Manchester Arena bomb survivor recognised for his work in the Disability Power 100 2023

Martin Hibbert, who lives in Heath Charnock, was paralysed from the waist down when he and his teenage daughter were among the hundreds injured in the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017.

He had injuries across his body which were so bad they were compared to those seen in a war zone and army medics were called in to tell the surgeons how to put him back together.

Martin was one of the closest survivors of the Manchester arena bomb attack in 2017 and despite his injuries has raised over £885,000 to date for the Spinal Injuries Association following his successful climb of Kilimanjaro in 2022.

Recognised for his outstanding work, Martin Hibbert has been named in the Disability Power 100 as one of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK.

All about creating change, the Disability Power 100 celebrates ambition and achievement and plays a role in changing society by recognising the strengths and talents of disabled people who are pioneers, changemakers and influencers.

Martin has been named in the community advocate category because of his work in challenging perceptions of disability and highlighting the barriers that disabled people face on a daily basis.

He has harnessed the media surrounding his story and following meetings with Tom Pursglove MP, the minister for disabled people Martin is now a part of the government department’s Disability Perceptions Communications Campaign.

Martin has met with his constituency MP Sir Lyndsay Hoyle, speaker of the house of commons and the mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham to highlight many critical issues and continues to campaign for change.

Martin said: “I am so proud and honoured to have been recognised in this way. Ever since my injury in 2017 my life has been dedicated to making the lives of people with spinal cord injury better by highlighting the injustice and suffering that disabled people face on a day-to-day basis. If we can change the perceptions of disability, we can change societies attitudes for the better.”

A spokesperson from Spinal Injuries Association said: “Martin advocates for people with spinal cord injuries up and down the country who every single day have to deal with barriers preventing them from leading a fulfilled life. His energy and determination to campaign on behalf of disabled people has been hugely influential but we know there is much more that needs to be done before we see a society that enables rather than disables people.”

To date Martin has received the Prime Ministers Points of Light Award for his achievements and won the regional fundraiser of the year for the Northwest at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2022.

He continues to fulfil his role as a motivational speaker and has BBC Breakfast, Channel 5 News and Good Morning Britain all actively following his campaigning work. Martin's book telling his incredible story in his own words 'Top of the World: Surviving the Manchester Bombing to Scale Kilimanjaro in a Wheelchair' will be published in spring 2024.