The Irish Wheelchair Association which does a huge amount of work within sport has had to cancel its annual street collection and has instead launched an appeal called ‘Without You, We’re Stuck’.

Today’s Daily Video is an impactful statement of what happens when the money stops.

The organisation is asking people to make a donation through its website, iwa.ie.  It can make a world of difference.

The annual collection would normally raise €300,000 towards the charity’s work with people with physical disabilities. This is the first time in its 30-year history that it has been cancelled.

Involved

The Sports division is a key driver of getting people involved in sport whether at the level of the Paralympic Games or in more local and regional settings in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair hurling and so many more activities.

We have been to open days and seen the pure joy that comes from finding a new way to do something in sport that might otherwise have been taken away.

It is only one part of dealing with a disability, whether from birth or acquired, but it is a vitally important one.

“The loss of this critical income is concerning at a time when our local fundraising events have already had to stop,” said Sarah Joyce, Head of Fundraising.

“We estimate that we will have lost almost €1 million in fundraising income by the end of the year. Without this support, our services, and the people we support, will be stuck.”

“We rely entirely on the generosity of the public to fund our wheelchair accessible buses, which are a lifeline for connecting people who cannot access public transport, to our services.”

“Our children’s sports clubs, driving school and many other social supports are also supported through local fundraising efforts.”

“As we sadly cancel our street collection, we are asking people, if they can afford it, to make a donation to iwa.ie.”

Supports

Irish Wheelchair Association is Ireland’s largest membership organisation for people with physical disabilities. It supports 4,000 people every week in every county of Ireland.

“This year is the 60th anniversary and while we have had to postpone many plans, our frontline workers have redoubled their efforts to ensure that nobody we support has been left alone and isolated throughout the crisis,” added  Joyce.

“Our members depend on our services and as an organisation we are working tirelessly to keep everyone we support connected to their communities.”

“Our 57 community centres were turned into outreach services within hours of the lockdown being announced. Our assisted living team, which provides home support, has continued their essential work in people’s homes, with an emergency team of courageous frontline staff ready to work in full PPE with people who have to isolate.

To support the Irish Wheelchair Association’s ‘Without You We’re Stuck’ appeal visit iwa.ie.