'Charity gave me purpose after my accident'

A man who was paralysed from the shoulders down in an accident in South America has said he wants to keep "inspiring people through my adversity" as he raises money for children.

Dan Eley, from Godalming in Surrey, broke his neck diving into a river in Colombia on New Year's Eve in 2009.

The 47-year-old said he had "come to terms emotionally" with what happened and was now using his story to raise money through his charity, the Dan Eley Foundation.

A concert, to be held in support of the foundation, will feature students from Godalming College at the town's United Church in Bridge Street on Wednesday at 19:00 GMT.

Mr Eley said: "Part of the reason for setting up the charity was to have a sense of purpose, rebuild my life and wake up and feel good about something when you're living with such a debilitating condition.

"I have come to terms emotionally with what happened to me. The first two years were really awful but if you can accept it and use it for good there's an opportunity to inspire people through your adversity."

Mr Eley spent two months in hospital in Colombia before a fundraising campaign raised more than £80,000 to bring him home.

He was flown to the UK in an air ambulance before spending 10 months recovering in Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

From 2012 to 2022 the Dan Eley Foundation helped to train 800 young people from the Colombian city of Cali and help them find work.

The foundation now focuses on helping young people in south west Surrey, with money from the concert helping students from low income families to complete their Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Tickets for the concert can be bought on the Godalming College website.

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