Entrepreneur with MND enables disabled people to experience boating on the sea 

Having been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease on the day he sold his business, entrepreneur James Ashton has refused to let the progressive disease and its cruel consequences take away his long-standing love of the ocean - and is now enabling it for others too

An organic food entrepreneur who says being able to continue being at sea “saved” him after his Motor Neuron Disease (MND) diagnosis is now enabling others with disabilities to discover the joys of the ocean.   

James Ashton was diagnosed with MND in 2018, aged 56 - only 24 hours after selling his food and drink business, destroying his long-awaited plans for early retirement.  

He now relies on 24/7 care with permanent ventilation and communicates via EyeGaze technology. James only has movement in his right thumb and slight grip with three fingers on his left hand, but the rest of his body has been paralysed by MND.  

He is supported with his care by complex care and case management provider Breakthrough, who support him as far as possible in maintaining the outdoor-focused lifestyle he has loved for so many years. 

Father-of-two James, from Shaldon, Devon, has loved being on the sea throughout his life, with rowing, swimming and paddle boarding being favourite family activities for him, his wife Joanna, sons Sam and Monty and sea-loving dog Shrimp - but sadly MND has robbed him of being able to continue these. 

Despite becoming wheelchair-bound, James paid to convert a catamaran, Thundercat - a huge breakthrough moment for him, which he says enabled him to continue with a quality of life he feared may be lost.  

Now, James has financed the purchase of a new £180,000 boat for the charity Wetwheels, who will be bringing accessible sailing to Devon for the first time and will allow others to experience the same freedom James rediscovered through getting back out on the sea.  

The creation of Wetwheels Torbay has been supported by an ambitious fundraising challenge from James and Russell Smart, his business partner for over 15 years.  

Over 26 days, James cycled 100.4km on a static bike - the distance of the boat’s maiden delivery voyage from Ventnor to Torbay - despite the ongoing and increasing problems he faces with his mobility.  

Russell walked the actual 150-mile route of the voyage from the Isle of Wight to Torquay, with James there to meet him at the finish line.  

The boat will be the eighth in the Wet Wheels fleet across England, Scotland, and the Channel Islands, and will be based in Torbay. It will service all of Devon, East Cornwall, Dorset and beyond. 

“I am absolutely thrilled Wet Wheels is coming to Torbay,” says James, whose business 3V Natural Foods comprised leading palm oil-free peanut butter supplier Meridian Foods, and Rocks Drinks.  

“As a lover of the sea and all things nautical, my ambition was to enable others to enjoy what I have experienced, despite their disabilities or problems with mobility.  

“The Wetwheels boats provide a very steady and safe platform for everyone to feel secure while being on the sea, from family to carers. It could be people from all walks of life, of any age, with either complex care requirements to getting older and less mobile.  

“I would love everyone to be able to access the sea.” 

Breakthrough Care - supporting James to live his life 

Despite the most complex of illness, injury or disability, the integrated care team at Breakthrough enable people to fulfil their goals and maximise independence. 

For clients like James and their families, we will focus on what is possible, and ensure their wishes and ambitions are at the heart of everything we do. 

Our focus on functional rehabilitation and person-centred care and support lies at the heart of what we call the ‘Breakthrough difference’, which makes us stand out in the marketplace. 

We believe this lies in the fact that:

• We are CQC rated Outstanding
• Our team are experts in 24/7 complex care
• Our care delivery is overseen by our in-house clinical lead
• Our integrated team includes both carers and rehabilitation assistants 
• We deliver bespoke training to our team around the needs of each client 
• Our focus on functional rehabilitation delivers life-changing progress and outcomes
• Breakthrough also comprises a case management offering, meaning a more joined-up approach to client care
• Our wide professional network enables us to quickly access the right treating professionals
• We are growing and investing strongly, increasing our capacity to support even more individuals and their families

James - who was also a keen angler and diver and was unbeaten in over 30 years of competitive local rowing Regattas - first began to notice issues with his mobility in 2016, but thought it was probably “general wear and tear” from his activity-loving lifestyle.  

It was two years later when he was given the devastating diagnosis of MND - just at the point he hoped to embark on an active retirement with his family, and his children who were then aged 12 and 14.  

“I couldn't believe that after spending so much time away from the family with the business, that I was now being denied the opportunity to be with them and enjoy our lives together,” says James.

“I also feared my boating days were over. By 2019, I was regularly falling and lost the use of my left arm. We researched every chance and possibility to get me on a boat, but nothing was accessible.” 

Having commissioned his own catamaran, James became aware of Wetwheels when looking into options around fishing for wheelchair users. Realising the potential the charity offers to people with disabilities and mobility problems, James was keen to lend his support.  

“The benefits and experience of getting out safely on the sea are huge, and I believe undervalued,” he says.  

“The local coast is superb for everything boating related and offers everything from magical wildlife to sheltered historic ports like Dartmouth.  

“Getting onto a boat is normally the biggest barrier - but with the Wet Wheels boats, even people who are not in a wheelchair can use the facility, as access is all level and easy.”  

Through the fundraising by James and Russell - which has so far raised over £11,000 - Wetwheels Torbay will be supported in becoming established in its new Devon home. Russell has become a director of the new venture.  

“We decided on this fundraising because over the years Russell and I have frequently tested ourselves in sporting challenges,” says James.  

“Eventually, I decided on cycling as it is the only physical option for me now, with Russell walking the exact route. I don’t know what the longer-term effects for me might be through doing this, given my mobility issues.”  

Breakthrough, which delivers James’s care, also backed him in his fundraising venture.  

“We have come to know James and his family well and are really proud to support such an amazing man,” says Annabelle Lofthouse, CEO of Breakthrough. 

“We know how much James has benefitted through being able to continue to get out on the sea, and others will now have the chance to share in this joy. This is so significant for the wellbeing of countless individuals and families in the years ahead. 

“It is a hugely benevolent act by James to bring Wetwheels to Torbay, enabling others to discover the benefits of being on the sea that have helped James so much in the way he deals with living with MND.

“In addition to his personal donation, the fact he has embarked on a physical challenge, despite the huge issues he faces with his mobility and in his daily living, shows what a truly selfless person James is. We have been delighted to support him in his fundraising.”  

Add your support to James and Russell’s fundraising here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/james-ashton-wetwheels 

https://www.breakthroughcasemanagement.com/care/