Are you a wheelchair user, carer, or family member of a wheelchair user? Would you like to get involved in shaping better services?
Come along and have your say at our next Service User Engagement Forum on 18th June 2025.
I’ve put together our latest updates, and insights to keep you informed and engaged. From the office and facilities update and service user caseload to exciting upcoming events, including the dates for our next Service User Engagement Forum. Read on to find out more!
The lift at our facility is now fully functional. I have resumed working from the office and am utilising the meeting space for both internal and external engagements. The first meeting held using the refurbished lift took place on 14th May in Gillingham, on behalf of the Disability Trustee Board (which I chair), as well as their Finance Group.
The Disability Assist Board is currently recruiting seven new members. They will join the existing board at a get-to-know-you session hosted by the wheelchair service using the Gillingham meeting space.
The next SUEF meeting is scheduled for 18th June 2025 and will be held in Gillingham in a hybrid format. Invitations have been sent out.
Please note the upcoming 2025 SUEF meeting dates:
Upcoming VCSE Alliance and sector events include:
A productive discussion regarding future collaborative work in special educational needs took place on 24th April 2025. Participants included Rory McDonnell, Kate Hebson, Mike Teaney, and Clive Bassant, meeting virtually via Teams.
Training for wheelchair service staff on Carers Awareness, facilitated by East Kent Carers Network, is provisionally scheduled for 29th July 2025.
Ian Lloyd (Chief Coach) met with Clive Bassant and Mike Teaney at the Ashford Service Centre on 9th May 2025 to discuss service development.
The current active caseload stands at eleven service users, marking an increase of five from the previous month
My name is Nicola Armstrong, and I’m excited to introduce myself as the new Support Administrator for Clive Bassant Community Liaison Engagement Officer at the Kent and Medway Wheelchair Services. I’m really looking forward to stepping into this role.
Although I’m new to the wheelchair service, I bring with me several years of NHS experience, having worked at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London across various departments. Over the years, I’ve built a career centered around supporting others and making a positive difference.
Outside of work, I have a passion for hair, fashion, and make-up. I enjoy shopping, Saturday brunches, and going on holidays whenever I can. I also love trying new things—whether it's food, activities, or exploring new places. My personal motto is: "You can’t say you don’t like something until you give it a try."
I’m deeply passionate about helping people, promoting well-being, and supporting the independence of every individual. I’m truly excited about the journey ahead.
To find out more about anything in this post, or to contact us, please email us at kentandmedwaywcs@rosscare.co.uk
The Wheelchair Alliance has called on Government to remove ‘ridiculous’ guidance that could see children needing driving licences for wheelchairs. Here, Nick Goldup, COO and chair of the Alliance explains more
The Wheelchair Alliance is an organisation which represents the voices of wheelchair users and we have urged the Government to act now on an update to current guidance that would require disabled children to have driving licences and insurance for their powered wheelchairs.
The Using Mobility Scooters And Powered Wheelchairs rules also use outdated, offensive language, referring to wheelchairs as ‘invalid carriages’.
The updates to this Government guidance were published quietly in Spring 2024 but only brought to the attention of the Wheelchair Alliance towards the end of last year. The Alliance’s User Engagement Group were very vocal on the impact this would have, highlighting that the updated guidelines stated that powered wheelchairs over the 150kg weight limit (200kg if there are medical add-ons), will be changing its classification to 'not in a class'. Such a change in classification would mean that powered wheelchairs in this category:
The Alliance reacted quickly, writing to the then Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh. We also contacted other charities working with wheelchair users and their carers to see if they were aware of these changes. A subsequent round table meeting was held in October with a wide ranging group from the sector, representing charities, the NHS and wheelchair manufacturers.
Following the meeting, with funding from Motability Foundation, the Alliance coordinated a survey which saw more than 400 responses from powered wheelchair users and their carers. The results of this survey have been published in a report from the Wheelchair Alliance.
After the publication of the report, the Wheelchair Alliance were invited to meet with the Department for Transport to discuss.
Myself and Karen Pearce, director and project manager, attended the meeting in London. At the meeting it transpired that the rules outlined in the guidance were actually already law!
While this is a worse situation than anticipated, with many powered wheelchair users unwittingly breaking the law when using their wheelchair outside of their homes, the Department for Transport are open to working with the Alliance on this. But, unless it is made a priority, it could take years to change the law and guidance.
Therefore the Wheelchair Alliance have urged the Government to make it a priority to make much-needed changes to the current guidance and law. This includes the removal of the requirement for a driving licence, the eradication of the use of ‘invalid carriages’, along with simplification of the classification system.
If you are a wheelchair user and would like to help the Wheelchair Alliance drive forward positive change, you can sign up to our free membership.
As a member you will have access to a range of benefits and online resources, receive updates via our email newsletter, and support us in our mission to influence Government and healthcare providers into recognising the importance of timely and appropriate wheelchair provision.
To find out more or sign up for free membership, visit www.wheelchair-alliance.co.uk
Write-up by Wheelchair Alliance
May 2025
My name is Archie and I have been a wheelchair user for almost 3 years. Sport has always been a big part of my life so when I started using a wheelchair it was important for me to find ways to still be part of the sports I loved and to find sports where I'd be supported and understood when my health changed...
We're shining a spotlight on two of our colleagues... Theresa Hodges, Clinical Lead in Ashford and Nikki Parks, Customer Service Administrator in Gillingham.
Read on to learn more about Theresa and Nikki and their work at Kent and Medway Wheelchair Service.
Mae’n wych cael y cyfle drwy’r cylchlythyr hwn i drafod gwaith pwysig y Gynghrair Cadair Olwyn, felly diolch am roi o’ch amser i ddarllen hwn. Fy enw i yw Nick Goldup y Cadeirydd ac, ers mis Chwefror, Prif Swyddog Gweithredu’r Gynghrair.
Fy Enw i yw Sophie ac mae gen i MS (sglerosis ymledol) Tra bod y diagnosis yn atglafychol ysbeidiol, mae pob atglafychiad wedi cymryd ychydig ohonof sydd heb ddychwelyd ac yn golygu bod fy nghyflwr, fy anabledd wedi datblygu.
Sefydlwyd CEDAK (Canolfan Ragoriaeth ar gyfer Saethyddiaeth i'r Anabl yng Nghaint) yn 2003 i alluogi pobl ag anabledd/nam i fwynhau'r gamp o saethyddiaeth mewn amgylchedd sy'n hygyrch i bawb.
Ychydig amser yn ôl roeddem yn gallu dathlu Diwrnod Rhyngwladol Cadair Olwyn yn Ross Care.
Rydym mewn sefyllfa freintiedig i weld drosom ein hunain yr effaith y gall y gadair olwyn ei chael ar wella bywydau.
Roedd ein dathliadau'n cynnwys rhannu cyfres o fyfyrdodau byr gan gydweithwyr, Defnyddwyr Gwasanaeth a phartneriaid sy'n amlygu effaith gadarnhaol cadeiriau olwyn ar fywydau unigolion.
Fy enw i yw Amber ac rwyf wedi bod gyda’r Gwasanaeth Cadair Olwyn ers dros 8 mlynedd. Cyn hynny roeddwn yn gweithio ym maes manwerthu ac nid oedd gennyf unrhyw syniad am gymhlethdodau'r gwasanaeth cadair olwyn na hyd yn oed yr offer. Felly, roedd y diwrnod cyntaf o weithio i'n gwasanaeth atgyweirio cymeradwy ar y pryd ym maes gwasanaeth cwsmeriaid yn ddiddorol.
