The 19th February is a special day for me as it is exactly four years ago that I sustained a spinal cord injury. My life has changed so much since then. I am on a journey, which at times is painful, but also brings me great joy.
I have been lucky to have many people around me that inspired me to make something positive out of my new life. There were people that wrote me off and I fought to make people see that I still had something valuable to give. I believe I do and deliver this through the British Inspiration Trust and the charities that I have appointments and roles with; all of which I am honoured and very proud to fulfill.
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| Starting the 10 mile walk in Jersey |
As it is now four years on, I hope that the focus can well and truly change to what I am doing now, rather than what happened and the life I used to live. Local, regional and national media, who have been absolutely superb in supporting the BRIT 2012 Challenge and BRIT as a charity, are beginning to see and report that I have moved on mentally and physically and they play a hugely significant part in allowing me to move on, rather than dwell on the past.
The “injured soldier" or "paralysed veteran” headlines are the easiest lines to include, however, recently the media are looking to the journey right now and are supporting me on my mission to build a Centre for charities with the help of young people and the funding from 2012 businesses. This is the focus, this is the story and this is where I hope every media outlet will grasp the concept, the vision and the aim, leaving behind my previous life and the very out of date journey of the past behind. I am sincerely grateful to all the local, regional and national media for supporting me in all that I do and for understanding that for my own mental well-being, I need to focus on the future.
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| An interview with ITV Channel Islands midway through the walk - catching my breath and explaining the BRIT 2012 Challenge |
Today I want to thank my family, especially my Mum & Dad (Angela and Mike) and my sister, Lesley. In the early days and months following my injury they were my source of strength and they, above all others fought for me when I didn’t have the strength to fight. There are still difficult times, but I am so grateful to everyone that has helped me over the past four years. I can never find the words to adequately express how much the support has meant to me. The only way I can ever repay it is to make something good out of my life, which is what I am doing through BRIT and the BRIT 2012 Challenge. I remain passionately committed to helping young people through their dark times. The support I receive personally, gives me the strength and the fight to make this happen through BRIT.
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| Walking with the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey & Lady McColl |
“Phil Packer’s British Inspiration Trust is an extraordinary ambitious project designed to help and inspire young people facing adversity (physical/mental disabilities, deprived, wounded or injured and young carers) through the construction of a Centre for residential courses. Following his spinal cord injury, Phil has undertaken an extraordinary series of challenges from walking marathons to rowing the channel. The latest project is his most demanding yet, walking 2012 miles in 2012 across the British Isles. I encourage all those that are able to join him on the 10 mile Jersey leg of his walk from Green Island to Corbiere on Sunday”.
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| With Jersey Fire Fighters |
I was especially pleased to see how many members of the public came out and joined me. This is vital for businesses to see, because it shows that communities understand the value of building a Centre that charities will use to support young people. We all need help at different times and by working together we can achieve much more and help more of our young people reach their goals. If you know a business, I’d be delighted if you would introduce them to the 2012 opportunities to pledge their support to build the BRIT Centre of Inspiration.
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| The end of my 10 Jersey BRIT 2012 Challenge miles with young people from Jersey, Fire Fighters & members of the public |
1796 miles to go!
Next up, the Isle of Man on Tuesday! Weather forecast is not looking good, however the RNLI and Fire Fighters will be there and I hope we will be joined by some of the young people from the Isle of Man, despite it being half-term.
Best wishes,
Phil