Wheelchair Alliance appoints members of UK’s first national advisory network of wheelchair users

The Wheelchair Alliance, an organisation that champions the needs of wheelchair users, has appointed the founding members of the UK’s first national advisory network of wheelchair users, The Wheelchair Collective.

The appointment of representatives for all ten UK regions – including Northern Ireland – follows a nationwide campaign by the Alliance earlier this year. A Chair of the group has also been appointed.

Selected from applicants with a combined reach of over 30,000 wheelchair users, The Wheelchair Collective brings together voices from every corner of the UK. The group will use their lived experience to help influence how wheelchair services in the UK are designed, delivered and improved.

The Wheelchair Collective representatives are:

·       Northern Ireland - Mary-Elaine McCavert

·       London - Jade Carter-Williams

·       East of England - Liz Owen

·       Midlands - Lee Cairns

·       North East and Yorkshire - Louise Tobin

·       North West - James Hurn

·       South East - Gina Perryman

·       South West - Howl Baer

·       Wales - Kerensa Phelps

·       Scotland - Rosie Sinclair

·       Chair - Damian Joseph Bridgeman

Led by the Alliance and backed by funding by 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, this pioneering group will work with the Alliance to shape future strategy.

As a consultative and advisory body, The Wheelchair Collective representatives will act as conduits between local communities, organisations, and the national advisory network , bringing forward insights, challenges and priorities from their region to ensure that wheelchair users’ lived experience informs national strategy, policy, and service delivery.

“Until now there has been no unified structure that represents wheelchair users’ collective interests at a national level, leading to fragmented service provision,” comments CEO of the Alliance Nick Goldup.

“Each representative of The Wheelchair Collective will play a vital role in bridging the gap between their local community and national policy, ensuring their lived experience informs the highest levels of government and the NHS.

“Together, we can’t wait to make positive change and shape wheelchair provision services to the benefit of wheelchair users nationwide.”

Speaking about why she chose to undertake the voluntary role, Northern Ireland representative Mary-Elaine McCavert said: “I have been a wheelchair user for over 25 years now.

“I am passionate about flipping our stories around wheelchairs from ‘isn’t it tragic’ to ‘isn’t it inaccessible’ one step-only entrance at a time. I joined The Wheelchair Collective because lived experience is the qualification – and change built with us, is the change that is worth building.”

For more information about the Wheelchair Alliance and the work it is doing to shape real change in wheelchair provision, visit http://www.wheelchair-alliance.co.uk