DON'T RISK IT

THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT DON'T RISK IT CAMPAIGN 

"Within seconds, everything changed. I tried to move my arms and nothing could move.

The consequences aren’t worth it.''

It  has been a monumental last few weeks for The Reinvention. 

I was proud at being asked by Michael McDonnell, Director of Road Safety Scotland, to be at the forefront of this years Road Safety's winter awareness campaign  #dontriskit and have spent recent days conducting interviews for different broadcasting mediums. A video footage was shot at a talk I gave to pupils at a high school in Greenock and I spent time at Clyde Radio Station (https://planetradio.co.uk/clyde/ )sharing my story as well as what my aims and ambitions are for The Reinvention.

Along with this, I have also carried out an interview for the Road Safety magazine's winter edition. http://roadsafetyscotland.org.uk/road-safety-topics/direction-newsletter.

I have been working alongside the excellent PR & Content Agency  http://smartscommunicate.com to support and deliver the  #dontriskit campaign. 

It has been non-stop! Yet it has the been most amazing experince, from the places I have visited to the most wonderful people I have met along the way. 

Like most people, watching yourself back on a video like the one we have created, can be a bit discomforting. From my own experience, it was something altogether tougher. 

I was sharing my story and as much as this story hurts, I knew I had share it for the   #dontriskit campaign and get it out there into as wide a public domain as possible - I do not want you or your family or friends to be a victim of a serious road traffic incident because someone has decided to drink and drive.

If we want people to sit up and take notice to our message then I had to be specific about what I've been and continue to go through. Sadly, I suffered terrible, life-changing injuries as a result of a drunk driver and I believe that this campaign will make a difference. 

I believe it will make someone sit up and take notice. I believe it will make someone think twice about getting behind the wheel after drinking.

You can see the video here:

https://www.facebook.com/roadsafetyscotland

DONT RISK IT

Also, check out our campaign on the dontrisk it website: http://dontriskit.info/drink-driving/plan-ahead/the-campaign/

Here's what they have to say:

Our campaign is to remind drivers in Scotland that there is zero tolerance for ‘just one’ drink before driving. We advise that ‘the best approach is none’, and through the campaign we also make the public more aware of the consequences of being found guilty of drink driving.

#dontriskit

I want to thank Police Scotland and the Scottish Government, Road Safety Scotland, Clyde Radio and Smarts Communicate for inviting me to be the face of  #dontriskit campaign this year. I feel so proud of the end result and the feedback we are getting. We currently sitting at 17k likes of facebook and the comments and support mean the world to us in sharing this year's road safety message.

Another important person I would like to thank is my husand Christopher. His love and support and belief in me has given me the confidence to share my story. I feel incrediblyly lucky. 

The Reinvention journey has only just begun. There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes as we get ourselves truly established and ready to carry out even more fantastic work in raising road safety awareness in 2018.

Thank you sincerly to everyone who has helped made this campaign a complete success and this is the only the beginning. 

Love Angela xx

NEW DRIVER EARLY INTERVENTION SCHEME

POLICE SCOTLAND 

I am pleased to say that The Reinvention journey took another fulfilling turn when I was asked to be part of a wonderful campaign being established by Police Scotland.

http://www.scotland.police.uk/contact-us/new-driver-scheme

The new Driver Early Intervention Scheme has the support of the Motor Schools Association of Great Britain and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. 

The new driver scheme aims to change inexperienced motorists' perceptions of road safety and is delivered through a very highly powerful presentation.

Along with this, young motorists and learner drivers will be made aware through associated driving instructors that sessions are currently free and will be provided as a benefit on their learning journey as drivers.  

New Driver Early Intervention Scheme Presentation

Through the highly powerful information and video footage, I had been invited along to share my story of being involved in a road traffic collision, when a driver decided to knock me down with his van at 70mph in a 30mph zone. The driver drove away and sadly left me at the side of the road with no help or support bleeding and left with life-altering injuries. 

This opportunity to talk is a way to offer a first-person insight into how one's life can be changed to senseless and dangerous driving.

Constable Craig Beaver, National Coordinator for the New Driver Scheme, has given me guidance and, in turn, brought on my confidence to share my story to new early drivers. 

It has taken me over 10 years to find the courage to share own personal story of what happened that night of being involved in a hit and run incident. With my words of encouragement from Constable Beaver, I felt a little stronger to step onto the stage and share my story. I felt so scared to share but deep in my heart I knew the reason why I was doing this - I do not want any another individual or family to go through what I have been through and still sadly to this day it happens. 

