A MOTHER-of-three who is virtually wheelchair-bound after sustaining a spinal injury has launched a consultancy to help other disabled people like herself.

Although initially finding it difficult to come to terms with her physical setback, Mrs Gill Buckland's drive and determination proves that disability is no barrier to tackling and achieving a series of successes.

Gill (46), an unstinting key player with Bury and District Disabled Advisory Council (BADDAC), has established her own Disability Changes Consultancy business .

Ten years ago, while working as personal assistant to well-known comedian and folk singer Mike Harding, she damaged her spine after a fall.

Prior to that, she had a curvature of the spine.

Speaking about her new business, Gill explained: "The consultancy provides a comprehensive training and advice service to private companies and public and voluntary sector organisations, including educational and health services."

She aims to help service providers and employers improve their services and facilities for people with disabilities and to meet their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Gill added: "I specialise in offering disability awareness and disability equality training and in the tailor-made design and delivery of other disability-related training to suit the client's requirements. "In addition to training, the consultancy also offers an access auditing and advice service and general advice regarding disability issues."

Gill, who needs to use a wheelchair most of the time, admits that following her accident she struggled to come to terms with the major change in the life and experienced bouts of severe frustration and depression.

"The turning point came when I began voluntary work with BADDAC eight years ago.

"Initially a volunteer on the charity's helpline, I moved on to use my office skills to update information on their database."

Gill subsequently became chairman of BADDAC's Bury Metro Access Group, organising and carrying out access audits.

As the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 began to take effect, organisations turned to BADDAC for help and advice.

With the help and support of Bury Council's development and training department, Gill began to deliver disability awareness courses for BADDAC.

She continued: "Discovering that I not only enjoyed training, but seemed to have some talent for it, I decided to return to study to gain teaching qualifications."

Already a graduate with a BA (Hons) degree from Manchester Victoria University, she completed her Further and Adult Education Teachers' Certificate in 1999 and her Postgraduate Certificate in Education a year later.

"In 1999, while continuing to work with BADDAC, Royal Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust asked me to write an accredited disability course for their staff," disclosed Gill, of Old Lane, Bury.

"I did so and the disability sensibility course was accredited by the Greater Manchester Open College Network later that year."

Bury Lifelong Service provided the administrative support to assist BADDAC to deliver this course which 116 students from various walks of life have completed.

She said: "Having worked very hard over the last six years to earn a reputation for the design and delivery of qualified, professional disability training, I decided to take the massive leap into self-employment.

"The training I provide gives a genuine insight into many aspects of disability and the feedback from trainees is always enthusiastic.

"Coming into the training room and seeing a disabled person operating in a professional role immediately challenges many people's perceptions about what disabled people can do and cannot do."

Although now working independently, Gill retains close links with BADDAC, being commissioned to design and deliver their training courses.

"Their support and faith in me over the last few years has helped me to pick up the pieces and find a new direction in life that is both challenging and fulfilling," she says.

"I actually believe, in some ways, my accident was the best thing thing that ever happened to me.

"I am proof that disability does not need to be the end of a person's ambitions or career."