CIRENCESTER Park Polo Club hosted a charity polo day on Friday, June 26, where a young sportswoman paralysed in a horse-riding accident shared her story to support others living with spinal injuries.
Saffron Cresswell, 25, from Malvern, was competing internationally as a professional event rider when she suffered a life-changing fall in June 2024.
The accident, which happened during an under-25s championships event in Leeds, left her paralysed from the waist down after sustaining a spinal cord injury.
Two years on, Ms Cresswell has returned to sport, now competing in wheelchair racing, and is using her experience to raise awareness and support others through the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).
She delivered a keynote speech at the Cirencester event, describing her recovery and the role the charity played from the early days of her hospital treatment.
Ms Cresswell said: “The reason I came today is because equestrian sport is incredibly close to my heart as is SIA and it’s so nice to be in a room full of people with the same passion for improving people’s lives post spinal cord injury as I have.”
The event was organised by Nina Clarkin and Tamara Fox in honour of their father, the Hon Mark Vestey, who lived with a spinal cord injury. It raised funds and awareness for SIA, which supports thousands of people across the UK.
Ms Cresswell said sport had played a key role in her rehabilitation, helping her rebuild strength, control and confidence after her injury.
According to the SIA, around 4,700 people sustain a spinal cord injury each year in the UK. Ms Cresswell said that with the NHS under pressure, the support and expertise of the charity is needed more than ever.
The annual polo day has previously attracted high-profile support, including a visit from the Princess Royal last year, and continues to draw attention to the challenges faced by people living with spinal injuries.
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