Today we’re shining a spotlight on someone who embodies the spirit of FSDP in every possible way — Ben Bennett, former scholar, former Trustee, and a lifelong member of our FSDP family.
Ben lives with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), but as anyone who knows him will tell you, he’s never let that define his limits. In fact, his latest achievement began with something beautifully simple: wanting to help someone else.
Inspired to fundraise for a young lad with cerebral palsy, Jacob, who needed a running frame, Ben realised he didn’t actually know what a running frame was. So he went to the athletics track where the lad trained to find out more.
And that’s where the magic of “one thing leads to another” took over.
While he was there, Ben showed interest in the racing wheelchairs… and something clicked. Curiosity became interest. Interest became training. Training became a challenge. And that challenge became something extraordinary.
In the summer of 2025, at an event in Goodwood, Ben surprised himself by knocking 15 minutes off his half‑marathon personal best — a performance that qualified him for this year’s London Marathon as an elite wheelchair athlete. With the support and guidance of Poole Athletics Club and his coach, Martin Cook, Ben trained incredibly hard, and on 26 April he proudly lined up on the start line in London. He finished within his target time, securing qualification for next year’s event.
When reflecting on his achievement, Ben said it reminded him of fellow scholar Abi Evans’ powerful motto: “Do what you can’t.” He felt his journey this year was a living example of that spirit.
From scholar, to Trustee, to fundraiser, to elite athlete… Ben continues to show that disability doesn’t close doors — it opens new ones you never expected.
Ben, we couldn’t be prouder of you.
#DoWhatYouCant #FSDP #StrengthInAdversity #RedefiningPossible #AbilityThroughAviation #Changing Lives #ResilienceInAction #LivingWithHSP #HereditarySpasticParaplegia
