Mountains for the Mind
In 2020 we brought you the story of Ed Jackson, a former pro-rugby player turned quadriplegic adventurer, with an amazing story (they said he’d never walk again; he climbed a mountain). Here’s his update on the incredible challenges he has set himself.
Ed Jackson’s inspirational story
Hi, my name’s Ed, I’m 32 years old and I’m from Bath. After reading that opening sentence back, I also need to clarify that I have never been on Take Me Out.
After leaving school I was lucky enough to have a 10-year career as a professional rugby player. Unfortunately, in 2017 my career was cut short when I suffered a serious spinal cord injury diving into a swimming pool. The accident left me paralysed from the shoulders down and facing life in a wheelchair.
Thanks to a lot of hard work, some amazing support, and a fair amount of luck I am back on my feet and, although still very much disabled, have managed to regain independence and carve out a new, fulfilling life.
When put into context, climbing Snowdon less than a year after I was told I wouldn’t walk again is probably my biggest achievement to date. It’s a long way from the pantheon of iconic summit attempts, but given the journey we had been on that year it felt like standing on top of Everest. It was shortly after that, while dragging myself up Mt Buet, that I realised just how much all of this was helping me overcome my situation, somewhat physically but more importantly mentally. The mountains have hugely benefited both my physical and mental health to the point where I genuinely don’t know what I’d do without them. They’ve given me somewhere to challenge myself and redefine my limitations, but also the space to think and unwind when things get too much.
That got me thinking – if it was working for me there was no reason it wouldn’t work for others too. So I set up a charity, Millimetres 2 Mountains, to give people who are facing a tough period in their lives the opportunity to do something extraordinary in nature and feel the healing powers themselves. I’m also very aware that creating sustainable change is a process, so we don’t just say goodbye to our beneficiaries after the trips. The challenge merely acts as the catalyst after which we implement a 1-3 year development programme tailored to the individual’s needs in order to cement a positive change.
It’s an exciting year ahead for both myself and the charity, starting with ‘Walk The Coast’ on 24th May, where we are taking two weeks to walk all 130 miles of the stunning north Cornwall coastline while raising awareness for the benefits of the outdoors on mental health. We’re welcoming anyone who wants to join us for any length of time, so we can all just celebrate being together outdoors for a good cause again.
After that, and COVID permitting, we are due to head to the Alps in June on our first proper adventure, ‘The Alpine Challenge’, where with three