A man is travelling from coast to coast on his Motability scooter to thank NHS staff for their hard work and paid a visit to Glossop. 

Simon Gamewell, who is from Leeds, believes in the power of positivity.

He works for a digital forum called TAP (Thank And Praise) which gives people the chance to show gratitude to others.

Simon suffered spinal cord injuries a few years ago which has left him in a wheelchair. But, he was not ready to give up on life as he wants to set an example for the less optimistic. He was determined that his disability wouldn’t stop him doing the things he wanted to do.

He began his 'Coast2Coast Gratitude' venture as a way for him to make a difference.

Simon’s goal is to give health and care workers the praise that they deserve and to inspire others to reach new heights and overcome the obstacles that life throws at them.

On his journey, Simon is using the TAP digital platform to support key workers:

• inviting anyone to send a message of thanks on their website – he wants to hit 500 messages.

• to raise money for NHS Charities Together as a way to support the health and care workers who have helped him and others.

Simon told the Chronicle: "I used to be a teacher in Vietnam where there is a culture of gratitude. The feeling of positivity spreads and I want to spread this feeling. Nurses are working as hard now as they did during lockdown. If I can make a few of them smile by thanking them then my trek is worthwhile.”

Simon’s scooter managed the hills of the Peak District so he called in to visit the staff at Reuben's Retreat in Glossop. There, he met and thanked the staff who look after children with life-changing conditions.

He said: "There are so many unsung heroes in the world. I am aiming to get 500 messages of gratitude posted on our TAP website during my Coast2Coast journey from Liverpool to Skegness.

"Doing this keeps me positive, and next on the agenda, I’m hoping to beat the world record from travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End on my mobility scooter. The current record is 24 days and 8 hours. My scooter is capable of 14 miles a day so fingers crossed I can do it.”

To find out more about Thank And Praise, visit https://thankandpraise.com/.

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