Founder, Director

Horizon Health Network

 

In 2016, Aaron launched Horizon Health Network (HHN) as a result of his own health, wellbeing and fitness journey with a desire to help, support and encourage people to discover, achieve and maintain a holistic, healthy, balanced life: body, soul (mind, emotions), and spirit, and then address three areas of health that impact an individual’s personal health: social, occupation and economic.

He is an ordained pastor and a qualified personal trainer who knows from experience the obstacles people face on the journey to good health and wellbeing. The HHN team offers seminars, life coaching, retreats, personal training and pastoral care. 

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An Inclusive World Event on Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Please join us for an afternoon of discussion on Inclusive Entrepreneurship at MediaCityUK in Manchester on Thursday 14th November 2019.

Inclusive means entrepreneurship is open and easily accessible to all. It levels the playing field and allows entrepreneurs to seek, create and participate in opportunities, especially those facing barriers to the workplace.

As an organisation, we have a commitment towards innovation within inclusive communities, and together we are creating the 2030 Agenda Paradigm Shift tasked of us in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - where communities start to see people who face barriers, not as burdens, but as contributing citizens who bring a new and exciting presence to the table. The resultant contribution to the growth of the economy from such enterprise is what we term Inclusive Economic Growth.

Over the last few years we have been working hard at bringing this task to fruition - through the Inclusive Entrepreneur Programme we run as an organisation, and the various Calls to Action, debates and events we have held.

This event is one in a series of events, and will be followed by an Expo and Concert early next year.

On November 14th, our focus is on hearing from Inclusive Entrepreneurs, launching our digital platform which showcases their business, and then debating in groups to build evidence. This evidence will feed into a White Paper and other policy changing documents that support our Call to Action in respect of business support requirements going forward.

Our speakers include:

Jacqueline Winstanley, Founder and CEO, Universal Inclusion

Helen Martin Gee - Founder and President, Pink Shoe Club

Olivia Gallagher, T33 Wheelchair Racer Weir Archer & Ability Today Ambassador

Grant Logan, Founder Ability Today

Steve Hopwood, Owner, Swift and Sure Secure Car Transport

Ayesha Gavin, Founder Ayesha Communications

James Holt, Musician

Aaron Hornback

We do hope you can join us.

We ask you to confirm whether you can attend and register for your ticket by Friday 2nd November 2019.

If you require support for any of our activities, please do let us know when booking your ticket.

The event will also be filmed. By registering and attending you give us permission to include you in our film and photos and use them on our website, collateral and other media.

 

Partners and Supporters

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Olivia Gallagher,

T33 Wheelchair Racer Weir Archer & Ability Today Ambassador

"I was born at 24 weeks only weighing 1lb 11oz and the only surviving triplet which means I have cerebral palsy affecting all 4 limbs, profound hearing impairment and severe sight impairment.

After spending five and a half months in hospital I was allowed home, a world of challenges awaited from that moment onwards. I spent a year on oxygen and with lots of hospital appointments and check-ups. 

I went to the White Lodge Center from when I was a baby until the age of four. White Lodge supported not only myself but my family too. At White Lodge I attended the nursery and did physio and hydrotherapy to begin to develop my muscle tone strength.  The support I received from White Lodge was amazing. Without their support at the time we would have struggled to get the right support. White Lodge will always play a part in my journey. I didn’t take my first independent steps until I was seven, after attending Footsteps for three weeks of intense physio."

So what happened later on in life…?

"In 2014 I began wheelchair racing with the Weir Archer Academy after feeling inspired at the London 2012 Olympics.  In 2015 I was classified as a t33 wheelchair racer -  t33 is for athletes who have coordination and balance problems and all four limbs are affected.  I’m currently ranked No.1 in the UK and within the top four in the world rankings across 100m-800m.

I’m coached by Jenny Archer MBE and mentored by David Weir CBE.  They set up the academy after the 2012 Olympics to help inspire the next generation of disabled athletes to get involved in disability sport. The academy is not just about being the top athlete, it’s about athletes that just want to have the friendship through sport, with the confidence of being with other disabled people. 

