News
SIA pioneers
As part of our 50th year celebrations, we paid tribute to SIA’s pioneers – those who have gone before us and who have committed their lives to helping put SIA on the map.
As we reflect in 2024 of our extraordinary growth over the years, with a record membership of nearly 20,000 people, we are indebted to those who have helped lay the foundations and develop the association we are today.
Recently we spoke to some of the people who helped make the charity what it is today, including John Fieldus – Former director of fundraising, Michelle Howard – Former Chair of trustees (also vice chair and treasurer!) and John Leonard – Former employment advisor and peer support
Let’s hear what they had to say …
John Fieldus MBE
John Fieldus MBE is a force to be reckoned with. Getting involved with SIA in the early 1980s after his diving accident, John and his sister Susie were initially part of a tiny group of early fundraising volunteers who saw the charity grow to new heights. He ended up being director of fundraising, by building on his sporting connections, marketing knowledge and sheer tenacity. Both he and Susie helped raise millions of pounds in their time with the charity and fundamentally changed how SIA interacts with big businesses.
How John would describe SIA in one word: Unique
How we would describe John in one word: Legendary
Michelle Howard
Michelle Howard was only 16 when she sustained her injury in the early 1980s, but that hasn’t stopped her holding virtually every seat on the Board over an impressive 30 year stint, from 1990-2021. From treasurer, to vice chair, to chair she has done it all. She says she eventually stepped down to make way for fresh ideas and younger trustees, only being in her 50s at the time! From the inception of SIA House in MK, to huge growth and change across the organisation, she has been an integral part of keeping the charity relevant and engaged with the spinal cord injury community.
How Michelle would describe SIA in one word: Visionary
How we would describe Michelle in one word: Trailblazer
John Leonard
John Leonard’s legacy of setting up employment clinics across spinal centres continues to this day. After his injury in 1974 (and meeting his wife in the hospital) SIA was lucky enough to get John on board as an employment advisor, with him eventually moving into the peer support team as a regional peer support officer (now support network coordinators). He was instrumental in helping hundreds of people with spinal cord injury go on to live fulfilled lives, with his mantra – ‘what you can do, rather than what you can’t do anymore.’
How John would describe SIA in one word: Pioneering
How we would describe John in one word: Motivational
Our 50th year
Our timeline showing key events in our past 50 years. Click on the image below to open:
Read more about the our pioneers in the Autumn edition of FORWARD magazine:
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