Mo’s Story: Volunteering after a spinal cord injury

7 October 2026

Meet Mo

  • Chair of an inclusive swimming charity that won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2019
  • Has been a volunteer Mentor with Back Up for 15 years, and just trained as an Inclusion Support Volunteer
  • Believes in taking life one day at a time

Mo, 46, sustained a T9 spinal cord injury in an accident over 20 years ago. It was during a conversation with his consultant that he first came across Back Up.

“When I heard what Back Up was about, I knew right away that I wanted to get involved. I went on a multi-activity course in Exmoor and it changed everything. I abseiled, rode horses, swam, played wheelchair basketball, and came home full of stories and experiences. My family couldn’t believe it.”

But that course did more for Mo than just create some great memories. “Being on that course was invaluable for me because it showed me that nothing is impossible. It showed that I might not be able to do whatever I want in a conventional way, but if I believe that I can do something and give it a good go, I can usually find a way to achieve whatever I want.”

After the course, Mo decided to return to the job he had before his injury. “I was nervous to go back. Even though everyone knew me, they didn’t know this new version of me. But all my colleagues were so accommodating and understanding. I had to push myself to get out there, but I really learnt through going back to work that the more open you are with people the more open they will be with you.”

Since then, Mo has continued to work for a variety of organisations, as well as volunteering in his spare time. “It was on a Back Up course that I got talking to someone who mentioned the Alta Sports Club for the disabled, a charity at Birmingham University that runs weekly inclusive swimming sessions. When I heard about it, I knew I wanted to be part of it. I’ve actually been chair of that charity for over eight years now, and our work won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2019 where I got to visit Buckingham Palace.”

But Mo also decided he wanted to give back to Back Up. “I was in the office one day and I just got this urge to support Back Up as a way of giving back some of the support they’d given me. So, I decided to train as a Mentor. This has been such a rewarding process. I love getting to know different people and I really believe that there’s so much about adjusting to life after a spinal cord injury that you can’t find in books or online, you can only find it by talking to someone who gets it.”

Now, Mo has decided to train as an Inclusion Support Volunteer, supporting young people return to school or university after a spinal cord injury. “Having the chance to be a part of someone’s journey and seeing them change the way they think about life is such a privilege.”

His advice to anyone who’s experienced a spinal cord injury is: “take things day by day and know that you aren’t alone. Reach out to Back Up and see how they can support you to build your confidence and independence.”