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Disability won't stop upwardly mobile entrepreneur
Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne has come across some stiff opposition in his time, but nothing prepared him for Stephen Collins.
When he gave the Huddersfield entrepreneur his phone number at an awards ceremony, little did he know that he would not only end up supporting Stephen's business, Lazarus Mobility, but he would also become a close friend, inviting him to his birthday party.
"I just kept ringing and ringing until eventually he rang back and said he wanted to see me," says Stephen. "He said he wanted to help me."
It is this dogged determination and refusal to be fobbed off that has made Stephen the success he is today.
Stephen was born with cerebral palsy and for 50 years he has experienced prejudice and discrimination.
"People ring up and ask to speak to my boss. Sometimes I tell them I am the boss, other times I pretend to walk around the office and say, 'He's not in, will I do?'"
For his entire life people have judged Stephen on how he looks and sounds. The cerebral palsy, which probably occurred at birth or during pregnancy, means that Stephen's speech is sometimes difficult to understand and he needs a frame to help him walk, but behind this is a sharp intellect and a wicked sense of humour.
"I always liken it to someone looking to buy a new book," says Stephen.
"You see a book with a rubbish cover so you don't bother picking it up but if you did pick it up it might be the best book you have ever read. Being disabled is a bit like that."
This is one of many poetic analogies which Stephen comes up with during our interview.
For a man whose parents were told he would not walk, drive, hold down a job or get married, he has done exceptionally well.
Sitting behind his desk at Lazarus Mobility in Huddersfield with the name Stephen Collins, Managing Director inscribed on a sign, he is rightly proud of his achievements.
"It was a present from my mum when we opened this unit," says Stephen with obvious pride.
The unit in Aspley, which now employs four people, was opened by Stephen's mentor, Duncan Bannatyne, last year and is a symbol of the regard the multi-millionaire entrepreneur has for him.
It is somewhat ironic that the discrimination Stephen faced when trying to set up his own business after being forced to retire from his NHS job due to ill-health, probably led to the friendship.
"I'd wanted to work for myself for some time but when I tried to get funding people just weren't prepared to take the risk."
It was at an awards ceremony for the Shaw Trust that Stephen took his chance with Duncan Bannatyne.
"I explained the problems I was having and he gave me his personal mobile number. At the meeting with him, I explained that the one thing I wanted was to get off benefits so that I could hold my head up high again, but the business wasn't making enough at that time.
"Duncan said that what I had done meant that I could always hold my head high, but he said he'd pay my wages for 12 months. It meant everything to me. It meant I really could hold my head high and go forward with my plans for the future."
The support of someone like Duncan Bannatyne has also opened more doors for Stephen and Lazarus Mobility. Stephen's dream is to open a number of "megastores" – one-stop shops covering all the needs of disabled people. He is well on the way to his dream. This month sees the launch of Lazarus Holidays, a bespoke holiday company to provide overseas holidays for people who require that extra little assistance.
Coincidentally, it was while on a holiday for disabled people that Stephen met his wife, Sally.
Sally, a full-time nurse, was assisting the people on the trip when they met. They have now been married 19 years and have a 16-year-old daughter, Rose.
"When we told my parents that Sally was expecting, they weren't as happy as we had thought they would be,"
said Stephen.
"Sally asked them what was up, and mum said that they were worried that we might have a baby like me. No one had explained to my parents about cerebral palsy and that it was something that happened, not something that is passed down."
Despite their lack of knowledge about his condition, Stephen says his parents were a great support to him throughout his life.
His father died of cancer before he became a success.
"I really miss my dad. I would love for him to see me today and see the place we have got here, I think he would have been proud."
As Rose grew up, Sally and Stephen were concerned about how she felt about his disability.
They need not have worried. When she was just 12, Rose, a talented musician, wrote a song about her dad. Titled He's Not That Different, the song is a tribute to Stephen. The family have had it recorded and would like to release it to raise money for charity as well as awareness of the discrimination faced by some people with disabilities.
Stephen went to a special school from the age of five, and his parents were given no choice over where he was educated.
"They didn't teach people like me in mainstream schools in those days.
They taught us life skills rather than anything academic," he recalls.
"One of the teachers told me I would never get a job and that I'd never drive."
Stephen being Stephen, not only did he learn to drive, he passed his advanced driving test and then bought his dream car, a Jaguar.
"I drove it in to town one day and went shopping. When I went back to the car there was an old man starring at me, I could feel him looking at me, so I thought I'd have a bit of fun.
"I tried the door handle and he told me that I shouldn't be doing that as I didn't know whose car it was. I said that I did know whose car it was, so the man said 'where is he?', and I said, 'You're looking
at him'.
"He said that I couldn't drive the car so I told him to watch me and I drove off."
It is this sense of humour which helps him deal with the attitudes of some people towards him, although he does admit that sometimes he cannot help but get annoyed with their ignorance.
"I try not to be negative, but sometimes it is hard."
Despite all the things life has thrown at him, Stephen believes he is very lucky.
"Has being disabled spoiled my life? Not one bit. It's been a great life. I probably wouldn't be the person I am or the success I am if I didn't have cerebral palsy and had to fight for everything. If I could change one thing, I would like to walk a bit better," says Stephen, who spent 12 years trying to get out of a wheelchair and is in no hurry to return to one.
"Maybe when I'm 90," he jokes.
He and Sally are now looking forward to meeting Gordon Brown at a reception at 10 Downing Street on Monday.
"I am going to tell Gordon Brown that I believe that disabled people could be the backbone in creating a better Britain," says Stephen.
"They just need the chance and better opportunities to succeed.
I told Duncan Bannatyne that I wanted to be a millionaire. It's not just about the money; if I was a millionaire then how many people like me would I be able to help? In the words of Duncan, 'If I can do it, anyone can'."
The launch of Lazarus Holidays takes place on Saturday, June 27, 10am to 4pm at Lazarus Mobility, Unit 3, Silver Court Industrial Estate, Silver Street, Aspley Huddersfield HD5 9AG. www.lazarusmobility.com
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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