My story

My name is Jon and I got the travel bug when I was a school kid. I remember my first time abroad was to the Belgian seaside town of Blankenberge and I think it is safe to say I caught the travel bug and developed a passion for seeing the world. I love seeing new places, meeting new people, experiencing local life and trying new things. Believe it or not I have travelled to well over 100 countries and still finding new places to visit and planning to visit. I believe disability should be no barrier to exciting travel experiences.  That is why I love being an accessible travel agent. 

I am a wheelchair user myself and I have a Canine Partner Assistance Dog called Georgia, though she is usually called Georgie, or George. My husband David is blind and had a Guide dog called Bruno. Bruno was a bit of a cruise fan, he was the first assistance dog on several ships including Royal Princess, Harmony of the Seas and Viking Udin, but got beaten to Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady by Georgia by a nose. David is currently on the waiting list for his next  Guide Dog. Together we love traveling and when you come to the Wheelie Good Travel Company you can be sure we will understand what it feels like to travel as an disabled traveller.

Why did I set up the Wheelie Good Travel Company? The answer is simple. I recognised that there is a need for a new approach to accessible travel and I wanted to bring about that change. So what is different? The first thing you will notice is that our focus is you as a traveller and how I can help you make those travel dreams a reality. I firmly believe accessible travel should be fun, exciting, and as adventurous or relaxing as you want.

I am lucky to be one of those people whose work is also one of their passions.  Since starting Wheelie Good Travel Company I have been on an incredible journey that has included winning awards, podcasting, speaking at the ABTA Accessible Travel Seminar and being invited to be a member of The Spanish Tourism Board‘s Accessible Travel Advisory Panel, a role I relish as it is exciting to be a voice in their Accessible Travel policy making.

I am also very honoured to have been invited to work with ABTA on creating  policy regarding Air Travel Accessibility.  I also took part in a  round table discussion  with Baroness Tanni Grey-Thomson on  how the  accessibility of  airlines and airports in the UK could be improved. Being at the forefront of making travel more accessible is an important part of what I do.

I am extremely proud that I was named on the Shaw Trust ‘s Disability Power 100. 2024 as one of the top 100 most influential disabled people in the UK.