Michaela for Christmas lights switch-on at Downing Street

Michaela for Christmas lights switch-on at Downing Street

9 December 2015

TO mark the end of a year she admits will be hard to top, Michaela Hollywood is heading to 10 Downing Street for the Prime Minister’s Christmas lights switch-on.

The disability rights campaigner will be among invited guests for the festivities tomorrow afternoon as well as attending a reception with David Cameron beforehand. 

Michaela (25), who has spinal muscular atrophy, was recently recognised by the Prime Minister for her services to young disabled people with one of his Point of Light awards.

She was also named one of the BBC’s 100 most inspirational women for 2015.

The Crossgar woman, who recently undertook a marathon in her wheelchair for Muscular Dystrophy UK, said she wasn’t told specifically why she was invited in the letter that arrived from the PM’s office two weeks ago but is delighted to be taking part.

“There is to be a two-hour reception at Number 10 then the lights will be switched on,” she said.

“I do not know anything else as there is quite a lot of security.

“I am delighted, but I am nervous as well. It has been a bit of a whirlwind the past few months.”

Michaela will be accompanied by her mum and dad and niece Caoimhe, who will be her carer.

“We are going to stay for a couple of nights,” she said. “We have to drive down from Stranraer. I can fly, but not currently with this wheelchair, so dad will be on driving duty and we’ll have to leave at 5.30am on the Wednesday.

“We are staying in a hotel at Westminster Bridge, which will be good. We’ve also booked to see a show in the West End.”

Reflecting on her achievements over the past 12 months, Michaela said: “We know there is no way we’ll ever top this this year.

“We auctioned our golf flag donated by Rory McIlroy two weeks ago and received £600, meaning we raised over £5,000 for the marathon fundraiser. It has been such a good year and to finish it off like this will be special.”

Michaela graduated with a first class honours degree in Public Relations and recently achieved her Masters degree. Now with a full-time job working for the Trailblazers organisation she helped to form, she plans to continue to fight the social injustices experienced by young disabled people.

“The 16th is the graduation for my Masters and I have been reminded that my grandpa, who died when I was three, would have said that me or my sisters wouldn’t get to university,” she said.

“It wasn’t about the disability in my case. He always felt that because we were from a working class background there is no way we would achieve that. So now I have achieved that. He would have been so pleased.”