exhibitors will be at the show covering a wide range of areas from aids to holidays, from fitness equipment to health and beauty and training and recruitment to education. Visit the official website at www.enableshow.co.uk
For further information contact:
Emma Spearing
Tel: 01202 862 410 Mobile: 07736 341 828 E-mail: enABLEpr@hazelpr.com
Cathy Metcalfe
Tel: 01327 352 199 Mobile: 07802 332 398 E-mail: enABLEpr@hazelpr.com