A charity for disabled children celebrated International Wheelchair Day today with the news of a £1m grant from Motability.
The new grant will provide disabled and terminally ill children across the UK with life-changing specialist buggies and wheelchairs.
National charity Newlife, which provides a wide range of disability equipment and support for families, will receive the grant from Motability over three years – with the aim of helping 280 children and young people with mobility issues.
The specialist buggies, wheelchairs and powered wheelchairs funded by the grant will improve the health and wellbeing of the whole family as well as helping disabled children to fulfil their potential.
The funding from Motability, the charity, comes from its new portfolio of grant programmes specifically set up for other charities and organisations who support the transport needs of disabled people.
Over three financial years ending in March 2025, Motability will award a total of £50 million in funding to charities and organisations across the UK who can help fill gaps in existing transport services for disabled people.
“It’s fantastic news that Newlife has been supported by Motability to receive this hugely significant grant,” said Stephen Morgan, Newlife Director of Operations.
“The funds will enable us to change the lives of hundreds of disabled and terminally ill children who will receive the vital wheelchairs and buggies that will make such a huge difference to their lives.”
The grant awarded by Motability will help children like Finlay-Woodcock Daniels from Chester (pictured above) who recently received a specialist wheelchair from Newlife. A full-time wheelchair user, Finlay has Cerebral Palsy, and has a visual impairment.
“A wheelchair is a necessity when you can’t walk and as you are spending around 12 hours a day in it, you need it to be comfortable,” explained Finlay’s mum Alexa.
“The wrong wheelchair was disabling Finlay and it shouldn’t be like that. Finlay had back pain and was constantly uncomfortable before, but all that changed almost overnight when he had the wheelchair from Newlife – and we are very grateful for their support.”
More information on how to apply for equipment can be found at https://newlifecharity.co.uk/equipment-grants/
Comments