Simplyhealth funding helps young wheelchair users with valuable equipment
A donation from Simplyhealth, the UK’s leading health solutions company, is helping more young wheelchair users in the UK gain independence, sponsoring their mobility equipment through the charity Whizz-Kidz.
Whizz-Kidz is the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users and empowers young wheelchair users by providing the wheelchair equipment, support and confidence-building experiences they need, while also campaigning for a more inclusive society.
It is estimated 75,000 young people in the UK need a wheelchair to be mobile and most aren’t getting a chair that meets their needs through local services. Simplyhealth’s donation will support around 15 young people to experience the life-changing impact that having the right wheelchair brings, empowering them to enjoy fun, freedom and independence. Whizz-Kidz support around 1,000 children and young people each year with vital mobility equipment and aim to double this by 2025.
We are delighted that Simplyhealth has so generously supported Whizz-Kidz with a £45,000 donation, demonstrating their commitment to supporting young wheelchair users across the UK. This kind donation will have a huge impact, helping us to provide the equipment and support young people need so that they can be mobile, enabled and included.
Besides supporting with equipment, Whizz-Kidz also supports young people’s families and offers a range of activity programmes, wheelchair skills training and employability programmes to support young people under 18 to become confident and supporting their journey to being independent young adults.
One of those was 2-year-old Charlotte, who was unable to get up from the floor due to her health conditions which include spina bifida and hip dyspraxia. Her parents, found Whizz-Kidz’ website, which changed their family’s life.
Charlotte previously spent most of her life in a small space on the floor at home, but now we can put her in a wheelchair and it’s absolutely life-changing for her and us. It’s so lovely to see her play. I wouldn’t like to think about what her life would be like if we hadn’t been able to get her wheelchair from Whizz-Kidz.
Supporting local causes and building healthier communities is at the heart of Simplyhealth’s purpose of improving access to healthcare. Reinvesting up to ten per cent of its pre-tax profits into charitable causes every year, Simplyhealth provides financial and volunteer support to large and small causes around the country who share their values.
We are proud to play our part in helping a charity like Whizz-Kidz continue their hard work. The funding enables more young people around the UK to get the right mobility equipment helping them and their families to live more free and independent lives.
To find out more about Whizz-Kidz and how you can support them or use their services, visit www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
ENDS
For more information contact Denplan’s PR team on telephone 0344 579 2489 or email pr@simplyhealth.co.uk
Alternatively contact Felicity Christensen Senior PR & Marketing Project Manager at Whizz-Kidz on 07776956062 or email press@whizz-kidz.org.uk
Notes to Editors
About Simplyhealth
Since 1872, Simplyhealth has been helping people make the most of life through better everyday health. Our plans make sure individuals, families and employees can benefit from in-person and virtual wellbeing services, and afford to stay healthy by claiming costs back on dental treatments, visits to the optician, complementary therapies and much more.
We’re the UK’s leading health solutions company, with almost 1000 colleagues serving 2.3 million customers. We don’t have shareholders, so we’re led by our purpose of improving access to healthcare, for the many, for the long term. We’re passionate about using our voice in public health affairs and partnering with charities to reduce health inequality – each year we commit to giving 10% of pre-tax profits to a range of community causes. And we ensure our business takes care of the planet too, achieving Carbon Neutral + status in 2021.
To find out more, visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk
For more information about our community impact programmes, visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk/about-us/community-impact
About Whizz-Kidz
As the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users (2-25), we empower young people by providing the wheelchairs, equipment, support and confidence-building experiences they need, and campaigning for a more inclusive society. Our vision is a society in which every young wheelchair user is mobile, enabled and included
About young wheelchair users in the UK
• An estimated 75,000 young people in the UK need a wheelchair to be mobile.
• Most young people aren’t getting a wheelchair that fully meets their needs through local services
• For a young person, having the wrong wheelchair can lead to dependence on others, social isolation, poor mental health, pain and injury.
• Without the ability to be independent young wheelchair users are restricted in their ability to socialise and participate in society.
For more information, visit www.whizz-kidz.org.uk.
Follow @WhizzKidz on Twitter and Facebook // @whizzkidzuk on Instagram // Whizz-Kidz