SOME LOCAL HISTORY: LEST WE FORGET

SOME LOCAL HISTORY: LEST WE FORGET

"Our history books have failed to tell us of the role of indigenous resistance around Melbourne"

Since 2006, a group of Melbourne activists have gathered on 20 January 2012 to commemorate two Aboriginal freedom fighters, Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener, who were hanged then buried on that day in 1842 on the site of the Victoria Market. Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener were part of a group of four Tasmanian Aborigines who conducted an eight-week campaign of resistance to European settlement in 1841. After three military expeditions, they were finally captured and brought to Melbourne for trial. They were not allowed to give evidence, and were found guilty of crimes that incurred the death penalty.

Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener’s deaths by hanging on 20 January 1842, before a crowd of 5000 (a quarter of Melbourne’s population at the time), were the first judicial executions to take place in Melbourne.

The annual commemoration initiated by Melbourne anarchist Joseph Toscano and the Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener Committee took place again on 20 January 2012. Speakers included aboriginal activists Sharon Firebrace and Robbie Thorpe and Jacob Rumbiak, the Foreign Minister in exile of the West Papua Independence Movement. Three councillors from Melbourne City Council attended and spoke at the event, Greens Councillor Cathy Oke, Councillor Jackie Watts  and Councillor Jennifer Kanis . Last year Adam Bandt, Federal MP for Melbourne spoke, and in 2009 Lord Mayor Robert Doyle spoke.  Council will be considering a Indigenous Heritage Action Plan in May, including a recommendation for a memorial to the two freedom fighters at Bowen Lane (between RMIT and the Melbourne City Baths).

2012 Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener Commemoration

Bunches of flowers were laid on the hot tarmac.  The committee is campaigning for the Melbourne City Council to build a public memorial to the freedom fighters.  Slowly, with each year, more people are attending the commemoration and support for a permanent memorial is growing. Pencil  20 January 2013 into your diary.

For more information, visit www.anarchistmedia.org and follow the links to find out more about this fascinating piece of local history.

Next Up: Undecided

Ross Cottee: Unofficial Ambassador for Healthy Living

Melbourne Bike Share and the Moomba Parade: An opportunity to promote our bike scheme

MBS & THE MOOMBA PARADE: An opportunity to promote our bike scheme 

I feel it’s only a matter of time before Melburnians embrace the blue bikes en masse, and the Moomba  Parade event will no doubt build on the popularity of the bikes.  I have been asked to represent the Melbourne Bike Share Scheme as an ambassador. Sometime ago I calculated my daily trip average needing to be 5.04 daily trips to reach Ride 2,000 for the Moomba Parade.

From the website:

For only $52 a year you can purchase an annual Melbourne Bike Share Subscription giving you access to a bike anytime of the day or night. Annual subscriptions can be purchased online or by calling 1300 711 590. Once you subscribe, a key will be sent to you in the mail.

Admittedly, there is a bit of confusion when people take single use/ weeklong trips as you need to pull out your credit card each time you use a bike for security reasons. This is an OK predicatment  for tourists who are often flashing around there credit cards, but for locals to Melbourne I endorse the use of an annual subscription.

Before the MBS Moomba ride, I already considered myself Melbourne Bike share (MBS) Ambassador, it’s been part of my life since its introduction. I have my own bike, however a docking station is located at the top of my street, and many of the places I frequent also have stations closeby.  My use of MBS makes me visit bicycle stores as rarely as possible which is nice.  I recently had the opportunity to move to a bigger, cheaper house in the area and decided against it because I would no longer be a stone’s throw away from a docking station. I use them daily, and they’re always on my mind.

WHO IS MIBSY?

Mibsy

I am ‘Mibsy’, my Healthy-Living loving, Bike Share nuts alter-ego. I dress head to toe in blue.  I have regularly gone on ‘Bike Share Challenges’ which involve me visiting every dock station in Melbourne. Reading about the work done by Lachlan Campbell on Melbourne’s  rail network   inspired  me to do this. You can read more about his herculean efforts at: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/1-day-205-stations-17-hours-25-minutes-20110721-1hr66.html.  I can usually do a BikeShare Challenge in one long and exciting afternoon, if you set your mind to something anything is possible. There are currently 55 docking stations, the City of Port Phillip now supports the scheme so stations can now be found along St.Kilda Beach. It is now possible to ride to Port Melbourne beach and take a leisurely walk along the esplanade to the heart of St.Kilda.