Between 2014 to 2016 I couldn’t race in a straight line, and in the very first races, I went from lane 1 to lane 8! Now I can race straight!

This has been through improving my coordination and strength through the years and with the help of the coaches and athletes from the academy. Last year I raced at the CP World Games wearing the England Kit, where I brought home a Bronze in the 200m and a Silver in the 400m, just missing out on a medal achievement in the 100m. In December I was invited to the Pride of Sport Awards where I was awarded Young Sports Person of the Year 2018.  This made all the hurdles of challenges that I have overcome worthwhile. Sport has changed me as a person, not just physically but also mentally. 

This year has been life changing as I had bilateral cochlear implant surgery in January. Before this I couldn’t hear the sounds that I’m hearing now - such as the start gun  - and I was restricted to what I could hear on the phone.  Now, thanks to the cochlear implants, I can have a conversation on a mobile phone and can hear sounds that I never heard before or even knew made a sound!

I was introduced to Grant Logan of Ability Today while at a White Lodge VIP evening.  I was invited to volunteer and then was asked if I would be an Ambassador, which of course I was delighted to accept and be given the opportunity.

My race programme has been hectic this year and I have progressed in both UK and World rankings.  I was invited by British Athletics to race at the London Stadium in the Muller Anniversary Games on the 20th July in the T33/34 100m final.

One thing I have learnt this year is that no matter how long the journey takes it’s going to be worth it and that there’s always improvements to be made to enable the goals to become a reality “No mountain is ever too high”."

If you would like to stay in touch with Olivia, please follow on Twitter @olivia_t33 and Facebook olivia gallagher wheelchair racer.

 

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Carol Ann Whitehead, FRSA, GGA

Managing Director, The Zebra Partnership

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an advocate for women's rights, equality and diversity, Carol Ann is the Co-Founder of The Zebra Partnership. Founded in 2000, it is a boutique agency based in Manchester that brings together freelancers in the fields of campaigns, event management and publishing on a project-by-project basis here in the UK and overseas. The agency is the recipient of the 2019 Inclusive Companies Certificate of Excellence.

Carol Ann is on the Northern PowerWomen Power List. A Global Goodwill Ambassador advocate for women’s rights, equality, diversity and inclusion, Carol Ann is joint CEO of ‘The Peoples Hub UN’ supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Carol Ann delivered a lecture at the UN Youth Association in Denmark and was part of the 2019 UN Global Festival of Action in Germany.

Among her other work in this field, Carol Ann collaborated with FiLiA to bring their internationally recognised feminist conference to Manchester. She is co-founder of the Pankhurst Centre-based Global Ada Lovelace Wikieditathon and Global Juror for SDG Entreps Awards.

If you would like to follow her progress, please engage with her on social media:

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TheZebraPartner 

https://twitter.com/Zebra_carol

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/The-Zebra-Partnership-1897811640530817/

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/carol-ann-whitehead-frsa-4662514

Website: http://thezebrapartnership.eventbrite.com/

or email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

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"My disability may prevent me from being able to do some things, but there are still lots more that I still can do, albeit with some help.... This was just another challenge...The way I saw it… if I can sit in my scooter and take my dog out, then I can drive my truck and pull a trailer!"

Stephen Hopwood

Owner, Swift and Sure SCT

www.swiftandsuresct.co.uk

CEO and Founder Jacqueline Winstanley recently caught up with Steve Hopwood of Swift and Sure SCT to find out what makes him an inspirational Inclusive Entrepreneur. Steve is also a member of the Inclusive Entrepreneur community and is being coached and mentored by Jacqueline

So what led you to entrepreneurship and how did you start Swift and Sure SCT?

"On the 24th of July, 1986, I was involved in a motorcycle accident where I was badly injured. This accident was life-changing for me - I woke up three days later in hospital minus my right arm below the elbow and with my right leg held together by pins. A few days later it too was amputated."

The events of the 24th July 1986 were not tragic for me. Traumatic yes, but I felt like I had become a new person. With the help of the hospital staff, and most of all, the support and encouragement that I received from my wife, I was soon up and running again."

