Winning against the odds

Disability rights activist from Harringay wins ‘Sportswoman of the Year Award’

A sportswoman and disability rights activist has been named ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ at the Baton Awards.

Anoushé Husain is a civil servant, and paraclimber who lives in Harringay. Being born missing her right arm below the elbow, surviving cancer, and living with multiple health conditions; she is an avid campaigner for disabled people.

She is an ambassador for both Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, and Limbpower, the leading charity for amputees and those with limb difference.

In 2018, Anoushé, alongside Anna Knight, co-founded Paraclimbing London, a dedicated safe space that makes multi-level climbing more accessible for disabled people. This includes visible disabilities and invisible ones, as well as long term health conditions.

Anoushé received the Baton Award in November 2021 in recognition of her commitment to making a difference. Now in its fourth year, the awards celebrate women from diverse racial groups by supporting, encouraging, and promoting their talent.

Driven by teaching others to learn to shed their self-limiting beliefs and helping empower them to reach their potential, Anoushé talks candidly about her life.

She actively shares how she has remained resilient in the face of huge obstacles, and highlights the plight of those often stigmatised by society, in order to change the misconceptions around these groups.

Anoushé said: “I am very humbled to have won the Sportswoman of the Year Awards at this year’s Baton Awards. I was so shocked I struggled with words when saying thank you on the night. Even though it was virtual, the evening was full of power, joy for life, self-belief, and love. The speeches, music and poetry were exquisite and spoke to my heart and soul.

“In a year which has been dark, in a year full of self-doubt as I’ve been rebuilding my body, in a year where I’ve had to learn to accept things might never go back to what they were; in a year where I and so many others have strived to keep on going, − keep showing up, keep being present in the face of adversity.

“Through the poor emotional and mental health days, through the great days, it’s been about showing up, learning to believe that I can, no matter what.”

For more information about the Baton Awards, visit: thebatonawards.com

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