Charities

Leisure Connection shows its support for Wheelpower's Wheel Appeal

By engaging with communities and maintaining a programme of fundraising and charitable support, we are able to fully support one of our core values in ‘connecting the community to leisure’. Our nominated UK charity is WheelPower (formerly the British Wheelchair Sports Foundation), which is the owner of the national disability sports centre at Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the Paralympic Games and the home of British Wheelchair Sport.

Leisure Connection manages Stoke Mandeville Stadium on behalf of WheelPower, which is a strong partnership together in not only managing the site, but raising money for disability sport and developing and promoting disability sport across the UK.

In 2007 WheelPower launched its Wheel Appeal challenge, which aims to raise £6 million to provide 2012 sports wheelchairs for young and newly disabled children and adults by the time the Paralympics return home in August 2012.

Leisure Connection is one of the first companies to throw its weight behind the appeal with a target of raising £90,000 from community and local fundraising events.

Just £3,000 will provide a new sports wheelchair, the training and support from WheelPower’s expert staff at Stoke Mandeville Stadium and will enable each disabled child and adult to participate in sport and to lead a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life.

Richard Millman, CEO of Leisure Connection comments: “Playing sport can appear to be a relatively simple thing to do to those of us who are able bodied. Unfortunately it’s not always that easy for someone with a disability who uses a wheelchair. Specialist equipment is often required, which is where our donations to WheelPower’s Wheel Appeal come in.”

To date Leisure Connection has been able to raise over £50,500 for WheelPower

Martin McElhatton, Chief Executive of WheelPower commented, “The support from Leisure Connection is fantastic and it is wonderful that staff and members from so many sites have supported the Wheel Appeal. Sport plays a vital role in transforming lives which have been impacted by disability. WheelPower helps provide equipment, facilities and sporting opportunities for disabled people and this support will enable us to continue to do this.”