As this newsletter lands in your inbox on Mental Health Awareness Day, (Saturday 10th October) it feels particularly important to reflect not only on the work we are doing together to improve wheelchair provision, but also on the wellbeing of the people at the heart of everything we do.
We know that for many wheelchair users, the challenges experienced are not solely physical. Difficulties accessing the right equipment, lengthy waiting times, barriers to participation, and the daily effort required to navigate an often inaccessible world can all have a significant impact on mental health and wellbeing. Today serves as an important reminder that health is about far more than medical treatment alone. It is about dignity, independence, inclusion, confidence and feeling heard.
Indeed, our second report, The Value of a Wheelchair, highlighted that all age groups involved in the research noted the negative impact of not receiving the right wheelchair, at the right time.
That is why I am particularly proud of what the Wheelchair Alliance has achieved since our last newsletter to you in July. We have continued to strengthen our voice in Parliament through the APPG for Wheelchair Users, worked directly with the Public Service Ombudsman to ensure the experiences of wheelchair users are recognised, expanded our online Academy with new trusted resources, developed important guidance with the British Healthcare Trades Association, and continued to bring organisations together through initiatives such as our Innovation Special Interest Group.
We have also strengthened our own organisation. From the evolution of our Advisory Board into a Think Tank, to welcoming new partners and new team members, we continue to grow our capacity to influence positive change. Every conversation, collaboration and partnership helps us move closer to our vision of ensuring every wheelchair user gets the right chair, at the right time.
None of this would be possible without the people who support us. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to wheelchair users who share their experiences and insights, our partners and supporters who champion our work, commissioners and providers who work tirelessly to improve services, and healthcare professionals, policymakers, volunteers and everyone else who contributes to our mission.
While we are not able to advocate on every individual issue brought to us, please be assured that each one is carefully considered and helps to shape our strategy. Wherever possible, we also signpost people to our partners who are best placed to provide support.
Together, we are building a stronger voice for wheelchair users and creating opportunities for meaningful change – much of which you can read about in this newsletter.
We look forward to continuing this journey with you and achieving even more together in the months ahead.
Until next time.
Nick Goldup, chief executive officer at the Wheelchair Alliance
APPG for Wheelchair Users sets priorities for the year ahead
On Thursday 10th September, the Wheelchair Alliance held the AGM for its All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Wheelchair Users at Westminster.
The meeting brought together Alliance Board members and MPs to approve the annual accounts and report, confirming the APPG’s priorities for another year of engagement with parliamentarians.
A big thank you goes to our APPG Chair Daniel Francis MP and to Back Up in their new role as Secretariat, taking over the helm from Whizz Kidz, who we thank for their previous support.
Special thanks also go out to everyone who has supported us with the APPG since its launch last year. The APPG gives us a direct route to Government and enables us to strengthen the voice of wheelchair users by getting them heard by the people in power.
We look forward to continuing this work over the next 12 months and building on the APPG’s role in improving the lives of wheelchair users.
Working collaboratively with the Public Service Ombudsman
A few days after we went to press with our July newsletter, our CEO Nick Goldup attended an important meeting with the Public Service Ombudsman at Millbank Tower in London.
The meeting was a valuable opportunity for the Wheelchair Alliance to represent the voices and lived experiences of wheelchair users, and to speak directly with Ombudsman Paula Sussex about the issues people continue to face when trying to access wheelchair services and appropriate equipment. This builds on our ongoing work with the Ombudsman over the past year, ensuring wheelchair users’ experiences remain heard, understood and acted on.
The Alliance was the only organisation from the sector in the room, bringing forward the concerns, priorities and hopes of wheelchair users across the UK.
We will continue working collaboratively to push for better, fairer and more responsive wheelchair services for everyone who needs them.
As part of this commitment, we are proud to be working with the Ombudsman to launch the report in November, with further updates to follow in our January newsletter.
Exploring how innovation can improve wheelchair provision
Earlier this year we held the latest meeting of our Special Interest Group (SIG) for Innovation at the Etac Group offices in Hartlebury, bringing people together to explore how innovation can help improve wheelchair provision.
For the first time, the SIG brought together representatives from across manufacturing, the NHS, charities, retail and providers, with more organisations already committed to joining future meetings.
Together, we had a wide-ranging discussion about innovation: what it means, the barriers that can slow progress, and the opportunities to make innovative products, processes, training and ideas more widely understood, adopted and implemented.
