Battersea Park wheelchair skate club celebrates 10 years

The club formed in 2012, taking inspiration from a French group, Mobile En Ville

A wheelchair skating group in south London helps create a "sense of community and acceptance" for wheelchair users, its president says as the group celebrates its 10th year.

Wheels and Wheelchairs involves wheelchair users being pushed around laps of Battersea Park by skaters.

The group is hoping more skaters will join up to help boost numbers.

Isaac Harvey said it meant wheelchair users could feel like they were on "the same playing field" as the skaters.

"We've all got wheels underneath us. If the surface isn't good, we all suffer," the 27-year-old said.

"If it's great, then we can all have fun, so it's having that sense of community and how the skating community has allowed us to be a part of activities they do."

President of the club, Isaac Harvey, 27, says the group is warm and welcoming

Wheels and Wheelchairs describes itself as "a group of wheelchair users and skaters who go out together as a group enjoying the sensory rush of speed and collaboration in accessible sport".

Mr Harvey has led the group since 2019, having first joined a year earlier.

A wheelchair user himself, Mr Harvey said he had a "warm and welcoming" reception and his first skate with the group had "stood out" to him.

"There was a girl there with multiple disabilities and she's non-verbal, but she says some words and gets really excited and jumps around in the chair when she's skating," he said.

"I remember this very vividly when I first came - she actually reached her hand out to say welcome - and I thought that was very nice and welcoming."

Wheels and Wheelchairs meets every Saturday for three laps of Battersea Park, where the group joins skaters from another local group. Members also take part in longer events, such as marathons.

The groups now says it is in need of more skaters who can push those in wheelchairs and have a good skating ability.

'Been amazing'

Charlene Bryant, 40, from Fulham, attends group events with her daughter Freya, 15, who is sight and hearing impaired.

She encourages prospective members to get in touch and join, as the group has helped "open up" Freya's social life, she says.

"It's really hard as they get older to find groups that they can be involved in, and for us to be able to skate together has been amazing," she added.

Charlene Bryant says the group has been "amazing" for her daughter Freya and "opened up" her social life

"She has got friends that have disabilities, friends that don't and we all meet up and socialise at a cafe after the Saturday skates.

"We skated, we had such a good time and it has changed her life for the better."

She encouraged people to get involved through the group's Facebook page.

"The wheelchair gives you more stability anyway when you first skate because you've got something to hold on to, but it's an amazing experience for you and your child and you don't have to skate to join in as well," she added.

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