It was pleasing to receive such a positive response from the audience after I had shared my experience and at the end of the presentation our audience that day were keen to ask questions and be even more engaged for their own safety and for others on the roads.

The Reinvention Founder - Angela McShane

Those present agreed that such testimony, along with a powerful presentation of the information and message forwarded by Police Scotland, has the power to help improve the mindsets of many young drivers today.

I look forward to the campaign's voice being heard loud and clear through community hubs across Scotland in the coming months. 

For more information on the campaign and sign up, places are limited, send an email to newdriverscheme@scotland.pnn.police.uk 

Love Angela x 

 

A VERY PROUD HUSBAND

http://www.gosafeglasgow.com

This blog is a little different to what has been before on The Reinvention.

I am Angela’s husband. Her very proud husband.

I went along with Angela today to meet Glasgow City Council. They are looking to work collaboratively, using Angela’s story to help produce road safety and awareness material and information. I was merely there as moral support for my wife, to assist in any way I could.

Glasgow City Council 

Angela was asked to record on video what she went through that fateful night IN 2001, recalling all the horrific details of how she was knocked down by a driver high on drink and drugs, who had no interest in stopping to assist her, let alone admit his guilt at the terrible offences committed.

The Reinvention #triumphoverinjury

I know Angela’s story well, having heard her retell the incident both in a private setting and with those close to us and it has not lost one iota of impact on me each time. Sitting listening to her today, I went through a whole range of emotions – sadness, anger, frustration, sympathy, hurt.

But above all else, pride.

Words cannot express how proud I am to be the person who gets to share the rest of their life with someone as special as Angela. Not only has she had to face so many challenges and difficulties in her life but she has done so with an unwavering strength and courage, of which she will never give herself enough credit for.

And now, she is using her experiences to help others. To help those who have suffered life-changing injuries and those close to them, to help promote road safety awareness, to help share her positive message of triumph over injury.

https://thereinvention1.blogspot.co.uk

I will be there, standing proudly, with her every step of the journey.

SKY'S THE LIMIT

My journey of telling the world about The Reinvention - Triumph Over Injury had begun by making some initial inroads with several contacts involved in the Road Safety Industry and, as a result, my mission - to turn my experience from suffering multiple injuries and trauma from a hit and run accident into something positive and powerful - was underway. I was beginning to get my message out there - The Reinvention will help similar individuals and families who have experienced trauma in their life. 

https://thereinvention1.blogspot.co.uk

                                                     

I was then lucky enough to be selected onto the Entrepreneurial Spark programme.

Entrepreneurs Spark (ESpark) is the World’s Largest Free Business Accelerator for early stage and growing ventures. Working in a collaborative office environment suitable building teams, business will receive free IT & WIFI, access to business enablement and support with pool of over 50 specialised mentors, networking opportunities, workshops and pitch practice and more. 

Entrepreneurial Spark work alongside Royal Bank of Scotland with their Entrepreneurial Development Managers to develop the mind-sets of entrepreneurs who will be great in business. There are over 12 Entrepreneurs Spark Hubs in and around the UK. Entrepreneurial Spark has a vision is to inspire and enable social change through the act of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs Spark is in partnership with KPMG Enterprise, Dell Technologies, and Harper Macleod.

https://www.entrepreneurial-spark.com

The first day being part of their ‘Three-Month-Sprint’ programme was a nervous one, yet every member at their Ayrshire Hub were immediately so welcoming and super helpful. The purpose of the Sprint is to be focused on specific outcomes you want to achieve. The three months have been life changing - I have validated The Reinvention. My confidence has grown through learning what kind of business I can run to suit The Reinvention's aims and goals and I am now surrounded with like-minded people, I am handling situations, pitching to crowds and embracing the Entrepreneurial journey.

I have enjoyed listening to, and absorbing, many amazing guest speakers at the Ayrshire Hub, yet the one that stands out from the crowd is Sir Tom Hunter. His passion and determination inspires all members at the Ayrshire Hub that ''we can do anything”. #GoDo

I love Sir Tom Hunter's talk recenntly at the Ayrshire Hub and his message about the positive impact creating jobs in the community can have and the bigger effect it has on the individual and their families. We are not only changing our own lives in the pursuit of our dreams. When we become better, the world around us instantly becomes better too.

As I continue my entrepreneur journey with the support of Sir Tom Hunter and the amazing team at Entrepreneurial Spark at the Ayrshire Hub, I feel the Sky's The Limit.

Time to fly.

Love

Angela x

E: thereinvetion1@gmail.com

CONTACT US

If you are struggling with injury and need support please do not hesitate to contact 
The Reinvention and let us know how we can help you? 

