Andy’s Story

Andy has been part of the Oxford Head Injury Services community for many years. He was born with a brain injury and went on to experience a further traumatic head injury at the age of eight.

He credits Oxford Head Injury Services for helping him increase his confidence and rebuild many life skills with warmth, care and long-term support. Below are the words from a letter written by Andy describing what the charity means to him:

“Oxford Head Injury Services” has changed by life. For twelve years, I have loved been a service user. I attend twice a week and I’ve come on leaps and bounds so much, it’s unreal the difference they have made to me as a young person. Whilst I continue to struggle with my anxiety and things, over the years my confidence has increased ten fold (is that the correct term?).

When I first joined as a 23-year old service user, I was shy, quiet and lacked confidence. How, I’m one of the liveliest members of the group. My life skills – many of which I lost, I’ve regained, from my art to my paintings, to my maths skills, Oxford Head Injury Services have helped me regain.

I love coming to Oxford Head Injury Services. I have so much fun at the Centre, and it’s helped me enormously. The staff and volunteers are second to none, they are heroes with so much warmth, love and care. My life would be a lot less without Oxford Head Injury Services and I’ve so much to be thankful for. They really are the very best in supporting brain injury warriors like me.”

Andy is an incredible individual with a determination and desire to give back to organisations and people who have supported him on his recovery journey, including Oxford Head Injury Services. He founded his charity, Play2Give, beginning as a school fundraiser at the age of only 14.

Most recently, Play2Give funded our new sensory room “Andy’s Room” at our ARC, developed with input from Andy’s lived experience of brain injury and designed to support a wide range of needs. Read more about this here >>