PBF Australia Member Newsletter – August Edition 

SPOTLIGHT: Lindsay Nott – Four Wheels, Instead of Two Legs 

On the final day of Year 12, most 17-year-olds are filled with excitement—ready to celebrate and dream of the future. For Lindsay Nott, that day began the same way. But one split-second decision changed everything. 

Like many teens, Lindsay dove into the water to celebrate the end of school. The water was shallower than it appeared. He hit the bottom hard, breaking his neck at the C4/5 vertebra. 

That moment changed his life forever. 

A Life Changed in an Instant 

A spinal cord injury affects more than the body—it changes every part of life. Lindsay spent weeks in intensive care, then months relearning how to navigate a world that looked completely different. 

“We had no idea what life in a wheelchair really meant,” he says. “It wasn’t just about moving differently—it was about relearning everything.” 

Today, Lindsay moves through life on four wheels instead of two legs—but he refuses to be defined by his injury. 

Turning Experience Into Purpose 

Now a PBF Australia Safety Presenter, Lindsay is an advocate, speaker, and peer mentor. For over 30 years, he’s helped others rebuild their lives—and worked to ensure fewer people ever have to. Using his lived experience, he inspires safer choices through prevention presentations and offers peer support to those newly injured. 

“If I can stop just one person from going through what I’ve been through, it’s all worth it,” he says. 

Why Water Safety Can’t Be Left to Chance 

Lindsay’s injury didn’t happen on a worksite or road—it happened in water during a moment of celebration. Water-based injuries are devastating because they often occur during everyday activities—pool parties, beach days, river swims. 

Diving into shallow water is a common cause of spinal cord injuries among young Australians. Yet, targeted education about aquatic injury risks remains limited. 

That’s why PBF is committed to delivering focused aqua safety education through lived-experience storytelling—reaching those most at risk before it’s too late. 

Your Membership Makes This Possible 

Because of members like you, PBF Australia can employ courageous people like Lindsay who turn tragedy into hope. Your support allows Lindsay to share his story, deliver life-saving education, and mentor others. 

Every membership dollar helps us bring this vital message into more schools, clubs, remote communities, and public pools. Your commitment directly funds injury prevention programs that save lives before injuries happen. 

Thank you for making this crucial work possible. Together, we’re not just telling stories—we’re building safer futures. 

How You Can Help 

We are deeply committed to expanding our life-saving aqua safety programs—but we’re currently struggling to secure enough funding to grow this vital work. The need is urgent. 

If Lindsay’s story moves you, please consider donating to help us reach more schools, sporting clubs, communities, and pools with injury prevention education. 

Together, we can build a safer future—one story, one choice, one moment at a time. 

PBF Australia is proud to have Lindsay on our team. His courage and honesty are at the heart of everything we do. To keep sharing this message where it’s needed most—in water-based environments—we need your help. 

Support our aqua safety programs and help prevent life-altering injuries. 

We invite schools, clubs, councils, and workplaces to book a PBF Injury Prevention Presentation and hear Lindsay’s story firsthand. 

Donate or book a presentation today at www.pbf.asn.au 

Because one story can change a life.
And one decision can save it.