WHERE DID RIDE #1 TAKE PLACE?

	Start Station	End Station	Duration	Amount
Sat 05 June 2010 6:14 pm	Melbourne Uni / Swanston St	RMIT - Swanston St / Franklin St	7 min	$0

I can easily access my trip record at www.melbournebikeshare.com.au.  The Melbourne Uni dock was setup as part of the initial rollout of stations. Shortly after becoming a member, the Faraday St dock was setup which is now my #1 station. When Melbourne Bike Share setup the station closer to home it continued to change my life.

DO YOU THINK THAT COMPULSORY HELMET LAWS PREVENT PEOPLE FROM RIDING THE BLUE BIKES?

Yes, but I don’t think helmet laws should be relaxed. I carry around a helmet 90% of the time I’m out, I strap it around my bag just in case I need it. I know too many people who have been impacted by head injuries not to be a VOCAL SUPPROTER of helmet laws.

More information on why I think helmet laws should remain compulsory can be found through the link below:

http://www.bia.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=228:ross-cottees-story&catid=14:your-stories&Itemid=32

YOU’RE CLOSING IN ON RIDE 2,000, TELL US ABOUT RIDE 1,000

Last  year I celebrated my 1,000th ride with Melbourne Bike Share. This celebration coincided with the introduction of a bike dock station at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC). The MSAC dock represents the first station setup for purely recreational riding (you can go on a leisurely ride around Albert  Park lake within the 45 minute free access period).  It was a great day.  There was an Acknowledgement of Country , drinks and nibbles and I gave a short presentation before making my 1,000th ride with a celebratory lap around Albert Park Lake. At the Moomba festival March 12, I imagine I’ll be celebrating 'Ride 2000' on MBS.  http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/spirituality/welcome-to-country.html

Cake made by Mary Mihelakos

'Ride 1000' Celebration

ARE YOU EMPLOYED BY MELBOURNE BIKE SHARE?

No, however they do respect my passion and loyalty.

SO, WHERE TO FROM HERE?

More rides, more milestones and more healthy living.  When I compare Melbourne Bike Share scheme to others around the world it’s a smaller and underused scheme. There is a need to promote this baby! I’ll continue to use the free app ‘Spotcycle’ to check the availability of the bikes around Melbourne and other cities around the world.

I’m often asked by people when stations are going to start appearing in their area, depending where people live my answer lies in the decisions that are made by their respective councils. The City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip have signed agreements allowing MBS dock stations to be setup in these areas. I’d like to see the City of Moreland and the City of Yarra get on board this exciting new method of public transport.

From the Melbourne Bike Share website:

As of December 2009, there were over 90 programs in approximately 135 cities around the world with an estimated 86,000 bikes on four continents and another 45 programs planned in 22 nations in 2009-2010.

I don’t have access to the current global stats, I only know the popularity is growing. London for example has a massive network, colloquially know as the ‘Boris Bikes’.  Boris Johnson happened to be elected as Mayor of London at the time of the official launch. At present there are some 6000 BORIS BIKES and 400 docking stations. There is growing number of cities around the world that are introducing public bike schemes seeing it as a great form of future inner city transport.

Boris Johnson

I HOPE that the privately funded bike share schemes around the world remain an affordable method of transport for years to come.

Thanks to the Squeaky Wheel for contacting me, and to the City of Melbourne in having the foresight to introduce Public Bikes to Melbourne’s dynamic atmosphere.   I’m looking forward to being a part of the 2012 Moomba Parade!

Mibsy xx

Ross Cottee

BAKERY BLUES : No cappuccino left unturned.blog

BAKERY BLUES : No cappuccino left unturned

Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge that I tread carefully with this post. I don’t think this is as pathetic as it sounds. I think that the benefits of 'Healthy Living' can be amplified with the respect of others.

The link below discusses how a BLOGGER who characterised anti-porn activist Melinda Tankard Reist as a ''fundamentalist Christian'' has been asked to apologise  or be sued. 

