March 1^st is international wheelchair day and this year celebrates 10 years of the awareness day! With a decade of fantastic fundraising and campaigning for better access to wheelchairs, we think it’s a cause for celebration and will be doing what we can to raise our own awareness, starting with this blog!

What Are the Aims?

• To enable wheelchair users to celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has in their lives.
• To celebrate the great work of the many millions of people who provide wheelchairs, who provide support and care for wheelchair users and who make the World a better and more accessible place for people with mobility issues.
• To acknowledge and react constructively to the fact there are many tens of millions of people in the World who need a wheelchair but are unable to acquire

How It Was Founded

Set up in 2008 by Steve Wilkinson, a wheelchair user with Spina Bifida who realised there was no such awareness day and decided to set it up in honour of his late mother. After walking with sticks for many years, on holiday in Disney World, Steve realised how free his mobility came with the aid of a wheelchair and wanted more people to have access to them, so they too would have more independence. The day is now celebrated all over the world, with major events taking place in Australia, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Senegal, USA and the UK.

Why it is Important

International wheelchair day provides an opportunity to those who use wheelchairs, care for users, wheelchair manufacturers and those who ensure their buildings products and services are suitable accessible to celebrate their contribution. According to the World Health Organisation, there could be as many as 100 million people in the world who need a wheelchair, but only 5 – 15% of them have access to one. Raising funds and awareness helps to support these people and can fund a suitable wheelchair to enhance their lives.

For more information about International Wheelchair Day visit the website.