Sergeant from Devon & Cornwall Police raises thousands for Spinal Research ​

On Sunday 21 April 2024 a Devon & Cornwall Police Sergeant completed this year’s London Marathon in a wheelchair, raising more than £3,000 for the charity Spinal Research.

Sergeant Andy Elliott, who works in the training department based at Force HQ in Exeter, does not use a wheelchair in his day-to-day life. He decided to take part in a chair to show support for his close friend Andrew Russell who suffered a serious spinal injury in 1996 and does use a wheelchair.      

Both Andy and Andrew were members of the same football club at Exeter University in the mid-1990s. Unfortunately, life changed dramatically for Andrew when he suffered a serious spinal cord injury in a diving accident. 

Andy helped his friend through his days in hospital and his rehabilitation before encouraging him to return to studying at university. He also acted as his friend’s study support for a year.   

Andrew later moved to London and Andy stayed in Devon to start his career with Devon & Cornwall Police. Despite the distance between them the two ex-teammates have remained firm friends over the years. 

Andy has previously worked in mental health active therapy and is now training new police graduates. He has learned to see life from many different perspectives and is acutely aware of how life can change in a split second through accident or injury.

Andy explained: “I had an injury during marathon training and a major mechanical issue with the chair I was using at mile 15 of the marathon but managed to get to the finish line….. eventually. I have raised £3,300 for Spinal Research so far and would like to thank all those who sponsored me. It was a fantastic but exhausting experience.

“I hope I will never know exactly what it is like to be faced by the mental and physical challenge of serious injury but I wanted to get a small insight. It was this thought that sparked the idea of taking on a self-propelled wheelchair challenge.     

“I would like to thank Exeter Disability Centre who donated a wheelchair and assisted in maintaining the equipment to get me to the start line.”

Spinal Research is the UK’s leading medical charity funding research into spinal cord injury. After working in the City of London, Andy’s friend Andrew now works for the charity. 

For more information about the charity and Andy’s marathon challenge please visit the Spinal Research website 

The power of friendship - Spinal Research (spinal-research.org)