Wheelchair-bound British beautician launches accessible salon

In a remarkable display of resilience, the British beautician, who was paralysed following a balcony fall in Thailand, has launched a pioneering new salon where accessibility is not merely a feature but a guiding principle.

Struggling to access conventional beauty treatments after her life-altering accident, Maddi Neale-Shankster envisioned a haven where wheelchair users and the able-bodied could share the same space without feeling like a burden.

“There’s absolutely nothing that’s ever gonna stop me from getting my lashes done and having a sunbed.”

The catalyst for the 22 year old British beautician’s venture was a chilling experience attempting to use a sunbed, where she found herself dependent on a friend’s assistance and facing restrictive conditions. Determined to rewrite this narrative, the young beautician set out to create a sanctuary where everyone feels accepted, regardless of their physical abilities.

The Coventry-born beauty specialist’s purpose-built salon boasts wider nail desks, spacious rooms, and gently sloping ramps for seamless accessibility.

“I didn’t fit in the toilet, I didn’t fit down the corridor, I didn’t fit in the nail desk.”

Such challenges fuelled her commitment to crafting a space where everyone feels not just accommodated but celebrated, reported BBC News.

Moreover, the Neale-Shankster’s salon is not just about beauty, it’s about making a difference. Through a charity raffle, she has raised funds for spinal research, underscoring her dedication to improving the lives of others facing similar challenges.

ORIGINAL STORY: ‘Rave for Maddi’ raises £5000 for British woman after balcony fall in Thailand

A charity fundraising event entitled ‘Rave for Maddi’ held in Coventry, England, raised 200,000 baht (£5000) to help the recovery of the young British woman who fell from a second-floor balcony in Koh Pha Ngan in southern Thailand on New Year’s Eve.

A GoFundMe appeal raised over 3 million baht (£73,500) from over 1,400 donors to pay for 21 year old Maddi Neale-Shankster’s transfer to the UK assisted by a team of specialist medical assistants.

After undergoing surgery in Thailand, Maddi returned to England around three weeks ago where she will undergo a lengthy rehabilitation process to recover from a fractured spine, two collapsed lungs and pierced liver. The goal is for Maddi to start walking again.

Nightclub promoters in Maddi’s hometown, Coventry, decided to throw a big party called ‘Rave for Maddi’ at the HMV EMPIRE on January 28 to raise funds to cover Maddi’s living costs until she can hopefully walk again and return to work.

The event was a booming success with 500 attendees and raised around £5000 to help Maddi in the immediate future.

In total, 35 local musicians and artists joined forces to put on the show which just shows how much the young beautician is supported by her local community.

Maddi flew to Thailand with her partner for a three-week dream holiday. But after ringing in the new year on the party island, things took a turn for the worse when she fell from a second-floor balcony.

To make matters worse, Maddi was pickpocketed earlier on in the night, said her mother Karen.

Karen flew out to Thailand to be by her side while she had fluid pumped out of her chest and underwent urgent back surgery.

Maddi took out travel insurance however it only covered 10,000 baht (£247), not £10,000, as she thought.

Yesterday, another young English tourist made headlines after getting into a serious accident on the same Thai island.

Emma Lewis, a 24 year old student from Basingstoke in Hampshire, was driving a moped through Koh Pha Ngan when she lost control and drove through a glass window. Glass shattered all over her leaving her in need of 56 stitches.

Luckily for Emma, her insurance paid out and reimbursed her 800,000 baht (£20,000) in medical bills.