From coffee shops to cargo ships crossing the Caspian Sea, Pete Donnelly shares his adventurous journey in using a wheelchair, and a message of freedom that he believes everyone should hear.

As a wheelchair user of 16 years, Pete Donnelly shares his experience of living a full life using a wheelchair and the difference wheelchair skills have made for him.

Often seen as a symbol of disability, wheelchairs can give people the freedom to get about and live their life. Having the skills to use any piece of equipment is essential. Having the skills to use a wheelchair is no different.

Video production by Prism Studios, Warrington www.prism-studios.co.uk Pete has been a wheelchair user for 15 years and has worked in third sector disability organisations for more than a decade. Pete has a wealth of experience working at local, national and global charities to empower disabled people through skills development, advocacy and campaigning for a more inclusive society.

Whether it’s taking a 71-hour train journey across the Kazakh step, driving through the mountains of Kurdish Iraq or struggling to get on the 344 bus to work because the wheelchair space is full of prams, the challenges of physical disability have given Pete resilience and a unique insight into a world where 1 in 5 people has a disability.

With goals of making societal change happen, Pete aims to empower the disabled community while challenging the antiquated structures that are there to support. This motivated him to form The Wheelchair Skills College with the vision of ensuring that every wheelchair user has access to essential life skills. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx