Safelincs team up with Evie Toombes, para show jumper and ambassador for hidden disabilities

Safelincs are proud to be able to help support Evie Toombes with her quest to fund a medical horse box. Evie is an inspirational teenager with spina bifida and is a para show jumper from Skegness, Lincolnshire. She is also an ambassador for hidden disabilities and visits schools to talk to children about her hidden disability in the hope that she will give confidence to other children to speak about their problems.

Over the past few years Evie’s condition meant that she was unable to tolerate food and as a result lost a lot of weight and now needs to be fed through a tube into her stomach. Her condition also affects her legs, bladder and bowel.

Evie and Daisy the Horse aka 'High Offley Business Centre'
Evie with Daisy aka ‘High Offley Business Centre’

Ill health and numerous hospital visits started to make it very difficult for Evie to continue to compete, so two years ago Evie embarked on a plan to fund a medical unit horse box which would give her the ability to go to shows with all her medical equipment.

“Thank you for your support towards the purchase of my medical horse box, the security of having a vehicle that is safe and well equipped enough to deal with the current medical needs I face (that has landed me in hospital at least once a month every month for 15 months) is truly incredible,” said Evie Toombes.

Riding gives Evie freedom from her health issues and the bond with her horse and ponies gives her a boost when she is feeling unwell. Evie has won several trophies. We wish Evie every success in her future competitions.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Time to Change, Safelincs sign the pledge

Signing the “Time To Change” pledge is just one of the many steps that Safelincs have taken to make changes towards how people feel about mental health.

We have trained two Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) and have implemented a confidential system for staff to contact them and ask for support. We have also appointed a  Well-Being Team. This team of four staff are planning and implementing activities throughout the year that open up conversations about mental health.

Harry Dewick-Eisele, MD, and Stuart Baxter, Commercial Development Manager, signed the pledge to demonstrate that top management are taking the issue of mental health seriously. Harry Dewick-Eisele said ‘We want talking about mental health and any related issues to be as commonplace as talking about a cold or a broken leg’. All the management team at Safelincs are onboard with this initiative and we have an open door policy and staff can pop in to a manager’s office at any time to talk.

The “Time To Change”  website has lots of resources of which we have already used several, such as the Conversation Starter and handouts to get conversations going. We will be engaging staff in a number of activities over the year to ensure that talking about mental health becomes the norm at Safelincs.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.