Martin’s 60@60 Challenge for WheelPower

This June, Martin McElhatton OBE, Chief Executive of WheelPower, has decided to celebrate his 60th birthday by  taking on a special personal challenge to raise vital funds and help the charity to restart sport for disabled people  after the pandemic.

During the month of June Martin will be pushing 60km and in doing so aims to raise £6,000 for WheelPower (the  National Charity for Wheelchair Sport). With everyone’s support the money raised from the 60@60 Challenge will  help WheelPower to restart national programmes for fellow wheelchair users after the Covid-19 pandemic. This  includes the important work that WheelPower does for newly injured patients within spinal units through the  Physical Activity Advisor programme, and others living with a spinal cord injury. The money raised from Martin’s  challenge will also support young disabled people through the charity’s sports festivals and annual events programme which it is so looking forward to starting again.

In 2020 WheelPower saw a 50% reduction in fundraising income due to the cancellation and postponement of key  events, so now more than ever before every penny raised by taking on a fundraising challenge for the charity will  make such a huge difference. As Martin celebrates his 60th birthday and over 34 years at WheelPower, the charity hopes you will join in cheering him on, donating to his 60@60 Challenge and supporting more disabled people to enjoy the wonderful physical and mental health benefits from sport and physical activity.

Support Martin’s 60@60 Challenge by donating via Just Giving Page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/martins6060challenge

WheelPower has faced many challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic and has had to adapt and develop new ways  of supporting disabled people to stay active during extended period of self-isolation and shielding. The WheelPower  Exercise at Home programme now includes over 38 online workout videos which have provided new opportunities  for disabled people of all ages and abilities to maintain fitness and benefit physically and mentally from being active.  WheelPower has led the way in delivering live Online Exercise Classes and now hosts 3 per week that includes  cardio, circuits and adaptive yoga. The charity has also supported over 500 individuals with the gift of exercise  equipment through its Resistance Bands programme.

After a whole year of lockdowns and uncertainly the charity now looks ahead positively to a return to play, a return to sports  facilities and return to events as we know them. It has been an incredibly tough year for the charity sector financially but organisations like WheelPower have adapted to the challenges faced during the pandemic and have continued to support thousands of disabled people to improve their health and wellbeing.

‘The Exercise at Home online programmes have had a fantastic impact and we are so pleased to hear how much  disabled people have benefited. It has been wonderful to see how the help we have provided has enabled disabled  people to maintain their physical and mental health during the pandemic and we thank everyone for supporting  WheelPower during these unprecedented times,’ said Martin McElhatton OBE, Chief Executive of WheelPower.

Photo: Martin and members of the WheelPower Team on the famous track at Stoke Mandeville Stadium as the 60@60 challenge begins.