Staff Spotlight – James Needham
2 July 2025
In our second Staff Spotlight in our series, meet James, our Regional Outreach Team Leader for South/West Yorkshire & Lincolnshire.
James was 20 years old when he sustained a C6 spinal cord injury following a car accident in 2004. He shares his journey from injury to Outreach – and explains how a regular fork changed his outlook on life.
Regaining independence after spinal cord injury
I remember asking a nurse, ‘Will I ever be able to hold a pint again?’ That was the mindset of a 20-year-old student.
“I was home from university and on my way to my job as a lifeguard. I clipped a kerb, the car flipped numerous times – and my world was literally turned upside down. I couldn’t return to the job I loved and my mum gave up work to visit me in hospital for six and a half months. My younger brother was also one of the first on the scene – it impacted my whole family.”
The early days post-injury were the hardest for James, and regaining independence meant re-learning how to do even the most basic tasks.
“Because of my level of injury, I couldn’t move my upper or lower limbs. People had to brush my teeth, feed me, even comb my hair – I found that really difficult.”
“I remember asking a nurse, ‘Will I ever be able to hold a pint again?’ That was the mindset of a 20-year-old student.”
Finding confidence through Back Up
I remember seeing someone holding a regular fork, not using the foam-handled cutlery I had – that changed everything. I knew I could do things differently…
James first met Back Up when he was in hospital at the spinal centre in Sheffield.
“They were chatting to me about ski courses and multi-activity weekends, and I was so sceptical. I just couldn’t imagine skiing in a wheelchair! Then I signed up for a ski course in Sweden in 2005 and caught the ‘Back Up Bug’!”
“It was just over a year after my injury and it was incredible. Being up in the mountains, meeting others with similar injuries who had found their own ways of doing things – it was eye-opening.”
“I remember seeing someone holding a regular fork, not using the foam-handled cutlery I had – that changed everything. I knew I could do things differently and the course gave me the confidence and practical skills to live more independently.”
James later became a volunteer Wheelchair Skills Trainer and Group Leader with Back Up, before joining the staff team as Regional Outreach Team Leader for South/West Yorkshire & Lincolnshire in 2024.
“I’d been working in a primary school for 14 years, but I knew it was time for a change. Back Up had changed my life, and I wanted to help others see what’s possible.”
Regional support for people affected by spinal cord injury
Not everyone with a spinal injury goes through a spinal unit, and I was naïve to that. But now, it’s about making sure everyone has the same access to support.
Now based in Yorkshire, James visits the spinal unit in Sheffield weekly and the centre in Pinderfields bi-weekly, supporting patients, families and staff. He also connects with people affected by spinal cord injury in trauma centres, talking to them about Back Up and the services available to them.
“Not everyone with a spinal injury goes through a spinal unit, and I was naïve to that. But now, it’s about making sure everyone has the same access to support.”
Living confidently: Advice from James
James embodies Back Up’s goal of Living Confidently – empowering people affected by spinal cord injury with the confidence, knowledge and practical skills to live a full, independent life.
“Talk to people. You might not be ready for the support at first, but keep the information close – you will be one day. And plan – planning is everything now. Whether it’s a big journey or just going downstairs in the morning, having what I need nearby gives me independence.”
James also emphasises that recovery isn’t linear. “Hospital is safe, there are people there 24/7. Once you leave, it gets tougher – and that’s okay. It’s a rollercoaster and the dips are normal, but with support, you can find your way.”
And the pint? “I started with a bottle, moved to a half-pint, and eventually got to a full one with the right kind of glass. Even that was part of learning how to live again.”
