Let's get Paul Morris Home

In November 2019, Paul Morris was windsurfing near his home in Penzance, Cornwall when an accident occurred that no one saw and he can’t remember.  Paul was found face down in the water, almost drowned and paralysed from the shoulders down with a broken neck.

Some amazing treatment and care has resulted in Paul regaining limited use of his hands and arms but with legs that will remain paralysed.  More than ready to return home  to his wife Kate, his family, his dog, his corner of Cornwall – his life,    he cannot do so until urgent remodelling of his home to safely support his future wheelchair bound life is completed.   



The Cornwall Air Ambulance waiting to take Paul to Hospital

There has been amazing support shown by friends and family to help Paul over these past months, including remotely whilst he has been physically isolated from all his loved ones due to Covid concerns.  Now in a care facility in Cornwall we need to get Paul the last mile to his home.   

Remodelling a home quickly is a difficult task at any time and even more so in the current national context. But for Paul and Kate it is an absolute and urgent necessity – doors need to be wider, access needs to be easier, ground-floor space needs to be added and much more. What many of us thought of as building an add-on is now understood to be a one-off chance to create a place where Paul and Kate can be together, movearound with ease and live their lives. 

And it doesn’t stop there. For once he’s home, Paul will then need to get out and about! While the NHS and charities provide or contribute toward some needed equipment that still leaves a lot of ground to cover. We’d all love to see Paul back on the beach one day but that requires a car adapted to get him there – and in time, one he can drive. And he’ll need a wheelchair that can handle sand, pebbles and rocky seashores, not just the smooth aisles of Morrisons.  This is Paul we are talking about after all!

A suitable home, a new set of wheels and a seat in the sand. That’s our target and we need your help to get there.  A great number of people kindly supported Paul’s early appeal to get the house remodelling part funded – it was a great beginning and the messages many of you sent were hugely valued. We now have a clearer picture of just how much is needed – to finish adapting the house will cost in the region of £60,000, a deposit for a wheelchair suitable vehicle will cost up to £10,000 and a wheelchair that ensures Paul stays as much a part of his corner of Cornwall as he ever was is another £12,000.

So we are asking for your help on a number of fronts. First, please circulate this appeal far and wide so others who know Paul – or just feel inspired - can help where they can.  Secondly, if you are undertaking any endeavour where you can fundraise to support Paul’s recovery, please do – and if not, how about setting yourself a goal and using that to help us raise funds through this page by joining the fundraising team. Third, if you know of any way to help – skills, connections, supplies, support – get in touch.  We’d love to hear from you. And finally, it all comes down to funding – if you can give – or give more – please do. The faster we can reach our goals the quicker Paul can get back home.  

Anyone who knows Paul knows that if there was one more lap on the water to squeeze in, or one more knot to squeeze out, then Paul would be there, doing both. When the conditions are most challenging he is the first to face them down and the last to back away. Many of us know Paul in different ways – he’s a beloved husband, dad, son and brother. A well-liked and respected former Royal Navy officer. A talented and adventuresome windsurfer. A committed – if not native – Cornishman. A ‘second career’ electrician. A friend, a competitor, a colleague - and for those of us watching him fly ahead of us on the waves, a real inspiration. 

Thanks for helping us make sure Paul and Kate are able to build a future together.

Adrian Wallis
Gerry Northwood
Nick Dodd