Global disability charity closes UK office citing ‘financial pressures’

A charity that has supplied wheelchairs and other disability aids to communities across the world for more than 30 years has closed its UK office citing “financial pressures”.

In announcing the decision Motivation says that the past year has been “an incredibly challenging year for charities worldwide” with the charity adding that “like many in our sector” it has “also been significantly affected”.

A reduction in wheelchair sales is a chief concern and has meant that the charity has had to “urgently rework our financial mode”.

This has prompted it to close the Bristol based UK office and accelerate its “shift to fully independent offices in Africa and India.

It will also no longer supply wheelchairs through its Motivation Direct company.

“The closure of the UK office was more rapid than planned, but it is not the end of Motivation,” said the charity.

“Motivation India and Motivation Africa will continue to grow in strength and impact and we ask for your continued support as they lead our disability inclusion mission forward.”

It added: “For more than 30 years, Motivation and its partners, funders, customers and supporters have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of disabled people.

“We’ve delivered wheelchairs, built training and peer networks, championed disability rights, and helped shape global standards that ensure high-quality, safe, appropriate, life changing mobility products.”

The charity warned that due to “turbulence for international aid” it is “fearful for the future of disability inclusion programmes and ask everyone involved in development projects not to abandon the community of people who will be struggling hardest at this time.”

It is calling for more investment in “sustainable programmes that are steered by the communities they serve to meet disabled people’s right to mobility, and all the other rights that unlocks”.

The charity’s India and Africa teams will be led by directors Peter Mbuguah and Mahesh Chandrasekar.

According to the Charities Register Motivation’s income for the 12 months to December 2024 was £4.01m, while it spent £3.95m over the same period.