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UK Disability History Month

Disability History Month Lecture 2022: The Power of 7

Martine Wright MBE

Martine Wright MBE , 7/7’s most injured survivor lost both legs in the Circle line bombing during the 2005 terrorist attacks on the London underground, yet she considers herself a lucky woman with a whole new life of opportunities.

Martine Wright MBE has since rebuilt her life, skydived, learned to fly, become a wife, mother, captain of the British Paralympic Sitting volleyball team, Ambassador, Patron,  an inspirational and motivational speaker and much more!

On 6 July 2005 Martine Wright MBE and work friends gathered to watch the announcement of the host city for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. The next morning, having overslept, Martine MBE caught the Circle line and sat just three feet away from suicide bomber Shehzad Tanweer. The worst injured, and consequently last rescued survivor of the 7/7 bombings, Martine MBE was trapped for over an hour having lost 80% of her blood supply as well as both legs above the knees. There followed a painful year of rehabilitation including learning to walk again on prosthetics.

It was the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics that gave her life new shape and her days meaning. For everybody in Britain, those two days were among the strangest and most shocking in recent history for Martine Wright MBE it provided a spring board for new opportunities and goals and a new life!

In these challenging times her story of positivity and resilience is ever more powerful.  

Martine Wright is a survivor of the never to be forgotten day in 2005 when terror hit the streets of London. As 52 people lost their lives in a series of attacks across London, she was the last survivor pulled from the train in Aldgate, losing her legs, and very nearly her life. The events of 7/7 are one bookend of her life in which her remarkable fight for recovery and rehabilitation culminated in becoming a Team GB Paralympian, appearing at London 2012.

In tribute to those that died that day Martine chose to wear the number 7 team shirt and will share with you how she developed and adopted her mantra of the ‘Power of 7’ to provide resilience, positivity, structure and new purpose into her much-changed world. 

Her compelling story of survival to sporting success and her easy and refreshingly honest approach will provide inspiration and clear key messages to all who take part in Martine’s presentation.

•    Make your choice

•    Maximise your opportunities

•    Embrace change positively

•    Teamwork

•    Marginal gain

•    Team me

•    Believe

Location

Wed Nov 30 2022 at 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
The Catalyst Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent

Please click here to register for this event

Disability History Month Public Lecture 2021; 'I am who I am'- by Sir Lee Pearson

Sir Lee Pearson CBE is a 14-times Paralympic Games gold medallist having represented British para-equestrianism in Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, Rio, and Tokyo. Over the course of his career he has won 30 gold medals at European, World and Paralympic level.

In this inspirational conversation, hosted by Martin Tideswell, Lee tells his story – how he carved a career as a successful Paralympian, how being the first openly gay member of the British team helped him campaign for LGBTQ+ rights and the joys of a family life.