Adrian Carter: 'My aim is to be the Caribbean equivalent of Nando's!'

“I'm an entrepreneur…to the fullest. My aim is to be the Caribbean equivalent of Nando's! You've got to think big and you've got to do it big.” This self-belief along with support from Ready to Start has equipped him with what he needs.

Seven years ago Adrian had a motorbike accident. As a result of this he lost an arm and now uses a wheelchair. After meeting a couple on holiday who had just started a catering business, he really began thinking about his future. “I didn’t want to rely on the government to support me for the rest of my life; I wanted to get on and achieve big things for myself.” With support from a food-loving family, Adrian is doing just that, most recently catering for 120 people at an event aimed at tackling gang culture and knife crime in London. His passion for food was obvious when we caught up with him at his home for this photograph, and this passion is driving the business forward.

As well as gaining a strong reputation for good food, Adrian has also found fame in Leonard Cheshire Disability’s own Creature Discomforts animations. He is Ozzy the Owl in a campaign that seeks to change attitudes to disability. When it comes to Adrian, his actions probably speak louder than words. “I know where I want to be in, say, five year’s time. So I don't let anyone put a perception on me based on my disability. No way.”