The highlight of a great day was when Michelle, David and John picked up The Ian McInnes Award at The City Chambers in Edinburgh.
This Inspiring Volunteers award is given by Volunteer Edinburgh each year to an organisation who is judged to have excelled in nurturing equality and accessibility in volunteering.
Ian McInnes was born in Edinburgh on 13 August 1969 and at the age of 7 was diagnosed with a life limiting condition caused by an extremely rare gene mutation. At that time the life expectancy of an individual with this condition was considered to be early 20s. Ian was to have his own opinion on that!
He never once questioned why it had happened to him and was determined to live life to the full. He had a resounding belief that his life was in his hands and his condition would neither define nor limit him. In his own way Ian was a bit of an adrenaline junky. He would regularly get into scrapes with his wheelchair - which he saw as nothing more than an occupational hazard. Apparently his neighbours would often be able to hear the words of Freddie Mercury singing “I want to break free” being played through the walls.
He once proudly remarked that he had visited all of the world's continents bar two - South America and Antarctica. His greatest travel adventure memory was crossing the Alps in the footsteps of Hannibal - complete with Elephants - as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Gold award which he was successful in completing.
But Edinburgh was home and if Ian had one crusade it was to improve the access for disabled people in the city and he liked nothing better than to bring the council to task.
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