About Us

Mobility Trust – who we are and what we do!

Mobility Trust was founded in 1972 to develop special road vehicles for severely disabled people, building on the work of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville hospital. Roger Jefcoate CBE DL, who was deputy director of the electronic laboratories there for ten years, is one of the founders of our charity and remains a very active Vice-President.

While the need for innovation in equipment for disabled people continues, there is also a pressing need for such equipment to be funded.

Not only does disability present myriad life challenges, it also frequently entails enormous cost in order for people with disabilities to live their lives to their full potential.

It’s also an inescapable truth that the majority of disabled people are not in a position to earn the level of salary that might privately fund the equipment they need. Indeed, many live their lives on the breadline – or worse.

So how can someone who needs a powered wheelchair that might cost anywhere between £3000 and £15000 find the money that can buy them their independence and freedom from social isolation?

Many assume that the state will provide. Sadly, this is not the case.  While the NHS will endeavour to supply powered wheelchairs to those who can neither walk nor propel themselves in a manual wheelchair, NHS funding is severely limited and there simply isn’t enough money available to provide for all those people who ought to be helped.

Furthermore, contrary to what many people think, the NHS does not fund or supply Mobility Scooters.

There are a number of benevolent organisations that provide funds for such equipment, but they tend either to be allied to a particular occupation, or to the military services. What do people who have no association with either do?

This is where Mobility Trust comes in!

These days, our work is focussed upon raising the funds to supply powered mobility equipment – specifically wheelchairs and scooters – to disabled people who cannot obtain them through statutory or other charitable means.

Not only do we raise the funds, we also organise and pay for an assessment by a Senior Occupational Therapist to ensure that the equipment is absolutely correct for the individual’s clinical need.

Where the need for specialist seating is identified, we will also organise for this to be funded.

And if that weren’t enough, we also provide the first three years’ insurance and the first two years’ servicing absolutely free of charge!

Our Passion!

 All of us at Mobility Trust passionately believe that mobility is the key to attaining and maintaining independence as well as providing a quality of life that is so often denied to those whose ability simply to get from one place to another is severely impaired.

It is sometimes difficult to imagine what life might be like if you couldn’t do such basic things as go to the shops, visit friends and family, walk the dog, take the kids to the park. Even more difficult to imagine the devastating effect that such frustration and isolation can have on mental health. We are proud to say that, through our work, we are able to change lives profoundly for the better.

How You Can Help!

Of course, all of this cost lots and lots of money! We rely upon the fantastic support of many generous organisations and individuals. To learn more about how you might be able to help us in the vital work we do, please visit our Support Us page.