West Wales based artist Kevin Chunisingh shared his story with Disability Wales as part of a series of short films portraying the lives, challenges and success of disabled people.

Kevin was paralysed from the waist down following a kite surfing accident and since then, with the help of his wife Becky he has carved the way to independent living, practising positive ways to nurture his wellbeing, which we covered in The Smile Files here. 

Since working out how to strap a paintbrush to his wrist, Kevin has used his adventures on the Welsh coast to inspire him to produce some powerful paintings, which received a fantastic response and led to his work being featured on BBC’s Coast and Country.

An important point Kevin makes in this film is that he’d like to be able to visit many of the places everyone else does, yet he often notices opportunities for disabled access that local businesses haven’t made the effort to address. With a little extra thought and care during the planning process, it’s possible for more businesses and attractions to welcome people like him in.