E: thereinvention1@gmail.com 

Angela Wilson

Founder of The Reinvention

THE JOURNEY IS WORTH IT

Emerald Lake, Canada

As I sit looking out onto the rolling fields and powerful mountains of America, I can’t quite believe I am here at the beautifully serene Emerald Lake with Christopher, my fiancé.  We are both so grateful for this amazing adventure.

Christopher and I have travelled a great distance so far, we have visited the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver; the stunning, quaint life of Qualicum Beach: the laid-back beach town of Tofino and the regal city of Victoria before hopping on a ferry to the hustle and bustle of the big and bold Seattle. 

While planning our trip, I made sure I would pack for every eventuality, which includes sun -screen, emergency contact details, and a travel first aid box - all the usual things we take when going on holiday.

One thing that I did not plan on was my injury flaring up during our travels - it was last thing I really thought would ever happen. 

Not being able to walk while on holiday, exploring so many wonderful new environments and instead having to stay in the hotel room for many days until the discomfort in my leg eased was, and is, so disheartening. 

I became teary, frustrated and angry: of all of times in my life for my injury to flare up. All I wanted to do is explore and enjoy without worry or concern but sadly, all I could do was rest up.

My heart was so sad. Yet as I looked around these surroundings, I could see my amazing partner Christopher with me in such a beautiful part of the world and I began thinking that I have so much to be grateful for. I have a partner who is loving, supporting and funny (which is so helpful under times of stress) and my health is good enough to take a plane and enjoy the various sights and sounds of America and Canada. 

And then my inner flight began to rise inside: I won’t be defeated by this. I will rest up and plan for fun activities to do on holiday once the flare goes down. 

I have come to realise, either as in life or on holiday, nothing is perfect. There will always be interruptions and set backs along the way but it is not how you get the injury that is important - it’s what you do next that holds the key to the recovery. 

If you are struggling with an injury or know someone who is and you need a little support, then The Reinvention is there for you - get in contact with me via the email below.

Love Angela x

E: thereinvetion1@gmail.com 

#GoDo

I believe in The Reinvention - can't wait for this next adventure. 
http://www.entrepreneurial-spark.com

Looking forward to sharing all in the next few months... 

#triumphoverinjury
#followingmydreams
#GoDo

RIGHT CHOICES

RIGHT CHOICES - THE REINVENTION 

RECKLESS DRIVING WRECKS LIVES 

Since I have an interest in road safety, because of my own personal experience of being knocked down by a drug and drink driver. Several weeks ago, I went to Reckless Driving Wrecks Lives (RDWL) event held in the Odeon Cinema, Ayr. This is an annual event which has been running since 2005 and is delivered to over 2,000 S5 and S6 secondary students from in and around North, South and East Ayrshire Secondary Schools.

As the cinema began to fill with students, the energy in the room was friendly with small talk and a few bursts of laughter filling the room. As I watched the young students take to their seats, I wondered to myself: “Will this presentation on road safety change anything for them to think twice before going behind a wheel of a car?”

The lights went down and the video began: the students were shown a video of lives affected from a road crash. One angle showed the point of view of a car with 4 youths and the driver under the influence of drugs and alcohol.  The other point of view was from the other car - 1 young lady obeying the rules of road and driving on the same back road as the young driver at night. They are heading towards each other and sadly both cars collide, causing serious injury and death by reckless driving. 

The video was then broken down into stages for the students, played over with talks from various members of emergency services who deal with road traffic collisions. This included road traffic police to fire brigade to the ambulance services and the emergency doctors and nurses to show who offers assistance on the aftermath of serious road traffic accident and treating its casualties. This was all woven back into the above video, between sharing the story of characters and through guest emergency service speakers and how their lives are now changed because of reckless driving. 

Along with this, a gentleman shared his story of being involved in serious road traffic incident and how this life changing experience has affected his life. The other side of a serious road traffic incident was also told through a young man who is currently serving a ten year plus prison sentence over his part in a multiple fatal road crash. 

As the presentation continued with the emergency service speakers, the mood in the cinema changed to silence - the real potential impact of reckless driving was growing among them. Absolute attention was given to the importance message of road safety.

COMMUNITY SAFTEY

As a victim of a serious hit & run accident caused by a drunk and drugged driver, I was moved to tears during the video presentation and its subsequent various speakers. To hear from all of the men and women who help individuals at crash site to those attending hospital to seek medical attention, it was a very humbling experience. Because of someone else’s mistake, these emergency professionals have to go above and beyond their job role to save lives every day, simply because of reckless driving. 

