Disability Empowered by third Crowdfunding success
Martyn Sibley supports a 1500-mile wheelchair trip around Poland

Martyn Sibley, 29, is a regular guy who happens to have a disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This means that he cannot walk, lift anything heavier than a book or shower by himself. Nonetheless he has a Masters degree in Marketing, has travelled to Australia, has done Scuba diving, drives a car, runs his own business and lives independently in London.

Martyn runs online projects for disabled people and supporting social change. His online magazine www.disabilityhorizons.com is making great waves, as are his e-learning products and social media services. His aims are to inspire, inform and change the world around disability issues. Courageously Martyn decided he wanted his projects to not rely on gifts, donations and dependency funding.

Martyn says that crowdfunding is a ‘new empowering income stream’ for disabled people as his third crowdfunding campaign smashes funding targets at PleaseFund.Us. Having launched Disability eConference and run an Epic European Disability Roadtrip through 7 countries in 2012, Martyn is now raising money in support of ‘Dignity and Equality’, a 1500-mile wheelchair trip around Poland, which he is to join this summer.

The aims of this trip are simple:
- Increase the government funding to disabled people and carers
- Implement full accessibility of public buildings
- Educate society on disability and the need for inclusivity

With a total of 8 backers inspired by Martyn’s enthusiasm and courage and still 9 days to go before the end of his campaign at http://www.pleasefund.us/projects/dignity-and-equality , Martyn has already exceeded his original target and raised £865. “If you have a passion, a creative idea and the motivation, then Crowd funding is for you” – comments Martyn.

His ambition is ultimately to achieve social change for disabled people, and has already made great advances through his use of social media. His current Dignity and Equality crowdfunding Campaign at PleasseFund.Us is not an exception to this ambition. One of the various rewards, which Martyn is offering to his supporters, is a consultation and solutions to a disability related problem.

Co-founder of PleaseFund.Us James Bailey says: “One of the reasons we started PleaseFund.Us is to support great and passionate people like Martyn Sibley achieve their dreams. It doesn’t matter who you are or what needs you have; having the opportunity to make a difference is all that counts”. Martyn’s campaign finishes 9th August – please share his successful experience, tweet, poke and pin his campaign.