Launch of APPG
The attendees at the launch of the inaugural All-Party Parliamentary Group held at Westminster

The Wheelchair Alliance, an organisation that champions the needs of wheelchair users across England, has launched an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for wheelchair users to further strengthen their voices and get them heard at the highest levels of Government.

Following months of hard work, the first official APPG meeting took place at Portcullis House, Westminster, in May, supported by 20 Members of Parliament.

The meeting was chaired by Daniel Francis, Labour MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford and the Alliance’s president, Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, with representatives from Whizz-Kidz, the leading UK charity for young wheelchair users, acting as secretariat.

The inaugural meeting concentrated on the formation of the group, which was followed by presentations on the Alliance and its reports, and an update on the organisation’s campaign to get the Government to update the Using Mobility Scooters And Powered Wheelchairs guidance and law, which could see users being prosecuted for using their power wheelchair on pavements. During the meeting, wheelchair users also spoke, sharing their lived experiences.

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Commenting on the launch, Nick Goldup, CEO at the Wheelchair Alliance, said: “Launching the APPG was a landmark day for the Alliance.

“It was a real collaborative effort between wheelchair users, the Alliance, its board and President, MPs and partners to get it up and running and we are immensely proud of to have achieved it.

“The APPG gives us a direct route to Government and is a massive step towards strengthening the voices of wheelchair users and getting them heard by the people in power.

“A big thank you goes out to everyone who has supported us in creating this much-needed group and I am hugely excited to see where it can take us in our mission to improve the lives of wheelchair users.”

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https://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Launch-of-APPG1.jpghttps://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Launch-of-APPG1-150x150.jpgLiane McIvorNewsroomSector NewsThird SectorAll Party Parliamentary Group,Government,landmark day,Mobility scooters,Wheelchair Alliance,wheelchairsThe Wheelchair Alliance, an organisation that champions the needs of wheelchair users across England, has launched an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for wheelchair users to further strengthen their voices and get them heard at the highest levels of Government. Following months of hard work, the first official APPG meeting took...News, views & products for mobility, access and independent living professionals