New Year Honours: Jason Anker is made MBE

A roofer who became a motivational speaker after being left paralysed by a fall at work has been made MBE in the New Year Honours list.

Jason Anker, 46, of Marsh Lane, Farndon, said he was humbled by the honour.

After he was injured Mr Anker turned to drink and drugs, took an overdose and his marriage collapsed.

Now, however, he has turned his life around and uses his experience to help others.

Mr Anker has given around 320 health and safety presentations this year.

He has spoken to an estimated 40,000 people in the past five years, in the UK and abroad, since being convinced by a safety expert that his story needed to be told.

Mr Anker was paralysed from the waist down in an avoidable accident 22 years ago.

He fell from a roof and broke his back while working at the former Al Jamia Al Islamia boarding school, Flintham.

Mr Anker said he struggled for many years to cope with the consequences of what happened, but had changed and now used the experience positively.

He was made MBE for services to health and safety in the construction industry.

It is acknowledged that he has helped prevent accidents and save lives by using his own life-altering experiences.

In his talks, Mr Anker describes the months he spent in hospital after his fall, his return home, rehabilitation, the challenges he faced and overcame, along with the devastating effect the accident had on his life, family and friends.

Mr Anker said he turned to drink and drugs, taking an overdose in 1995.

He said the accident led to the breakdown of his marriage.

“I had two young children and I really struggled to adapt to being in a wheelchair,” he said.

“For the first two years, my life spiralled into drink.”

In 2008 Mr Anker had a chance meeting with safety expert Dan Terry who encouraged him to tell his story to other people.

“He said ‘you need to start talking about this to other people’, which filled me with dread because I’m not that sort of person, but he convinced me that my story needed to be heard,” said Mr Anker.

“I never really spoke about myself, not even to family and friends, let alone to other people.

“He helped me immensely and now that’s what I do all the time. I have spoken all over the UK and around Europe about the effect it has had.

“Over the last year-and-a-half, I have been able to employ both my son Sam, 22, and daughter Abbi, 24, which is my greatest achievement.”

Mr Anker said he was humbled to be made MBE.

“It’s unexpected to be recognised for what I do,” he said. “I do my job for the good of other people.”

Mr Anker’s latest project, Proud 2B Safe, has been well-received.

He also works with HSE, delivering presentations at events, and with colleges, universities and at events for apprentices.

His work has been recognised with construction industry health and safety awards.