This International Wheelchair Day, we are proud to announce we have awarded a £1 million grant to the national charity Newlife.
The new funding will provide disabled and terminally ill children across the UK with life-changing specialist buggies and wheelchairs.
Funding aims to support children and young people
Newlife provides a wide range of disability equipment and support for families.
The grant, awarded over three years, aims to help 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.
With this improved mobility, children will be able to safely and comfortably visit and explore new places, attend vital medical appointments and go to school.
“Hugely significant grant”
Stephen Morgan, Newlife Director of Operations said: “It’s fantastic news that Newlife has been supported by Motability to receive this hugely significant grant.
“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.”
Hear Finlay’s story
A full-time wheelchair user, when Finlay received a specialist wheelchair with E-Motion wheels from Newlife, it changed his life.
Alexa said: “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.
“The wrong wheelchair was actually 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.
“The E-Motion wheels mean he’s more independent too, which is great for him.
“He’s very sociable and loves spending time talking to different people and this helps him do that and gives him that independence for the fun aspects of life.
“Going anywhere now is easier too as the wheels can go anywhere.
“The wheelchair and E-Motion wheels have definitely changed our lives for the better.”
“This is exactly the kind of work we wanted to support”
Lisa Jones, director at Motability, said: “We’re excited about the difference this £1 million grant can make to the lives of families with disabled children thanks to the specialist buggies and wheelchairs that Newlife provide.
“This is exactly the kind of work we wanted to support when we launched our new grant portfolio last year, and we hope to fund further charities and organisations to help deliver the greatest impact to as many disabled people as possible.”
Learn more about our grants to charities and organisations
We have a new portfolio of grant programmes specifically set up for other charities and organisations who support the transport needs of disabled people.
