Breaking the Disability Mould

Joanne Lockwood

Tags: Inclusive Design, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Disability Empowerment, Adaptive Living, Accessible Fashion, Overcoming Adversity, Disability Community, Mobility Aids, Personal Resilience, Social Stigma

Journey from Amputation to Entrepreneurial Triumph

Lindsay Mitchison explores the realities of disability, self-empowerment, and breaking societal moulds, revealing how confidence, community, and bold creativity can redefine both mobility aids and perceptions of thriving with difference.

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood explores what it truly means to “break the disability mould” with guest Lindsay Mitchison. Together, they navigate the practical, emotional, and societal layers of living with disability in the UK, challenging stereotypes and societal expectations at every turn. Joanne and Lindsay discuss everything from losing agency following a life-changing amputation to reclaiming confidence and control, offering listeners an unfiltered exploration of family anxieties, healthcare systems, stigma, and importantly, the power of embracing difference. The conversation shines a light on both the humour and hurdles of living with a disability, and asks challenging questions of how businesses and communities can do more to support access, dignity, and inclusion.

Lindsay is an award-winning disabled entrepreneur, recognised globally for her work as founder of NeoWalk. Her company produces bespoke, visually stunning acrylic walking sticks designed to empower individuals to step out in style and confidence, transforming a functional aid into a bold expression of personality. Lindsay’s career began in hairdressing before a catastrophic MRSA infection led to the amputation of her leg. Rather than letting circumstances define her, Lindsay became a sought-after circus performer and casualty actor, and now stands at the forefront of disability advocacy and inclusive design. With a lived understanding of disability, from mobility challenges through to community building, Lindsay exemplifies resilience, warmth, and a drive to serve others navigating similar paths.

Joanne and Lindsay consider the cultural shift from concealing impairments to celebrating assistive technology as fashion. They reflect on society’s readiness (or reticence) to adapt environments and attitudes, and how empowering disabled voices—especially through community—sparks both personal and collective transformation. Listeners will resonate with stories of overcoming social awkwardness, the critical importance of choice in assistive aids, and the need for business and policy to stop hiding behind red tape and start facilitating real change.

The key takeaway from this episode is a resounding call for agency, visibility, and joy in disability—reminding us that inclusion is not about fitting in, but about belonging and thriving. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone seeking authentic insights into building a society where everyone can stand out, not just fit in.

Published: 05.06.2025

Recorded: 18.02.2025 Episode Length

Duration: 0:58:17

Shownotes:

AI Extracts and Interpretations
The Inclusion Bites Podcast - #162 Breaking the Disability Mould
Other Links
seechangehappen.co.uk SEE Change Happen: The Inclusive Culture Experts
Inclusion Bites Podcast on YouTube

Clips and Timestamps

Viral Topic: Taking Control After Catastrophic Illness: “But, yeah, I I opted to have my leg amputated because all it was doing was holding me back, and I was facing an amputation in the future anyway. So I kind of took control back, made what had happened to me work again for me because I knew that with a prosthetic, I’d be much more active.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:05:02 → 00:05:21]

Viral Topic: Reinventing Life After Amputation: “I trained to be a circus performer. Does that sound silly? I’d I I got offered all this. I I had to keep working. So I joined an agency called Amputees in Action, and they find work for amputees like me.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:05:35 → 00:05:50]

Adapting to Change: “So you’ve seen different aspects where, to paraphrase, went from being able, partially disabled, to a wheelchair user, and there’s a completely different experience for you in society in that way.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:23:48 → 00:24:00]

Viral Topic: Challenging Disability Stereotypes: “I think, still needs educating a lot on how to not label people with disabilities because instantly, I’m labeled. We’re all I know we’re all labeled, but instantly, when people see me in a in a wheelchair, I’m labeled as weaker, less less able, that they, you know, they kind of assume that you’ve got some kind of neuro thing going on as well, which isn’t true. You you kind of viewed as less than.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:25:14 → 00:25:45]

Viral Topic: Disability and Representation in Film: “I got offered this job as Peggy Sue, the one legged stripper in Bad Education, the movie with Jack Whitehall. And it was hilarious. I mean, I don’t know whether you’ve seen it, but she was a bad stripper, so she didn’t take many clothes off because as quick as she was taking them off, the audience were throwing them back at her.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:29:00 → 00:29:38]

Viral Topic: Appreciating Life’s Privileges: “Maybe you take life for granted until you realize that it’s not predestined and preordained. You can actually take a step to the left and make a new path if you wish.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:33:58 → 00:34:07]

Viral Topic: Redefining Disability with Personal Style: “I first started making the acrylic walking sticks for myself, and people were coming up to me and saying, who loves your walking stick? It’s amazing. Instead of what happened to you or what’s wrong with you?”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:34:57 → 00:35:09]

