A WORKER who was unable to walk following a freak accident which left him jobless and having to move back in with his parents has had his life turned back around.

Ben Morris, 50, had a successful career as a garage equipment engineer until a life-changing incident that occurred in 2021.

“It was really bizarre; I was using my chainsaw one day and felt something in my back snap,” Ben explained. “I thought I just pulled a muscle or something but the next day I couldn’t feel my legs.

“I ended up in hospital for three months diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, which means there’s nothing physically wrong but for some reason my brain is blocking the signals my body sends.”

Ben recalled how he ‘got lucky’ in the severity of the accident, as he has been able to walk since and relearned how to drive.

He continued: “It was a really tough time for me. I lost my job because I couldn’t be on the road, and I got divorced so ended up moving back in with my parents. I applied for so many jobs and didn’t get a second look until I sent my CV to Nationwide Platforms.”

Ben, from Manchester, joined the Warrington Nationwide depot team in 2023, now working as a workshop service engineer, and he has high praise for his colleagues he works alongside with.

“The work itself is great, I love the variety of machines we get to work on, but it’s the team around me that makes this place special.

Ben works for the Nationwide team in WarringtonBen works for the Nationwide team in Warrington (Image: Supplied)

“I’m pretty open about my injuries, but the team has never been weird about things like my catheter, and I only need to look at an extra heavy item before someone comes running over to help me.

“There’s a real sense of camaraderie here and we all look out for each other.”

“The senior team has been amazing too,” he added. “I still need hospital appointments every 12 weeks and they’ve made sure my hours are adjusted to make those.

“They even arranged for the harness manufacturer to measure me up to get specially fitted for a harness that wouldn’t interfere with my catheter. It’s so refreshing to work for a company that says health comes first, and actually means it.”

The 50-year-old went on to reveal how his job at Nationwide has given him a ‘renewed sense of purpose in life’ and that he plans to stay at the company for ‘as long as possible’.

Offering some advice to anyone in a similarly tough situation, Ben said: “Keep going. Waking up every morning is a chance for a fresh start, even if you can only deal with one day at a time right now.”

Charlie Stanley, HR director, concluded: “At Nationwide Platforms we are strong believers in putting health and safety first at every stage of our operation, but don’t believe in limiting people’s opportunities for that. We’re delighted to have Ben on the team; he’s an inspiration to many of us and a lesson in perseverance.”

For more information on Nationwide Platforms, visit nationwideplatforms.co.uk/en-gb.