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/antiporn-activist-threatens-to-sue-blogger-over-religion-claims-20120116-1q39d.html

From the article: ''Things have gone too far, people think they can just trash you" ''Why does being a blogger exempt you from the laws of defamation?''.

"Barrister Wendy Harris, SC, said the same legal rules applied whether you published a book or sent a much less considered message via Twitter, blog or Facebook post."

AND THIS: "Something is defamation if it tends to lower someone in the eyes of reasonable and right-thinking people,''

So I write this blog aware not to name any businesses. I don’t like what’s happened and I realise that my understanding of what a LOYAL CUSTOMER can expect is not a LEGAL RIGHT, I feel that we all want some recognition.

Businesses need to lift their game. Recently I received a service (not coffee related) and was disappointed when I was asked to pick up my goods at a later time, even though I had expected to collect my goods on two different occasions prior to my visit.

The shop is usually busy with people, but on this occasion NOT ONE customer was in the store and it was a good chance to serve some of my own. I raised my voice “What’s to say it won’t be ready when I come in tomorrow?” “Are you being genuine when you say that?” “I’m a loyal customer”.

The staff member quipped back “Look, this is the first time you’ve spoken to me”,

I responded “I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to the business!” .  I later apologised.

The manager was an ear shot away and after over hearing I soon received excellent service and my goods were ready in 1 hour.  I said to the manager “Don’t get me wrong. I like this place and I’ve bought stuff from here for years. The shop’s empty so I feel comfortable in raising my voice”. I’ll continue going there.

This episode encouraged me to write this blog BAKERY BLUES, re: my boycott of a bakery I have visited frequently since living at my current address.  Over the past few years I’ve grown relationships with staff and management and was looking forward to my NEW YEAR’S DAY coffee, which comes ON THE HOUSE. It’s an informal precedent that they have set for the past few years, it's a dangerous precedent to set if you're going to change your mind.  This year I was refused what I felt was MY COMPLIMENTARY COFFEE. A coffee ‘on the house’ sets a positive note for the year.  I don’t make my own coffee as I like to drink out so I’m often there.

I vowed not to buy a coffee from the bakery until I receive what I feel is reasonable.   I have since found a new place to drink coffee and I’m much happier there. I don’t expect any coffees ‘on the house’ but they’ve already looked after me bewtter than what the bakery has done in years.  The bakery will continue to lose business from me if nothing is done.  

I think social media often lifts the bar in which businesses operate, turning GOSSIP into IDEAS. The more people who write about their service experience will not doubt lift the quality of the shit we buy. Sites like urbanspoon.com lead the way.
Give a little and get a little.

Next up: MCB RECORD         OR      MBS and Mibsy’

RACEDAY: NO ORDINARY SWIM.blog

RACEDAY - NO ORDINARY SWIM

Preparations had run well. The day before the race was spent with my friend Anj at the ‘Wellness Zone’ at Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre. From the website:

The peaceful atmosphere of the Wellness Zone makes it the ideal place to relax and unwind after a busy day. MSAC’s best kept secret is hidden away on Level Three, has full disability access and its own car park entrance.

We had a really good time, swimming around the pool dotted with a wonderfully diverse group of people. They have numerous floatation devices to make it easier for anyone who visits.

RACEDAY came  and in the morning my Dad offered to drive me to Lorne. I jumped at the offer as public transport to Lorne involved connecting travel services, which haven’t appealed to me since I go stranded at 3AM in Luton Airport (London) after being late for my flight to Spain. I’ve never been to Spain, but I kinda like the music.

Dad and myself got to Lorne and it was a sea of activity. I was amazed at how easy it was to register for the event as these events often require you to line up in least one WRONG QUEUE . I guess you could only expect it to be easy, as Lorne is a far way out from Melbourne and travel doesn’t seem to keep the public patient.  

I picked up the bits and pieces I needed for the swim (cap, electronic timer etc...)  Over 5,000 people participated in this year’s event. I had contacted the NDIS and arranged for some promotional materials to be sent which I brought along. Earlier I had also shopped around the entire day with my friend Mary M to find red body paint to cover me head to toe in. We searched all day, and the only body paints we found were water-based paint which would have quickly washed off in the salt water. And it looks like RED ZINC isn’t the colour for 2012 (we found every other colout but Red in the stores).

