The Wheelchair Alliance has announced a three-year funding partnership with the RFU (Rugby Football Union) Injured Players Foundation (IPF), an independent charity that supports players who have sustained an acute life-changing injury whilst playing rugby union in England.
As part of the new partnership, the IPF will provide grant funding to support the Alliance’s ‘United Voices’ project, which aims to establish a strong, unified national voice for the estimated 1.2 million wheelchair users across the UK to improve services and access.
The project will create a new national wheelchair user council of wheelchair users from diverse backgrounds who will represent specific geographical areas at a national level. The new group will represent the entire UK, including devolved nations, which will be utilised to inform and shape its strategic and tactical decisions.
In addition, the Alliance will use the funding to conduct national listening exercises to shape its agenda and priorities, while working to connect wheelchair users and coordinate action. A national campaign will also be launched to raise awareness and provide a resource to inform and influence policy makers, service providers and local authorities.
Of the funding support, CEO of the Alliance, Nick Goldup, said: “Despite the significant population of wheelchair users nationwide, until now there has been no unified structure that represents their collective interests nationally. This has led to fragmented service provision, policy gaps, and persistent inequalities, with some wheelchair users waiting up to four years for assessments, repairs or suitable wheelchairs.
“By creating the first coordinated UK wide platform through the ‘United Voices’ project, the Alliance aims to promote equity and drive systemic change through inclusive representation, evidence-led independent research, and the co-creation of policies and recommendations that will ensure wheelchair users nationwide get the right chair at the right time.
“Through the ‘United Voices’ project, supported by the RFU Injured Players Foundation, we aim to empower wheelchair users to influence decisions at the highest levels of national policy.”
The IPF is England Rugby's official charity and supports players from any level of the game who have sustained an acute life-changing injury while playing rugby union in England.
With 150 members, the support it gives includes immediate support in hospital alongside emotional, practical and financial assistance. This includes funding for additional rehabilitation or housing adaptations and specialised equipment, including access to appropriate wheelchair provision.
Speaking of the partnership, IPF director Dr Karen Hood, said: “We are really pleased to be able to support the Wheelchair Alliance. We believe its ‘United Voices’ project will have direct benefit for wheelchair users nationwide, including many of our IPF beneficiaries, by driving systemic change through inclusive and comprehensive representation.
“Thankfully life-changing injuries in rugby are extremely rare which means we have a relatively small membership supported by an even smaller team. We are therefore keen to support other organisations with the expertise to effect change and remove many of the barriers that our members could otherwise face, such as reducing the delays associated with sourcing the right wheelchair for them to lead an independent and fulfilling life.
“We have seen first-hand how much can be achieved and enjoyed in life when barriers are removed. There are so many positive benefits associated with having timely access to the right mobility equipment, especially with regards to employment, education and well-being.
“We look forward to our two organisations working positively together.”
For more information about the Wheelchair Alliance, visit wheelchair-alliance.co.uk
To find out more about the RFU Injured Players Foundation, visit RFUIPF.org.uk
* Photo courtesy of Leo Wilkinson Photography
