Gloucestershire woman’s Superhero adventure

Sue Willis, who lives at charity Leonard Cheshire’s Gloucestershire House care home, uses an electric wheelchair and will complete the cycling part of the ‘Superhero Tri’ at Dorney Lake in Windsor on Saturday 17 August.  The Superheroes series offers inclusive sporting events with celebrities, Paralympians and thousands of disabled people joining forces to take on running, swimming and cycling challenges.

Sue said:

‘My trike gives me a feeling of joy when I ride it, and now I can go anywhere I want to.’

Sue hopes to raise awareness of Gloucestershire Wheels for All, the inclusive outdoor cycling project run by disability charity Leonard Cheshire, that helped her get back in the saddle when it began in 2014.

The project offers a range of adapted bikes and regular cycling sessions starting from its two centres, the Blackbridge Athletics track and the Forest of Dean.

A keen cyclist as a child, Sue could not continue due to a lack of suitable adapted bikes for disabled adults. She now enters as many events as she can, recently taking part in the Nightrider Bristol event. 

Sue has named her trike for this race and beyond ‘Sleigh Rider’. It is a custom-built model from special needs trike manufacturers Tomcat SNI Ltd. The Apprentice Bullet is a single speed machine that is ideally suited to riders requiring a little or a lot of carer supervision.  

Leonard Cheshire’s MaryClare Faulkner, project lead at Wheels for All, said:

‘Cycling provides huge benefits to Sue’s physical health. But perhaps the most important factor is the sheer joy, elation and happiness that cycling brings to Sue’s life.’

Sue’s Wheels for All team includes Gloucestershire House residents Helen Forrest, Paula Merriman, Luigi Carenza and Nick Taylor. Joining them will be Cheltenham-based wheelchair user Jennie Goodrum, as well as teenage scooter user Charlie Angrave, 16, and his sister Freya, 13. Pete Donnelly, the head of Leonard Cheshire’s Can Do Programme for young disabled people, will complete the swim section for several Leonard Cheshire teams. 

The celebrities at the Superhero Tri event this year include Leonard Cheshire ambassador and British Paralympian Olivia Breen.  

Olivia said:

‘I am so excited to take part in this event.

‘Sport has made such a massive difference to my life and I think it's crucial that everyone can take part in sporting competitions at every level.  

‘I’m currently in training for the Tokyo Paralympics but can’t wait to compete with my Superheroes team in August. We've got this, Team Cheshire!’

Olivia and Sue will join a number of Leonard Cheshire sports teams coming from the charity’s residential care homes, schemes for young people as well as its volunteers, staff and corporate volunteers. The charity is also a Silver Partner at this year’s Superhero event, having taken part since its inception. 

Media enquiries

For additional information and photos, contact Nick Bishop in nick.bishop@leonardcheshire.org. T: 01202 747100. 07889 976267. Out of hours press office mobile: 07903 949 388. 

For further information about Sue Willis and the participants, you can also contact Wheels for All Project Lead MaryClare Faulkner via maryclare.faulkner@leonardcheshire.org or 07393 867572.