So many people! It made me think that the Lorne Surf Life Saving Club must be the richest club in the country. I started to walk towards the Lorne pier with Dad, once I got there I stripped down into my new speedos. If I ever want to work my way into a Pro-Wrestling career I’ve got the outfit. There was so many people there (the majority in wetsuits). I couldn’t work out who was who and that didn’t matter because I knew no one but my Dad and he was wearing jeans.

When my heat was called to the water and we swum out to the start I soon realised that ocean swimming is more difficult than swimming at the indoor pools; you don’t get that PUSH OFF from the side of the pool every 30 metres, and in the ocean you’re also competing with choppy waves. I was advised not to bring my underwater music player, and that was OK because this was not going to be any ORDINARY SWIM!

MIDWAY through the swim came a Hitch. I must have started to panic a little and I found it difficult to breathe. These episodes have happened to me occasionally since leaving the State Trustees offices. It can be frustrating although it doesn’t worry me  and it’s virtually unnoticeable. I’ve rarely swum in the ocean, well over my depth and this new setting must have brought on a  subtle state of panic.  Nonetheless I swam on, albeit at a more relaxed pace.  Life guards were dotted all the way down the swim pathway.  My Dad commented before the race that there was more of a chance of receiving a SHARK ATTACK than to drown at the Lorne Surf Life Saving Club’s $GALA$ annual event.

I finished my swim. Dad had walked from the ‘Pier to Pub’ to meet me. Some people asked me what ‘NDIS’ stood for. I had all the materials to explain how important I feel it is.

RACE TIME 0:31:02

Next Up: BAKERYBLUES.blog

PROTEIN SHAKE?

Written 6 January 2012

This Saturday 7 January 2012 I will be swimming the 2012 Pier to Pub (P2P). The week beginning 2 Jan saw me commence a strict training routine. Preparations had a scare when a tooth filling of mine fell out.  It meant that I ran the risk of a bad tooth ache which could have blown my chances of swimming the event. Fortunately I was able to book a ‘last minute’ appointment with the dentist before the ocean swim.

Much of the time I spend in the pool this week has been spent thinking of ideas to promote the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) at the Lorne P2P. The first idea that came to mind was to wear a red suit  alike the one my Healthy-Living-Loving, Bike-Share-Nuts alter-ego ‘Mibsy’ wears. When I thought back to the ’30 in 30’ swim celebrations at the City Baths (the one where I swam a celebratory lap of the pool as ‘Mibsy’) , I remembered how uncomfortable it was to move and breathe when swimming in the blue suit. I think I might settle on some red body paint; head to toe in red, and with red speedos. I know Tony Abbott (Australia's Prime Minister in waiting) likes those and I might even catch his eye as he’ll be there. 

Swimming is a good place to think, and I’ve done it regularly for a long time. I often swim 20 lengths of a 30 metre pool, but sometimes I’ll struggle to reach 12 lengths, partly because I find swimming incredibly uninteresting. The ‘One, Two, Three, BREATH! is hard to keep exciting after 5 minutes even though I do enjoy the overall experience of being in the water.

Over the years I’ve often thought how pleasant the swimming experience would be whilst listening to something; music, chatter… noise.   Anything to keep your mind off the mechanics of the exercise. For Christmas my good friend Margaret got me an underwater IPod shuffle.  It’s early days and it’s already changed my life.  Nowadays I only  get out of the pool because I have stuff to do rather than being fed up.  I’ve been listening to a variety of music and podcasts, and have recently started listening to ‘This American Life’ with Ira Glass.

As I often say, swimming has been a TITANIC PULLY for me since I joined the Melbourne City Baths (MCB) in 2008. In November I swam everyday of the month.   I spent so much time in and out of the water that I contracted Tinea Pedis (Athlete’s Foot) which is a common fungal  infection of the feet. This type of fungus is contagious and is often got through visiting public places (such as the natatorium showers or locker rooms). Yes, I suspended my membership whilst I was infected and am now fighting-fit.

