Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of inclusion, belonging, and societal transformation. Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world where everyone not only belongs but thrives? You're not alone. Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo, and share stories that resonate deep within. Ready to dive in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding down after a long day, let's connect, reflect, and inspire action together. Don't forget, you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to jo.lockwood@seachangehappen.co.uk to share your insights or to join me on the show. So adjust your earbuds and settle in.

It's time to ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites.

And today is episode 162 with the title, breaking the disability mold. I have the absolute honor and privilege to welcome Lindsay Mitchison. Lindsay is an award winning disabled entrepreneur and founder of Neowalk. They create stunning acrylic walkistics to empower people with confidence and style. When I authenticate to describe her superbash, she said it is believing in possibility and empowering others to thrive beyond limitations. Hello, Lindsay. Welcome to the show.

Hello, Jo. Thank you very much for having me. How are you?

I'm very good. So you're you're based up north in The UK, and I'm down south as they say.

Yeah. I'm in the frozen North. So it's a bit chilly up here, but, yeah. We we had snow last week, but a bit warmer this week. So, yeah, York's a lovely, lovely city.

It is. I remember going to the railway museum there as a child, and, yeah, I don't think I've been back to York specifically, but certainly being around that area in the Yorkshire area. Beautiful part of the country. Yeah. Very friendly, aren't you? Up north. It was a love and

We are.

Dark, are they?

Yeah. We're not we're not ducks up here. You'd be, you'd be a pet or a mate. You'd be, yeah. Now then mate.

So when we've connected in the green room earlier, I was welcomed by someone who said hello. And I, you came on to the green and said, sorry, that wasn't me. That was my parrot. So I have a conversation with me in the background.

Yeah. That's my, that's my little friend, Blanco. He's my umbrella cockatoo. He's he has two words that he's really good at, which are hello and goodbye. So you you said hello, and he went, hello. He's very, very sociable. And

I didn't realize it was a parrot when I first say hello and he came on, you wheeled yourself on. It was like, it says, it was, that was my parrot.

So Yeah. He's just my assistant. He just steps in when I need him to.

So like a a a different version of chat GPT sort of holds the thought for you. Anyway, para agent.

He's, he's quite sociable, although he does like calling people bad boys. So if you if we'd kept him in longer, he probably would have started saying, hello,

So, Lindsay, you, you had a, a life changing should I say event? Is that, is that event? Is that the right word?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Fifteen or two years ago. And you're now a globally recognized entrepreneur fueled well, first of all, show it by sharing what happened and, what turned the corner to inspire you to to take control of your your life again?

Yeah. I think that that's the word. It was taking it was taking control because this happened to me. The, previous to me being ill, I was, I'd trained as a hairdresser. I was hoping to set up my own business being a hairdresser. I was mum. I got two lovely kids. And I had always had arthritis since I've been a teenager, and I had surgery on the on one of my knees.