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

Called , The Wheelchair Collective, the appointment of representatives for all 10 UK regions, alongside a chair, follows a nationwide campaign by the Alliance earlier this year.

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 Collective’s representative for the Midlands is Lee Cairns, while the group’s chair will be 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, the 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.

Nick Goldup, Alliance chief executive, said: “Until now there has been no unified structure that represents wheelchair users’ collective interests at a national level, leading to fragmented service provision.

“Each representative 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.”

For more information about the Wheelchair Alliance visit wheelchair-alliance.co.uk