MPA Charitable Foundation were approached by The Warwickshire Wheelchair Basketball Academy in March this year for support with their project for people with disabilities in Henley-in-Arden and surrounding areas.

What they told us;

“Over the last few years our charity has significantly grown and developed the work we deliver.  This growth has occurred in response to the demand to take part in wheelchair basketball activities in the West Midlands.  We are ambitiously looking to the future with plans to build on and celebrate our achievements, with focus on sustaining the impact that our work currently has for our beneficiaries.

Our project is to provide adults and young people with disabilities in Warwickshire with more accessible opportunities to play wheelchair basketball.  We plan to set up additional teams and increase the number of taster sessions we deliver as well as widening the geographical area that we deliver in

Currently we are unable to deliver additional teams and taster sessions because we don’t have enough specialist sports wheelchairs. The chairs that we have are currently reaching the end of their useable life and need replacing for safety reasons.  It is important that we provide these chairs so that our club is accessible to everyone- even those that cannot afford their own chair… “

The overall project aims to purchase 7 new specialist basketball wheelchairs at a total cost of £19,950.

So far they have secured funding for 6 chairs through various local charities including MPA Charitable Foundation’s donation.

MPA were more than happy to support this project and fully understand the benefits of sport in assisting both the physical and mental wellbeing of people with disabilities. In a unanimous decision the Trustees agreed to a one-off donation of £2,850 to purchase one chair and wish the club every success in achieving their goal.

If you would like more information about wheelchair basketball, please visit; www.bearswbc.co.uk