Wheelchair aim for 2012

By Paul Carter

A new campaign aims to provide 2,012 wheelchairs for young disabled athletes by the time the Paralympic Games come to London.

The Wheel Appeal campaign by WheelPower, the national organisation for wheelchair sport, aims to raise £6 million by 2012 – enough money to provide sports wheelchairs for 2,012 promising sportspeople.

Each £3,000 will provide a new sports wheelchair, training and support from WheelPower’s staff at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.

Minister for sport Gerry Sutcliffe said: “Britain has a proud history in Paralympic sport with our Paralympic athletes amongst the best in the world. All athletes have to start somewhere and having the right equipment from an early age is vital if our disabled children and young people are going to get involved in sport and have the opportunity to pursue it to the next level.”

The Wheel Appeal will present the first sports wheelchairs at Stoke Mandeville in July 2008, the 60th anniversary of
the first wheelchair sport event.