Sometimes life can throw a curveball your way when you least expect it – and for some, it can come in the form of an accident or injury which disrupts home and work life immensely.
Nigel Bulmer, who medically retired as a firefighter with London Fire Brigade in 2001, has decades of experience riding motorbikes. It meant he was excited when the opportunity to branch into motocross came up through a colleague in 1999.
Unfortunately, almost immediately after starting out, Nigel was involved in an accident which he was lucky to survive, and left him with injuries to both his legs which required surgery and years of rehabilitation. However, he says reaching out for our support was a great step forward in his recovery, and instrumental in him getting mobile again and returning to many of the things he loved.
“We always did a lot of fundraisers for The Fire Fighters Charity through the job, things like Car Washes and things,” says Nigel, 60. “I never thought I’d need the Charity’s support but I always wanted to donate, just in case… then of course I did, right at the end of my time in LFB.”
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He adds: “I’ve always ridden motorbikes – for over 40 years now – but we had a guy come on the Watch who was very good at motocross, so I thought I’d give it a go. Let’s just say that my expectation was far in excess of my abilities. It just all went wrong, pretty much as soon as I started.
“I overjumped a jump essentially, got it all wrong. The track had done a 180 degree turn back on itself, so the bike ended up going up the bank with me on it… the bike hit the fence at the top and stopped, and I didn’t.
“I flew over the fence and the ground on the other side was a good 20 foot down. I remember being absolutely winded, I couldn’t breathe.
“At one point I thought I was dead to be honest. It sounds dramatic, but I couldn’t feel anything and I was lying flat on my back staring up at the blue sky – that’s all I could see. Then the pain started and I knew I was very much alive! I got away with it really, it was just my legs.
“My left leg was all soft tissue damage – I’ve still got no feeling in the top of that leg now, you could stab me with a fork and I wouldn’t know! My right leg was the problematic one. I didn’t actually break any bones, but the paramedic told me at the time I’d have been better to break it… it blew my knee apart.”
Nigel spent a week in hospital in Cambridge, where he underwent surgery, and had to take months off work as he slowly recovered and tried to regain some movement. During that time, he got in touch with us and was offered a stay at Jubilee House, our centre in Cumbria.
“It was amazing. I genuinely can’t speak highly enough of the place,” says Nigel. “I firmly believe that the reason I can do what I do now is because of the work that those guys put in there. That’s absolutely genuine.
“It’s a full-on programme and it was all beneficial, every part of it. It’s boot camp essentially, it does the job, it absolutely fits its purpose. There’s a lot of people that don’t get the opportunity to go to places like that.
“I’m not a good patient, I know I’m not, but the staff were amazing – the whole place, honestly was amazing.”
He went on to visit Jubilee House twice more, to continue his recovery.
“Through a really small investment, you can access a massive amount of opportunities”
Nigel Bulmer
“I went back on light duties in 1999, shortly after the stay there, and passed all the fitness tests in terms of strength and everything else,” says Nigel. “But the bit that let me down was I don’t have any sideways ability in my leg. I struggled in confined spaces to move sideways.”
Nigel had to medically retire due to the restrictions in his movement in 2001, but he says without the support he had, he’s not sure he’d have the movement he does today.
He was also told he’d potentially need a knee replacement within five years of the accident but, when speaking to our staff at Jubilee House, they assured him with regular exercises he’d be able to keep the strength in his legs for longer. Sure enough, 20 years on and he still hasn’t had a replacement – all thanks, he believes, to regular exercises and stretches.
Now, on top of his monthly regular donations to us, Nigel has also organised a series of fundraising challenges to say thank you – from Arctic treks to huge cycle rides and more across the world.
“Our charity is a bit like insurance… by paying in regularly, it’s secures that health support for life,” says Nigel. “It’s something you may never need, but through a really small investment, you can access a massive amount of opportunities in terms of rehabilitation and support.”
“I do a fire service ride in Suffolk every year,” he adds. “I’ve run across the Sahara, I’ve raced across the Arctic and across the Sahara, all in the same month, I’ve cycled Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2020. It took a long time to get here.”
He’s also now preparing to tackle 383 miles in nine days into the Arctic Circle, in a race called the 6633 Arctic Ultra.
You can find out more and donate to him here.
If you’re struggling with your health and wellbeing, we may be able to help you. Call our Support Line on 0800 389 8820, make an enquiry online or register for MyFFC now and visit the ‘Access Support’ tab at the top of the MyFFC homepage.
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