Viral Topic: Living in the Moment with Disability: “Living for the moment, living for the day, and just enjoying and being grateful and thankful for what I’ve got, for who I’ve got, and making the most of the connection that we’ve made with with this community, and just trying to help help other people.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:44:23 → 00:44:40]

The Power of Choice in Design: “But there is choice out there. And I think for a long time, there there just wasn’t because designers just didn’t want to tread there. You know? But there there is choice, and I think that’s it’s important for people to know.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:48:28 → 00:48:42]

The Power of Community Gatherings: “Do you know what? Just getting together for a natter. Meet people that you’ve meet people in person that you’ve met online, you know, and try and just as foster that community again.”
— Lindsay Mitchison [00:56:18 → 00:56:29]

Definition of Terms Used

MRSA Infection

Definition: MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection is a type of bacterial infection that has developed resistance to many antibiotics, making it particularly serious and difficult to treat, especially in hospital settings.
Relevance: Within the episode, MRSA is identified as the catastrophic infection Lindsay Mitchison contracted during knee surgery, which ultimately led to the amputation of her leg.
Examples: A patient undergoing routine surgery contracts MRSA in an operating theatre, experiencing slow recovery, blisters, and tissue destruction that do not respond to standard antibiotic treatment.
Related Terms: Hospital-Acquired Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance, Staphylococcus aureus, Postoperative Complications.
Common Misconceptions: MRSA is often mistaken for a general skin infection; however, its resistance to antibiotics makes it significantly more dangerous, and it can cause deep tissue damage or systemic infections.

Prosthetic Limb

Definition: A prosthetic limb is an artificial device designed to replace a missing limb, enhancing mobility and practical function for people with limb loss.
Relevance: Prosthetic limbs are central to Lindsay’s story, as using a well-fitted prosthetic leg granted her improved mobility and autonomy following her amputation.
Examples: An above-the-knee prosthetic that incorporates a mechanical or microprocessor-controlled knee joint to mimic natural gait; aesthetic or high-performance running blades used by Paralympic athletes.
Related Terms: Amputation, Mobility Aid, Rehabilitation Engineering, Above-the-Knee Prosthesis.
Common Misconceptions: Many assume prosthetics restore mobility to the level of a biological limb effortlessly, but prosthetic users often face increased energy expenditure and require lengthy adjustment periods.

Acrylic Walking Stick

Definition: An acrylic walking stick is a mobility aid made primarily from durable, transparent or coloured acrylic material, often designed to be both functional and visually appealing.
Relevance: Lindsay founded Neowalk to create bespoke acrylic walking sticks, transforming mobility aids into objects of personal expression, confidence, and dignity for disabled users.
Examples: A walking stick made of blue-tinted acrylic, custom crafted to a user’s height and personal style, collected as both a walking aid and a fashion accessory.
Related Terms: Mobility Aid, Assistive Technology, Inclusive Design, Custom Orthotics.
Common Misconceptions: Walking sticks are often regarded solely as clinical or ‘old-fashioned’ devices; the episode demonstrates they can be empowering, stylish, and valued personal items.

Live Casualty Actor

Definition: A live casualty actor is an individual, often with real-life limb differences or medical conditions, employed to portray injury victims in realistic training scenarios for emergency services or military personnel.
Relevance: Lindsay’s post-amputation experiences included working as a live casualty actor, placing her in simulated accident and emergency situations for the benefit of response team training.
Examples: An amputee fitted with make-up and prosthetics to look as if a limb has been traumatically lost for an SAS training exercise or crisis simulation.
Related Terms: Simulation Training, Amputees in Action, Medical Role Play, Emergency Response Training.
Common Misconceptions: Some might think all training casualties are mannequins; in reality, live actors introduce unpredictability and realism unmatched by dummies.

Above-the-Knee Amputation

Definition: An above-the-knee amputation (AKA) is the surgical removal of the leg above the knee joint, resulting in the loss of both the knee and the lower leg, necessitating the use of a prosthetic with an artificial knee joint or a wheelchair.
Relevance: Lindsay’s journey included adapting to an AKA, which presents more significant physical and biomechanical challenges than a below-the-knee amputation, with implications for rehabilitation and energy expenditure.
Examples: A person with an AKA undergoing physiotherapy to learn to balance and manoeuvre a new mechanical prosthetic, requiring double the effort of non-amputees for mobility tasks.
Related Terms: Below-the-Knee Amputation, Rehabilitation, Prosthetic Fitting, Gait Training.
Common Misconceptions: There is an assumption that all amputations are similar; in fact, an above-the-knee amputation has significantly more demanding rehabilitation requirements and functional adjustments.