top of page

Accessible Clothing Project Receives Funding Boost



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.



Most Read

New Wellbeing Programme Sees Aberdeenshire Business Branch Out

New Wellbeing Programme Sees Aberdeenshire Business Branch Out

Two former teachers from Banchory, Aberdeenshire have built a horticultural design and care business, turning an idea into a full-time venture, with Business Gateway.

Black Talent Awards Unveils 2026 Finalists

Black Talent Awards Unveils 2026 Finalists

The Black Talent Awards (BTA) has unveiled its 2026 finalists as the national platform prepares to mark its fifth anniversary, celebrating five years of recognising Black professional achievement, leadership, entrepreneurship and impact across the UK.

Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

New research from garden building specialists Dunster House explored the booming backyard business economy, with surveying exclusively people who operate from their garden or home.

Categories

Mar 5
2 min read


St Austell Brewery is raising a glass to its 175th anniversary with the launch of a special limited-edition cask ale range for 2026. The range includes several much-loved favourites, revived from the brewery’s archives.

 

Drawing on recipes from brewing books dating back to the 1800s, the 175th anniversary collection pays tribute to some of the most well-loved beers in St Austell Brewery’s history. Alongside reimagined beers from its past and current core range - including a new anniversary ale named 1851 - each release has been carefully curated.

 

Classics such as Admiral's Ale (5% ABV), first brewed in 2005 to mark the bicentenary of Nelson's triumph at Trafalgar will return, alongside best bitter Trelawny (3.8% ABV), named after Bishop Trelawny from Cornish folklore. The burnished copper ale is still fondly remembered by beer fans.

 

The final release in the eight-strong cask line-up is Tribute Extra (5.3% ABV), the big sibling of St Austell Brewery’s best-selling Tribute pale ale. Brewed with Cornish barley and signature Celeia and Willamette hops, the rich pale ale is bold, complex, and full of character - a true celebration of that little bit extra.

 

The collection forms part of St Austell Brewery’s wider programme of 175-year celebrations, which includes commemorative events, special collaborations and a renewed focus on the business’s heritage pubs and regional roots.

 

Georgina Young, Brewing Director at St Austell Brewery, said:

“Reaching 175 years is an extraordinary milestone, so it felt only right to celebrate by bringing some of our most cherished beers back to life. Our brewing archives are full of wonderful recipes - beers that meant something to the people who brewed them and to the communities that enjoyed them."

“Revisiting classics, such as Trelawny and Tinners is a reminder of just how deeply our heritage runs, while giving us the chance to brew the beers with the quality and consistency made possible by modern techniques. As a team, we’re incredibly proud to honour our past while continuing to innovate for the beer drinkers of today.”

 

The commemorative cask beer range will be available in St Austell Brewery pubs and available to order for its wholesale customers. Cornish Ale, Trelawny – the first beer in the range – will be available from March 30th.

 

For pubs wishing to stock the limited-edition beers, visit here.


Most Read

New Wellbeing Programme Sees Aberdeenshire Business Branch Out

New Wellbeing Programme Sees Aberdeenshire Business Branch Out

Two former teachers from Banchory, Aberdeenshire have built a horticultural design and care business, turning an idea into a full-time venture, with Business Gateway.

Black Talent Awards Unveils 2026 Finalists

Black Talent Awards Unveils 2026 Finalists

The Black Talent Awards (BTA) has unveiled its 2026 finalists as the national platform prepares to mark its fifth anniversary, celebrating five years of recognising Black professional achievement, leadership, entrepreneurship and impact across the UK.

Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

New research from garden building specialists Dunster House explored the booming backyard business economy, with surveying exclusively people who operate from their garden or home.

Categories

Hendy Group Launches $10,000 Community-Led Campaign At Ford Dealerships

Hendy Group Launches $10,000 Community-Led Campaign At Ford Dealerships

Hendy Group has launched a new community-led grant giving campaign across its 10 Ford sites to support local charities.

Lamont Pridmore Calls On Parents To Consider The Cost Of University

Lamont Pridmore Calls On Parents To Consider The Cost Of University

With university fees of £9,790 per year in the UK and average monthly living costs whilst studying hitting £1,142 per month, Lamont Pridmore is calling on parents of future students to plan for these costs in advance.

Gordon & MacPhail Appoints New Global Marketing Director

Gordon & MacPhail Appoints New Global Marketing Director

Gordon & MacPhail, the Elgin-based, family-owned whisky specialist, is welcoming Jo Coomber as its new Global Marketing Director.

Recent Posts

bottom of page