Earlier in the year I bought  a ‘Special membership offer’ of 3 x Personal Training sessions and 10 x visits to the Gymnasium for $69. I’ve never been a fan of gym workouts but with my intended involvement in fun runs / swims in 2012 I thought I’d take up the offer. This week I turned up to my first Personal Training appointment and was introduced to my trainer ‘Ross’. It’s great working with someone who shares the same name as you,  and it turns out that he’s as big of a fitness fanatic as me! Trainer Ross showed me the ‘ropes’ (literally, it’s a new exercise at gyms these days), the Express Lap Pull Down, Slosh Ball, Seated Row, Kettle Bell and we went through a range of other exercises.

Midway through the session a voice shouted from across the gym “Hey Ross, did you finish off that protein shake?”. I immediately turned around ready for a confrontation. Trainer Ross laughed when he realized my confusion “Don’t worry, he’s talking to me” and I continued my reps.

Preparation seems to be going well, I’ll need to book in a day of rest and recovery between now and Saturday. This summer break is going well. A nice break from work. 

Written 6 January 2012

Next Up: RACEDAY.blog

Following a tragedy : God only know what I’d be without you

Much of this blog is from the speech I made for the Victorian launch of 2010's Brain Injury Awareness Week,  Melbourne Town Hall, August 15. Each year a theme is selected for the event. In 2010 it was ‘Fall Related Brain Injury’.  That year, Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum was selected as the ‘King of Moomba’  along with Kate Ceberano .  In the same year, Kate Ceberano performed alongside Eskimo Joe and others for the ‘Lord Mayor`s Command Performance’ (also at the Melbourne Town Hall which raised money for 'Support Act'). Support Act, the Australian music industry's benevolent fund providing relief and assistance to members of the Australian music industry who are in need or suffering hardship, illness or distress, gives a breath of hope for those in the music industry. Alanis Morrisette might think of the cirsumstances as 'ironic'.

Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum’s tragic circumstances remind you that horrible stuff happens regardless of who you are and what time of year it is.  Reports have consistently talked about the ‘long road to recovery’ that Molly finds himself on.   I can talk with some lived experience of such a ‘long road’, that has seen me arrive to a place where I’m happy and productive, but not the with same outlook I once had. People always change and I wouldn't want to be the person I was 'before the accident' anyway.

Recovery:

1.      A return to a normal state of health, mind, or  strength

 (Whatever is 'normal')

 1. Falling in love with ABI

You might think of falling and think: aging population, nursing homes, the elderly.  On the other hand you could think of a toddler learning to walk for the first time or a penny thrown down a wishing well.   Perhaps an unexpected fall in the stock market? You might have fallen out of your bed once upon a time or stepped off a ladder. You might think of American autumns, rivers, lack of co-ordination or gravity. Falls are experienced all the time. For me, the word ‘fall’ reminds me of brain injury - a tragedy? Or a new beginning? Like any piece of art: it is what you make of it.  How will you view ‘fall’? - The onus falls onto you.

2. In 2009, Brain Injury Australia, headed by Nick Rushworth, prepared an in-depth policy paper on fall-related ABI. The report dispels many myths associated with fall-related head injuries. A fact from this report:

* In 2003: nearly half a million people in Australia (2.2% of the population) had an ABI. 

- if you don’t have ABI yourself, there is a good chance you know someone with ABI. The issues raised during Brain Injury Awareness Week do not relate to a small section of society.

3. Jack and Jill

As cute as it sounds, the story of Jack and Jill works well as an allegory for the trauma of fall related brain injury. Jack and Jill went up the hill, not expecting the calamity that would follow. Their job was to fill up a bucket of water to give their family and animals a drink. Nothing out of the ordinary, it was business as usual. Then, half way up the hill, a tragedy! Jack looses his footing, hits his crown, and suffers massive head injuries to his frontal lobe as he comes tumbling down.  The reality of head injury is forced upon Jack.  Fortunately Jill is there to pick up the pieces, and she turns out to be Jack’s carer for the years to follow.  The fall is a paradigm shift, it’s a radical change, Jack and Jill will never forget this and the story will live on in history; children STILL sing about the event  in  kindergartens today! 

It takes some time to fall in love with ABI. Jack is likely to experience rejection from peers, rejection from society, and face a system that, whilst supportive, will gear him to have zero or low expectations.  A system which, despite its best endeavors, struggles to encourage people to push the limitations of disability within our society;  a system that can put a cap on ‘success’ following brain injury.