Reckless driving can be prevented. It can be prevented by making the right choices

before going behind the wheel of a car. I know my life changing event could have been prevented if the reckless driver who hit me with his car had thought twice about getting behind the wheel and made the right choice that day.

Just by making the right choice before starting your car - you could save a life on the road. 

The event was informative, moving and inspiring and served to encourage young drivers on the importance of safe driving and to look after one another on the roads as a driver as well as being a good passenger by not distracting the driver’s attention away from the road.

The event closed with the message to be considerate as a driver, to stay safe, do not become another static and not be remembered for something else other than your birthday. 

The purpose of the RDWL initiative is to reduce the numbers of deaths and fatalities caused by road traffic incidents by young, new and inexperienced drivers on the roads of in and around Ayrshire and I want to thank Paul Scully and the Reckless Driving Wrecks Lives team in Ayrshire for inviting me to this inspiring event. 

The lesson from the event: road traffic collision can be prevented by just making the right choices and I know all the students who were at this event heard the message loud and clear. 

Be Safe On The Road, Love Angela x 

TALKING & SHARING

TALKING & SHARING 

Like many others seem to have done, I watched the Rio Ferdinand documentary – Being Mum and Dad - on the BBC earlier this week. It was a devastatingly powerful piece and one which would illicit sympathy from even the hardest of natures. Rio lost his wife last year, just 10 weeks after she had diagnosed with cancer, and he now finds himself forced into the role of mum and dad to his three young children whilst trying to come to terms with the grief and sorrow of, not only his own pain, but of the children now bereft of a mother.

It was often a difficult watch as Rio does his utmost to face up to his harsh new reality but two things struck me most when viewing it. Firstly, how well he is actually doing in coping with such a tremendous loss, he is clearly a brilliant father to his young ones and it is testament to his strength of character that the bond remains as strong as ever. The other point I made during my watch was how important it is to talk through and seek support for such a life-changing event. 

Whilst I would never compare my challenges in life to what Rio is going through, it was striking how much I connected with the notion that talking and sharing your grief, your anger, your hurt with someone who has been through something similar can really resonate. Rio conversed with a group of dads who also lost their partners suddenly, he spoke to Darren Clarke, another high-profile sportsman who endured the same, and he met with charity groups providing excellent advice and support to not only adults but the children affected too. 

In many respects, this is one of my main drivers behind creating The Reinvention charity. I want people who have suffered life-changing injuries to know that there are others out there, people in similar situations who are perhaps further down the road on the recovery and reinvention journey and can give the advice and support to help in any way. 

Little ideas, such as Rio learning about the value of making a memories jar, can do so much and with The Reinvention, it could be highlighting different physio techniques, eating better or simply being an ear for someone’s fears and worries. Documentaries such as Rio’s serve to highlight how important it can be to open up, even just a little, and see that you are never alone on the journey you are taking. 

The Reinvention is here for you.

Share your thoughts on the Reinvention facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/THEREINVENTION1/

RIO FERDINAND DOCUMENTARY - BEING MUM & DAD:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08kzclp/rio-ferdinand-being-mum-and-dad

FUEL FRESH

FUEL FRESH 

A short time ago, I spoke about the importance of how a nutritious and healthy diet can make a significant difference, either in helping your recovery from a serious injury or in continuing to live a healthy lifestyle. I want to share a bit more, this time about the range of options now available to help you eat well.

For those who perhaps find it difficult to drive or walk to shops due to injury or where training at gym or at physiotherapy can take most or your time up there are, of course, a number of leading supermarkets who now provide a home delivery service. 

There are several advantages to this – you can take your time browsing products, looking in a bit more detail at the ingredients and nutritional value of what you order. 

The other main benefit of course is that they deliver everything to your door though check first as some will happily bring the goods into your kitchen whereas others will simply drop it at your door!

HelloFresh

Outwith these leading chain brands, there is a growing trend for people ordering more local produce, helping to support the smaller, independent businesses. 

I have recently ventured into this new world with signing up to a company called HelloFresh. Their website gives you a weekly range of enticing, healthy and nutritional meals to choose from. You simply select which 3 tempt you the most and they deliver all the ingredients, fresh from local suppliers, in a box to your door. It comes with recipe cards and everything measured out so you really can’t fail, even if you are a ‘beginner’ cook!

It gives me the opportunity to try new foods, the fun of cooking and eating well without having to exert myself at the shops - focus on training. It is definitely worth checking out what’s available online – there are an abundance of healthy meals just a few clicks away, which can help you on your Reinvention journey.

https://www.hellofresh.co.uk/tasty/

Love Angela x 

E: thereinvention1@gmail.com