Bath-based disability charity Designability is set to be featured in a BBC Lifeline Appeal on 12th November, highlighting its work to a national audience.
Wizzybug wheelchairs help ensure young children have more independence | Photos © Designability
The appeal, which will be aired at 12.45pm on Sunday 12th November, will tell the stories of three families who have benefited from the work of the charity.
Over the last month, the BBC Lifeline crew has travelled across the UK to meet families and find out first-hand how Designability’s innovative products have transformed their lives by removing barriers to independence.
Borne out of a partnership between the Royal United Hospital and the University of Bath in the 1960s, the charity is best known for its iconic Wizzybug powered wheelchairs for young disabled children.
To date, they have been loaned to over 1,300 children, typically aged between 14 months and 5 years.
The BBC crew filmed with 2-year-old identical twins, Raffie and Sidney from Essex, who were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 1 a day after their first birthday.
Their diagnosis means the boys are unable to crawl, stand or walk unaided.
Since receiving their Wizzybugs earlier this year, the pair have been enjoying being able to play freely with their older sister, Marnie, in the garden and out and about.
The short film will also feature Bella and her family from Ipswich. Bella, 2, has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. She had to sit and look on while her family and friends took part in things that she could only watch.
Having collected her Wizzybug earlier this year, Bella now uses it to chase her friends at nursery and in the garden at home, controlling her own movements and choosing where she wants to go.
The film also includes Kirsty, from Swansea, who took part in user testing for Designability’s ground-breaking accessible pushchair for wheelchair users.
Designed with mass manufacture in mind, the innovative design helps address one of the main inequalities disabled parents and carers face – the ability to take their babies and very young children out independently.
Currently in prototype format, the team from Designability are now looking for a commercial partner to bring the award-winning pushchair to market for the first time.
Award-winning TV presenter and wheelchair rugby coach Steve Brown donated his time to present Designability’s appeal.
He said: “I’m honoured to be supporting this appeal for Designability, a charity that creates products and services to help disabled people live with greater choice and independence.
“As a wheelchair user, I have first-hand experience of many of the challenges that Designability works hard to address every day.
“To date, Designability have given out 1,300 free Wizzybug powered wheelchairs to disabled children in the UK, enabling them to have the independence to play and explore as they choose.
“More recently, they have developed a groundbreaking accessible pushchair for wheelchair users, which offers disabled parents and carers true freedom for the first time.
“The charity estimates that there are around 20,000 disabled parents in the UK alone who could benefit.
“With your help and support, Designability can continue their life-changing work and make a lasting difference to the lives of many more disabled people.”
Designability’s Lifeline appeal airs on BBC 1 at 12.45pm on Sunday, 12th November and will be repeated on BBC 2 at 8.50am on Monday, 13th November.
The appeal will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer, after the programme airs.
All funds raised will go towards helping Designability continue their vital work, enabling them to reach even more disabled people and helping them to live with greater independence and choice.
