00:00Now, a former para-athletic world champion is leading a campaign to change the way sports footwear companies sell shoes.
00:08Steph Reid had her foot amputated after a boat accident and went on to become a world champion Paralympic long jumper and sprinter.
00:17Well, now she's calling on major brands to sell single shoes as well as pairs to cut costs for amputees
00:23and ensure that brands match their inclusive marketing with genuine action.
00:27My right foot was amputated, which means I now use a prosthetic leg.
00:33And in my daily life, you will see me walking around with two shoes apart from when I am running or playing sports
00:39because I wear a very cool carbon fiber blade.
00:43Running blades like mine are springy and light, and they let me run faster than a traditional prosthesis.
00:49And I've used one throughout my Paralympic career.
00:51And it means I only actually need a left shoe.
00:55But it is almost impossible to find a manufacturer or retailer willing to sell just a single shoe.
01:03I love the bladed mannequins, and I wish 15-year-old Steph had seen those.
01:08But now I want retailers to match their inclusive imagery with the actual buying experience.
01:14Well, that is Steph Reid.
01:18I'm joined now by Luke Tarrant, an adventurer who had to have his left leg amputated
01:22after a motorcycle crash in Colombia in May last year.
01:26Thanks so much for being with us.
01:28So this campaign for the footwear companies to sell shoes in singles rather than pairs,
01:40is this something that has affected you or others you know as yet?
01:45Yeah, so my amputation was only one year ago, so I've not quite got back to running yet.
01:49And I actually do currently use two shoes because my prosthetic isn't a blade.
01:54It's just a sort of basic prosthetic.
01:56So I do put a shoe on it.
01:57However, I know many amputees who use running blades and just have, in my case, it would
02:02be a left shoe, but one shoe they never use.
02:05It's a bit of a waste.
02:06And also, I think it just, as was just mentioned on that video, nowadays companies want to seem
02:13incredibly inclusive.
02:14And they put these mannequins up and make it look like they're here for people who have
02:18disabilities.
02:19And I just think it's important that if they're showing that message out there, they should
02:23sort of behave in the same way.
02:25So I'm completely on board with what she's saying, despite the fact I haven't yet needed
02:29to use a running blade, but I will do hopefully soon.
02:32And we're just seeing some of your Instagram posts, I think, on the screen there.
02:38Just tell us about, obviously, it must have been terrible to have this accident, but it
02:45hasn't stopped you, clearly.
02:47No, it happened just over a year ago.
02:49And I've tried to sort of almost pretend that it's not happened and carry on pushing myself
02:54to do all the things I was doing before, and in some cases more.
02:56But I think I'm slowly coming to grips with the fact that I do now have a disability, which
03:01is limiting me in some ways.
03:04And it's just about finding ways around it.
03:05And I mean, right now I'm sat here at home with my leg off because I've got a bit of skin
03:10which just won't heal where my prosthetic takes its way.
03:13So it's a process and it takes time.
03:15But yeah, I'm hoping over time it will get easier.
03:19But I'm only a year down the road at the moment.
03:21And just tell us about some of the adventures that you've had, despite all that.
03:26So, I mean, I did my accident on a motorbike.
03:31I was travelling from the US down to the southern tip of South America.
03:35So my new plan is to kind of get back on the bike.
03:38But since then, I've taken up mountaineering.
03:40I was meant to be climbing a mountain a couple of months ago, which had never been climbed
03:43before.
03:44I had a bit of an issue in Kyrgyzstan, which is where the climb is meant to be.
03:47But I've done all the activities, which I like to do before.
03:50Kayaking, I've been on paddle boards.
03:52I've taken up cycling again.
03:53So I'm getting back to everything.
03:54But it's like doing everything again for the first time.
03:57It's sort of like I've been reborn.
03:59And now I'm trying to do everything I did before for the first time again.
04:02Where do you get your optimism, Gene?
04:04And can we all have some, please?
04:05Do you know what?
04:07I'm having to really rely on it today while I'm sat here without my prosthetic on.
04:10I find that when I can wear my leg, I'm happy.
04:13I'm good.
04:13Things are great.
04:14When I can't wear my prosthetic, I really notice that my life's changed.
04:18I have to hop around on crutches.
04:19Even this morning, I tried to hop into the shower and I slipped on the water on the floor
04:23and hit my head on the wall.
04:24So it's one of those things that there's continual tough moments and annoying points that come
04:30up.
04:30But over time, you kind of get used to the down days and then use them to fuel next time
04:36you realise, right, I've got through that day in the past.
04:39This day is not as bad as that one.
04:40I'll get through this too.
04:41And that's kind of how I'm trying to view my life now because it is ups and downs.
04:45But it's the same for anyone, whether you've got one leg or two, to be honest.
04:48Do you dwell on the crash itself and when you do, what does go through your mind?
04:57Well, I don't remember what actually happened in my crash.
05:00So I don't think about the crash itself.
05:03The thing I do dwell on, and I actually was sort of journaling this morning thinking about
05:07it, is the things which I was able to do really easily before.
05:11I've just been on a family holiday for a week with my parents and it's the first one
05:15since my crash and I was just constantly thinking, what would I do right now if I had
05:19both my legs?
05:21I'd be, you know, I'd be going for a run.
05:22I'd be climbing up that mountain.
05:24I'd be going for an explore down the beach, jumping in the sea.
05:26And I still try and do those things, but it just is harder than it was.
05:31And that is what I struggle with.
05:32It's the, it's just comparing life before to now.
05:36But I wouldn't say I dwell on it.
05:37It's just an awareness that life is different.
05:40But at the same time, it could be a lot worse and I might not be here if my leg was
05:44Tarrant, thank you so much for talking to us.
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