03/09/2026
🧠🪵 Only 3 Weeks to Go! 🪵đź§
I’m now only three weeks away from speaking at the Northern Acquired Brain Injury Forum, and I have to admit, the nerves and excitement are definitely starting to build!
At the moment, I’m full-on learning and practising my speech, trying to make sure I get across something I feel very strongly about — the benefits that woodturning can offer people living with and recovering from an acquired brain injury.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with people facing some incredibly difficult challenges following a brain injury.
I’ve seen first-hand how spending time in the workshop, concentrating on the lathe and creating something with their own hands can help develop confidence, concentration, coordination, problem-solving, independence and, most importantly, self-belief.
For me, this talk isn't about claiming that woodturning replaces clinical rehabilitation — it doesn't.
It's about showing how a practical and creative activity like woodturning can complement recovery.
It can give someone a goal to work towards, a sense of purpose and achievement, and the opportunity to discover what they are still capable of doing.
Sometimes, one of the most powerful things a person can experience is being able to stand back, look at something they've created themselves and say:
“I can still do this.”
That is what The Healing Power of Turning means to me.
Standing up in front of professionals from the acquired brain injury community and talking about something I’ve spent years developing and believing in is going to be a challenge for me as well.
But it's also an opportunity that I’m incredibly proud to have.
So, for the next three weeks, it’s going to be...
🎤 Practice, practice and more practice! 🪵
Hopefully, when the day arrives, I can do justice to the people I’ve had the privilege of working with and demonstrate just how powerful The Healing Power of Turning can be.