We also explored potential projects that could bring focus and momentum to this work, helping turn shared ambition into practical action for wheelchair users, services and the wider sector.
The enthusiasm in the room and online was brilliant. There is still a long way to go, but the meeting was a very positive step forward for wheelchair provision and it really did feel like exactly what the Alliance is here to do: act as a conduit, bring people together, focus on the issues and opportunities, and help drive lasting positive change.
Image above: pictured are some of the representatives who joined us in the room and online for the meeting.
Here at the Alliance we are delighted to have received a generous donation of laptops to strengthen our digital capacity and support our work as a national voice for wheelchair users.
The donation of four laptops from KOcycle, an IT asset disposition company that works with businesses and public-sector organisations to give unwanted technology a second life, has been made via its digital inclusion programme, Project KODI.
The Wheelchair Alliance continues to evolve to strengthen the voice of wheelchair users and drive lasting, positive change across wheelchair provision.
As part of this development, the current Wheelchair Alliance Advisory Board has recently transitioned to become a new Think Tank, bringing together specialist knowledge, lived experience and sector insight to help shape our future work.
Why prescribed powered wheelchairs should be recognised differently in any future legislation
Earlier this year, the Wheelchair Alliance welcomed the Department for Transport’s launch of the public consultation on powered mobility devices.
With the consultation now closed our Chair, Karen Pearce has co-authored a piece with the British Healthcare Trades Association on why prescribed powered wheelchairs need to be recognised differently in any future regulation.
The article explores outdated terminology, the impact of ‘not in a class’ categorisation, weight limits, and the need for clear, practical reform that reflects the real lives of wheelchair users.
We are also following up with the Department for Transport to understand the outcome of the consultation and will continue engaging with the Government and the responsible minister to help shape the next steps.
We recently launched the Academy – an online hub designed to bring together trusted information, practical tools and expert resources for wheelchair users, commissioners and providers.
Believed to be the first of its kind, it brings valuable resources into one online space.
New resources and opportunities across several Academy pages have been added recently, including: → Wheelchair Skills - Here you will find wheelchair skills session dates and locations, alongside a new-look in-person courses section for children and young adults. → Wheelchair Sports - We have introduced an events section. Here you can find details about the latest wheelchair sporting events!
For commissioners and providers, you’ll find new information such as:
→ Key Skills for Wheelchair Provision book → Guidance on Community Equipment and Wheelchair Services → The POD-NMD Postural Management, Seating and Wheelchairs Course
To ensure the content remains relevant, practical and responsive to people’s needs, the Academy will be regularly updated with new resources.
If your organisation has important information that you would like us to share on the Academy, please contact us through the 'Contact Us' page of the website.
Contributing to the conversation on accessible support
Last month saw the inaugural Naidex Roadshow South 2026 take place at Farnborough International.
Our Chair Karen Pearce attended, contributing to an important conversation about accessible support.
Karen spoke on the panel, ‘Making Support Accessible: Navigating Equipment and Financial Support’ which explored the often overlooked period between recognising a need for support, receiving formal assistance and disability-related benefits, and what organisations should be doing to support daily life.
Reflecting on the experience, Karen said: “The panel was excellent and I learned a lot from my co-panellists.
“The Alliance is already strongly linked with Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, so hearing Vikki Walton-Cole talk about the award winning work they do in Surrey was inspiring. Garth Ker from Enable Access gave his thoughts on ensuring the essential element – a ramp – is right first time, with his expert opinion aligning with our thoughts. We are hopeful that both organisations will shortly become partners.
“Fellow panelists Celia Chartres-Aris was also a powerhouse of information, I will be having a good conversation with her again soon, and Shani Dhanda is simply a wonder, asking great questions and providing thoughts on her lived experience as a wheelchair user!”
During the networking event, Karen also caught up with our patron Nick Wilson, who gave a powerful presentation about the story behind 50at50, an ambitious challenge designed to break down barriers and redefine what is possible for disabled people and wounded veterans in the outdoors.
Providing dedicated support and guidance
Cauda Equina Spinal Cord Injury (CESCI) is a non-profit organisation that provides dedicated support to help those living with Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) – a rare but serious condition that affects the nerve roots at the lower end of the spinal cord.
The organisation provides vital information and support via its website, events and resources with the aim of educating about the condition while enabling people to connect with others who are going through similar experiences.
