A donation of £1,000 has been made by Mansfield Building Society’s Community Support Scheme to The Wheelyboat Trust, to offer the opportunity for mobility-impaired people to participate in waterborne activities on Ladybower Reservoir.

Working in partnership with Ladybower Fisheries, The Wheelyboat Trust has launched a new wheelchair accessible powerboat, a Coulam V17 Wheelyboat, on Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire. The boat enables disabled visitors and anglers to access the reservoir independently, with every Wheelyboat having roll-on, roll-off access and drive-from-wheelchair helms.

Director of the Wheelyboat Trust, Andy Beadsley, said: “Our aim is to encourage anyone with a mobility, learning or sensory impairment to be able to enjoy being out on the water independently, whether that’s to fish or simply enjoy the experience, something that is incredibly difficult for wheelchair users. We hope now Covid-19 restrictions are starting to ease that many people can enjoy Ladybower Reservoir this summer, thanks to the new Coulam V17 Wheelyboat.”

Richard Crisp, commercial development executive at Mansfield Building Society, commented: “As a society we are proud to be an active part of our local communities. The Ladybower Reservoir is a beautiful attraction we are lucky to have in our Heartland area, so to be able to support The Wheelyboat Trust in getting another boat on the reservoir and be a part of making the water more accessible to disabled visitors is a huge positive all round.”

If you would like more information on The Wheelyboat Trust, you can visit www.wheelyboats.org

If you are a local charity or organisation looking for project funding and would like more information on the Community Support Scheme, visit mansfieldbs.co.uk/community-support-scheme