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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Oct 27, 2023

2 min read

Three of independent family brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame’s beers have been recognised at the Great British Food Awards.

The Faversham-based brewery has won a Gold award for Spitfire Amber Ale (4.2% ABV), a Silver award for Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager (4.5% ABV), and a Bronze award for Bishops Finger (5.2% ABV).

It is the ninth year of the awards, launched to celebrate the very best of British artisanal produce in the food and drink industry.

The judging panel comprises some of the most acclaimed chefs, food critics and influencers in the country, with the Beer and Lager category judged by Australian professional rugby league footballer Jacob Liddle.

Explaining his decision to award Spitfire Amber Ale a Gold Medal, Jacob said: “Probably the most "British" of the contenders in terms of packaging and potentially style, it is a classic old-style amber ale well executed. Refreshing, and ultimately very enjoyable.”

It is the latest in a series of honours for Shepherd Neame’s beers, with other recent wins including Bishops Finger scooping Gold at the British Bottlers’ Institute Awards, International Beer Challenge and Taste of Kent Awards; India Pale Ale and Double Stout receiving Silver at the International Beer Challenge; and Singha, which has been brewed under license at Shepherd Neame for the UK market since 2022, awarded a Diploma of Excellence by the British Bottlers’ Institute.

First brewed in 1990 to commemorate the Battle of Britain which was fought in the skies above Kent 50 years earlier, Spitfire Amber Ale is a classic premium Kentish Ale, which carries a Royal Warrant.

Jacob added: “The name and imagery are quintessentially British and a nod to the past. The beer is brewed with Kentish hops and the reference "The Bottle of Britain" is entertaining and adds to the British embodiment of the beer.”

Shepherd Neame’s Director of Brewing Mike Unsworth said: “We are delighted that three of our brands have received national acclaim in the Great British Food Awards, with glowing praise for our Great British classic Spitfire Amber Ale. We have a fantastic team of brewers at Shepherd Neame and this is well-deserved recognition for their passion, knowledge and skill.”

For more information visit: www.shepherdneame.co.uk

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Accessible Clothing Project Receives Funding Boost

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