Accessible Clothing Project Receives Funding Boost

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People living with disabilities and age-related mobility challenges will be able to enjoy improved independence thanks to a project that adapts everyday clothing to meet their individual needs.

Sharon Tombs and the team at Dressability are expanding their Mobility Matters project, helping more people stay comfortable and confident in the clothes they choose to wear.

Based in Wiltshire, Dressability is a specialist garment adaptation charity that works with disabled and older people throughout the UK. Its skilled dressmakers make custom alterations that help clients dress more independently, move safely and maintain their own personal style without compromising comfort while using mobility aids.

The Mobility Matters project focuses on removing the barriers that standard clothing can create, such as trip hazards or loose pieces catching on wheelchairs, that most of us never need to think about.

The adaptations made by Sharon and her colleagues range from replacing fiddly fastenings such as shirt buttons with magnetic alternatives, adjusting garments for wheelchair users, accommodating spinal curvature and reinforcing clothing for children who achieve mobility through crawling.

By tailoring garments to meet individual mobility needs, the charity helps people reduce reliance on others and remain active in everyday life. The service also supports dignity, choice and self-esteem, ensuring that functionality does not come at the expense of personal identity and style.

The project has received a £2,490 donation from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust, the charitable branch of the UK’s largest manufacturer and seller of wheelchair accessible vehicles, Allied Mobility.

The funding will help Dressability to adapt more than 30 garments for people who need them, and continue delivering its specialist service to people whose quality of life can be improved through carefully considered clothing adaptations.

Sharon Tombs, General Manager at Dressability, said:

"A huge thank you to the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust for their donation. We are entirely reliant on the support of organisations such as these to deliver this valuable service."

"We will use the money carefully and effectively as part of our Mobility Matters project, enabling us to alter many more garments."

Ben Jenkins, National Sales Manager at Allied Mobility, said:

"At Allied Mobility, we supply wheelchair accessible vehicles to customers across the UK and we understand how important independence and personal choice are to people's daily lives."

"Style and comfort needn’t be given up in the name of accessibility. We are delighted to support Dressability’s Mobility Matters project as it helps bridge the gap, ensuring more people can wear the clothes they love while maintaining comfort and dignity."

The funding will help ensure more people can access clothing adapted to their personal needs, allowing them to move more freely, maintain their own individual style and enjoy greater confidence in everyday life.

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Aug 27, 2025

2 min read

National painting contractor, Bagnalls, has received a prestigious Princess Royal Training Award for its long-standing Painting and Decorating Apprentice Programme. The win comes during an important year for the painting and decorating company, as it celebrates 150 years of highly successful operation within the industry.

Formally approved by HRH The Princess Royal, the Princess Royal Training Award is bestowed upon training programmes that demonstrate exceptional commitment to learning and development. The aim is to champion a training community that provides a shining example of the transformative impact of training on people, performance and the success of an organisation as a whole.

The awards, offered in line with the City & Guilds’ core values, recognise that quality training is the investment that provides a positive return time and time again, impacting not only individual businesses themselves but also society as a whole.

As President of the City & Guilds of London Institute, HRH The Princess Royal awards employers for their efforts and celebrates best-in-class training. Speaking to Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, HRH The Princess Royal has previously discussed the importance of the creation of aspirations for young people and how this relates to the awards set up in her name.

The honour of being selected as one of the 57 exceptional training programmes recognised by HRH Anne, Princess Royal, is extremely significant. The chosen programmes can feel an extra layer of pride this year, as 2025 marks not only the 10th anniversary of the awards themselves, but also HRH The Princess Royal’s 75th birthday.

Bagnalls’ HR Director, Ellie Jobes, commented:

“It’s an incredible honour to be selected for a Princess Royal Training Award. We’re very proud of our apprenticeship scheme, and it’s wonderful to receive such a high level of recognition for the work we’re doing to nurture young talent in our industry.

“The assessment process for this award was rigorous, involving interviews with current and past apprentices. Achieving this title would not have been possible without the talent, dedication and care of everyone within the Bagnalls family who helps train and develop our brilliant apprentices."

“We’ll definitely be taking a moment as a team to celebrate and take pride in our win. It’s an especially powerful endorsement of our impact in the apprentice and training space.”

Huge congratulations are in order for all the 2025 recipients of this highly notable award. The full list of all companies recognised can be found on the Princess Royal Training Awards website.

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Accessible Clothing Project Receives Funding Boost

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