4. Many people’s prognosis following head injury recalculates itself as much as a GPS system in city traffic! Reading news reports about Molly Meldrum remind me of the early, constantly-changing prognosises that so many of my friends have heard.  And personally as initially I was advised that I would probably need to be committed to a nursing home where I would spend the rest of my life in a vegetative state.  Later as I improved, the prognosis was that if I went home, I would be house-bound, reliant on my family and would never work or support myself.  I progressed however, moved out of home, and began to recommence a career that had gone on a significant detour at age 21. I found full-time employment, and am working towards a Master of Social Work degree. The system initially told me that I could not look forward to any of these things.  

5. Throughout my recovery, I have been advised not to have great expectations, to settle for second best or nothing at all. This is something that brain injured persons become accustomed to being told. This is why I volunteer time to mentor brain injured persons and am involved in several related programs. I’ve found that too many service providers have given up on the idea of hope and this is my drive I take to the sector. Luckily I made my own high expectations, for if I had believed the initial expert advice given to me by the system I would still be living a highly restricted life, using a walking aid and receiving government benefits.

Service providers need to see that brain injury recovery has no limits.  All too often people attach limitations on you without understanding you.  Be critical of services you receive, it keeps people on their toes. Look and ask around and you’ll find a heap of services that will lead you to all kinds of support. Recently I went to a work expo held at RMIT Uni and was bowled over at the level of support that’s out there for people with a disability. And it’s not just workplace stuff, the ABI Compass Clubhouse, BrainLink, the Summer Foundation, Brain Injury Matters, 'Inability Possibility' and Melbourne Citymission are just a few organizations dedicated to supporting  participation in the community, and maximising quality of life for people with brain injury. I have had the experience of being involved in much of what the sector has to offer and got a lot from participating in it.  There are so many opportunities – you just need to know where to look.  Get in contact with a service provider!
 

  6. During my stay at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Hospital in 2003, the then Federal Health minister Tony Abbott made a visit to the ABI ward for a photo opportunity. He’ll be running for Prime Minister tomorrow, and recently he was quoted as saying that he couldn’t promise ‘a whole lot of extra goodies’ in improving services to people with a disability. Disability action groups felt that not only was the response patronising, it is emblematic of the lack of recognition and understanding by politicians of the basic unmet needs of people with disability in Australia.

People like Brent and myself have picked ourselves from the ground where we fell all those years ago. We now share a social responsibility to help others, share strategies and share inspiration. Some of the most valued advice I’ve received since sustaining an ABI has been from people who share a lived experience with brain injury.  Sure, dealing with fall-related ABI is difficult, but it can also be rewarding, offering you a new perspective on life and opportunities to meet and work with amazing people you would otherwise never have come in contact with.  By reframing ‘the fall’ as a turning point in life, rather than a stopping point, perhaps we can all fall in love with ABI.

  7. As far as the story of Jack and Jill goes:  Jack recovered from his fall and decided to go back to university and study Engineering. He developed a pumping system so that no one ever had to walk up the hill again. Jack and Jill lived happily ever after.

I was fortunate to receive additional funding and support through the 'Slow to Recover’ program. The assistance I received from this program is very similar to the support all Australian citizens could expect to receive through a ‘National Disability Insurance Scheme’ (NDIS).  Through Slow to recover funding, I was able to sign up for a gym membership, which has kick started my love for swimming! This Saturday I will be participating in the Lorne ‘Pier to Pub’ event.  My parents will also be coming.  My participation in this swimming event is a celebration for us all. Further, it is a celebration of what additional supports and services can achieve for people. 

For Molly Meldrum: I send my best wishes. Set yourself a goal and stick to it.  You’ve been the King of Moomba twice I can’t wait to see you on the steps of Town Hall again.  Don’t make compromises: rain, hail or shine you’ll get through this!

For Molly’s family and friends: This will be a ‘long road to recovery’. So regardless of the circumstances stick by your friend.

We’re yet to know the visible extent of Molly’s injuries once healed. Remember that the hidden nature of some acquired brain injuries can be a thorn in the side for the people who are hit by them.

This year I’ve got the opportunity to be an ambassador for the Melbourne Bike Share on a Moomba float.  Now that’s what I call a full recovery!

Ross Cottee 3 January 2012