"I regard life as a journey through time, with each person having their own little ship sailing in a busy ocean full of other ships. Suddenly my little ship had become caught in a storm. I was shipwrecked on a desert island, and left all on my own. I felt like I was an explorer, his feet (or in my case, foot) stepping onto the wet sand of an uncharted island, with every foot step uncovering something new. Many years have gone by since those early days, days when there were tears and upset."

I had various jobs in the years following my accident. During that time, I was also invited to join the Norwich branch of BLESMA, the limbless veterans (British Limbless Ex Service Men's Association), and through their network of contacts, I participated in various activities that I otherwise would not have attempted, such as scuba diving, sailing, & skiing (dry slope). More recently, I was very fortunate to win a scholarship to learn to fly a light aircraft and spent a very enjoyable six weeks at 43 Air School, Port Alfred South Africa. Being encouraged to participate in these activities was good for me as it has certainly brought out the positive nature that I now seem to have."

"In 2003, I decided to set up my own business doing runs for local hauliers with a Ford Transit I had converted with money from the Access to Work scheme. The way I saw it, if I can sit in my scooter and take my dog out, then I can drive my truck and pull a trailer! I needed help with everyday things like cooking my meals and getting into the bath, but driving is something I could do independent of anyone else. So I embarked on my own journey into entrepreneurship, ploughing a lot of my money into the venture as I started and got it off the ground."

He continued, "Interestingly enough, when I first applied for a provisional HGV licence, I was rejected, not because of my disabilities, but due to my short-sightedness!  Despite this setback, I persisted, and built up Swift and Sure Secure Car Transport (SCT), a courier and light haulage business."

So what is Swift and Sure SCT?

"I could see that there was a growing demand for secure, safe and on time, same-day delivery of cars. So I set up Swift and Sure SCT where customers can have that peace of mind, with ongoing updates for delivery from pick-up to completed delivery. We now collect and deliver cars of all values and sizes all over the UK. We also provide delivery to Europe and Worldwide and can support other companies with storage and logistics of their products."

"Over the years, we have delivered everything from high-end, high-specification vehicles such as cars used for racing and track days; valuable, new, classic and sometimes vintage cars; Porches, Jaguars, BMWs to name a few, to cars going off for auctions and cars involved in accidents; we have helped businesses and families or individuals with relocation, collecting and moving cars to their new addresses. We have even collected and delivered mobility scooters."

"We have received great testimonials, many of which are on our facebook page."

How easy was it to set up?

"It was hard - but then every day is tough for me. This was just another challenge. I put my success down to my grit and determination to succeed. My outlook is simple - I do not want sympathy, I want empathy."

"Once I was accepted on the Access to Work Scheme, I had paid support. This has helped me to overcome several obstacles. My family also supports me and keeps me going. I am proud of what I have built. I can see what I earn, although I have invested a lot of my savings which I don’t think I’ll ever recoup."

Steve, you are a member of the Inclusive Entrepreneur Community. How has that helped you in your journey as an entrepreneur?

"I made contact with Jacqueline who introduced me to her organisation Universal Inclusion. As a member of the Inclusive Entrepreneur Community, I value both the support and the great network."

"Jacqueline was amazing and her assistance with the Access to Work Scheme was tremendous. She has also encouraged me to continue growing my business and to explore opportunities that I wouldn't have otherwise considered. Her insights in Inclusive Entrepreneurship, her understanding of the challenges I face as a disabled entrepreneur and her overall approach are inspiring. She understands where I am coming from and what drives me to keep on going. Through the Inclusive Entrepreneurs Community, I met with similar entrepreneurs who share my passion for cars and my determination. I am excited to see where I can take my passion, my business and my ambition with Jacqueline and the Inclusive Entrepreneur Programme!"

If you would like to contact Steve, you can email him on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or call him on +44 (0) 7730 921051.

Web: www.swiftandsuresct.co.uk.

You can also follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swift-Sure-SCT-1398131683600383/

He was recently featured in the Porche Owners Club Magazine Issue 1 Summer 2020: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/1828622

 

 

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