Its goal is to provide a safe and supportive space for those living with CES to find the help they need and the Alliance is proud to have them onboard as a partner.
Of the partnership, Nigel Whitehorn, co-founder of CESCI said: “At CESCI, we believe that no one should have to face Cauda Equina Syndrome alone. We are here to offer our support and help individuals with CES define their future and take control of their lives.
“Our partnership with the Wheelchair Alliance ensures that people living with CES can access the right equipment and support they need to live more independently and confidently.”
Here at the Alliance we continue to grow our team and are proud to announce the appointment of Lucy Bailey as executive assistant to the CIC’s chief executive officer, Nick Goldup.
The new role further strengthens the organisation as we continue to grow our research, policy and advocacy work for wheelchair users.
As a wheelchair user herself for almost five years, Lucy brings valuable lived experience along with more than five years of administration, virtual assistance and online business management experience. She is also a trained mental health first aider.
In her new position Lucy will work one day a week providing support to the Alliance’s CEO Nick Goldup, and its directors.
Alliance and BHTA collaborate to produce new guidance
Community equipment services (CES) and wheelchair services play a vital role in supporting independence, health and daily life. But they are funded, commissioned and delivered across England in different ways, with different structures, responsibilities, and routes of access.
That’s why the Wheelchair Alliance and the BHTA (British Healthcare Trades Association) have produced new guidance to help policymakers, commissioners, healthcare professionals, providers and other stakeholders better understand the differences – and avoid confusion in future debates and decision-making.
The guidance provides an accessible overview of how each service operates in England, including who is responsible for commissioning services, how provision is organised, and how people are referred to or access support. It also considers how eligibility and individual needs are assessed, and where responsibility for clinical decision-making sits.
It is this clear understanding that leads to better policy, stronger services and better outcomes for the people who rely on them.
Championing the rights and needs of the Huntington's disease community
The Huntington's Disease Association supports everyone affected by Huntington's disease across England and Wales.
Huntington's disease is an illness caused by a faulty gene in your DNA, the biological 'instructions' you inherit. It affects the nervous system, the network of nerve tissues in the brain and spinal cord. There is no cure yet, but people can learn to manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Around 8,000 people in the UK have Huntington's disease, and up to 32,000 more are at risk and together, the charity aims to build a better life for anyone affected.
The Huntington’s Disease Association provides advice and emotional support so that everyone affected can live life to their full potential. It speaks up for the community, tackles discrimination and improves access to services. The Association also educates families, professionals and decision makers about the condition.
Rachel Boothman, Specialist Huntington's Disease Adviser at the Huntington's Disease Association said: “Huntington's disease is a rare condition, making it vital that decision makers understand the profound impact it has on individuals, families and communities.
"Our partnership with the Wheelchair Alliance provides an important platform for influencing change and ensuring that the collective voice and experiences of wheelchair users are heard and recognised."
In our last newsletter, we shared the names and contact details of the founding members of the UK’s first national advisory network of wheelchair users, The Wheelchair Collective (TWC).
TWC brings together voices from every corner of the UK, with Whizz Kidz representing the collective voice of young children in the UK.
The group will use their lived experience to help influence how wheelchair services in the UK are designed, delivered and improved.
If you need to reach out to the representative in your area, or simply want to find out more about your representative, you can find all the details on our website. Just click the link below to find out more.
It’s fantastic to see the support for the work that we do growing, month by month.
A big thank you, as ever, goes out to all of our partners who continue to support us in our mission to ensure every wheelchair user gets the right chair, at the right time.
Please join us in giving them a warm welcome – it’s great to have you onboard.
In memory of Gordon Cunningham
It is with sadness that we share the news that Gordon Cunningham, Country Manager for Permobil UK & Ireland, has passed away after a long illness.
Many who knew him personally will know that he had a genuinely caring nature and a gift for building relationships, earning the respect of customers, partners and colleagues.
Gordon was proud of his Scottish roots and, above all, of his family. Our thoughts are with his wife Heather, their three sons and all of Gordon's family and friends at this difficult time.
Those who would like to share condolences, memories and messages of remembrance for Gordon, to be shared with his family at this difficult time, please click on the link below.
Disclaimer: To support wheelchair users in finding the information they are looking for, the Wheelchair Alliance will at times provide links to websites that we believe may be of interest. The Alliance does not endorse any particular organisation, service or product that may be advertised on third party websites. The Alliance assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of these third party websites.
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