Funding accessible active travel advocacy by and for Disabled Londoners

Aims of the partnership

Wheels for Wellbeing advocates for more accessible active travel provisions and a future where barriers such as cost don’t prohibit Disabled Londoners from being able to choose to walk, wheel and/or cycle safely.

It is the only Disabled People’s User-Led Organisation that is campaigning for more inclusive cycling on a UK-wide scale.

The charity’s work includes providing advice, loaning adapted bikes for training and personal use, teaching cycling skills, organising and running sessions, publishing relevant communications, and campaigning for inclusive active travel.

Wheels for Wellbeing is currently working with the Department for Transport on new guidance for cycling infrastructure and design, and on an accessible cycle hire programme that would deliver adapted cycles to people’s homes.

This funding will contribute towards Wheels for Wellbeing’s core running costs throughout the period of the pandemic, supporting its direct service delivery in Lambeth and Southwark. We are also providing Grants Plus funding – specifically for developing the organisation’s strategy and business plan, and for strategic communications and influencing.

Connection to our strategy

We have decided to fund Wheels for Wellbeing as part of our priority to support diverse organisations in Lambeth and Southwark with the COVID Emergency Fund – in this case, the charity’s work is linked with our health effects of air pollution programme’s aim to amplify the voices of people impacted by air pollution.

Wheels for Wellbeing’s work will play a vital part in informing the development phase of our programme and will help inform our aims to deliver accessible and equitable clean air measures.

The ‘build back better’ momentum we are seeing as we emerge from the pandemic will be strengthened if it includes the voices of people with disabilities.