Summer BBQ and Activities Day brings Scotland's spinal injury community together

Thursday 2nd July 2026
A male wheelchair user pictures in an adaptable kayak

On Wednesday 24 June we were proud to welcome wheelchair users from across Scotland to Castle Semple for the 2026 Spinal Injuries Scotland (SIS) Summer Barbecue and Activities Day.

More than 120 people attended the event at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Renfrewshire where survivors of spinal cord injuries had the opportunity to take part in adventure sports like hand-biking, kayaking, sailing and power-boating.

A female wheelchair user pictured using a handcycle

With temperatures reaching 23 degrees it was the perfect setting for the spinal injury community to come together, share experiences and build lasting connections while enjoying the barbecue, music and games.

Maureen Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of Spinal Injuries Scotland, said: "The facilities at Castle Semple are absolutely fantastic and the activities on offer are completely accessible for our community.

"It's a great opportunity for our members and the patients from the National Spinal Injuries Unit to try something new and when you see them after they've been out on the water or tried handcycling, they're full of confidence and their families are beaming!

"That's what it's all about and that's why we'll continue to put this event on each year."

What made the day all the more poignant is that for some patients at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit (QENSIU) in Glasgow it was the first time they’ve been able to leave the Unit in months.

One such patient was Tam who said: "I've been in hospital for six months now so getting out is just… relief!

"We were out on the canoe, it's absolutely fabulous here."

Patient at the National Spinal Injuries Unit, Tam
Tam, Patient at the QENSIU

Marking his second time attending the event, Fergal MacArthur, Specialist Physiotherapist at the QENSIU, said: "I spend time with the patients all throughout their rehabilitation journey, getting them ready for going home and integrating back into the community, and I think today is a key part of that.

"I think it's a fantastic event where people can come to chat and try new activities. It gives them a bit more confidence for things that they can do." 

Every day Digby Brown’s Serious Injury team help survivors of spinal cord injuries so they understand the life-changing impacts these injuries can have - and why confidence-building and life-affirming events like the Castle Semple Activities Day are so important.

Chris Stewart, Partner and Head of our Serious Injury team, said: "Seeing people discover what’s possible after a spinal injury is genuinely moving and it's made all the better by the fact they can share these memories with family and friends who come along on the day.

"We've been proud to sponsor this event for many years now and it's a date in the calendar we all look forward to, because we know how much it matters to show survivors of spinal cord injuries that there are no limits."

A group of people pictured on an accessible boat out on the water at Castle Semple