County Durham campaigner and disability inclusion champion Paul James is swapping Consett for the Italian sunshine as he heads to an international conference where he will tell his remarkable story.
Paul, 40, works in the NHS helping services to better include people with disabilities. He has Lowe's Syndrome - a condition which means he is visually impaired and has a learning disability. When he was born, his mum Wendy was told he "wouldn't walk or talk" - but he's made a mockery of those predictions, not least by taking on a fundraising challenge ahead of a trip to Naples this week.
There, Paul will speak at the International Lowe's Syndrome Conference, addressing experts from around the world and telling them about his lived experience of Lowe's and how vital inclusion is. To mark the distance to Naples, he has been taking a minimum of 1,551 steps a day all month, and has raised almost £1,000 for the only UK charity supporting those with the rare genetic condition.
