We’re changing our name to “Motability Foundation” to increase awareness of our wider remit of grant-giving, research and innovation, and to make it easier for disabled people and organisations to find and access the support we provide.
Lack of awareness despite strong history
Now in our 45th year, we are well-known for our role in overseeing the delivery of the Motability Scheme, and the logo we shared with the Scheme can be seen in car dealerships up and down the UK.
However despite our increase in grant-giving, research and innovation activities over the last two years, people are still not aware of who we are as a disability charity.
In a recent survey of disabled people, their friends, family and carers, and disability organisations, only 2% mentioned Motability when asked to think of a disability charity.
A disability charity that supports all disabled people
Our research shows that disabled people still make 38% fewer journeys than non-disabled people – a figure that hasn’t changed in over a decade.
This research, along with other insight gathered from disabled people, organisations, and stakeholders, has been used to create new grant programmes which fund other organisations to provide transport, such as community transport, and come up with practical innovations to make transport more accessible.
However, for our work to have the greatest possible impact on making journeys more accessible for disabled people, we must be recognised as a disability charity, that supports all disabled people (including Scheme customers), and not solely associated with the Motability Scheme.
“We are evolving.”
Launching the new name today, Barry Le Grys, Chief Executive of the Motability Foundation said: “We are proud of our name and the heritage that comes with it, however, as an organisation, we are evolving, and we need to make sure our communications and brand help us to do that.
“As the Motability Foundation, we want to reach more disabled people, charities and organisations, by making it easier for them to understand who we are and find out how we can support them.
“We also need to ensure that the work we’re doing to fund, support, research and innovate is recognised and trusted by governments, business and industry, to help effect positive change so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose.
“This is more than a cosmetic change to a name and logo.”
Making all journeys accessible
Every day we continue to expand our work, both with and for disabled people, focusing on the ongoing changes needed across different types of transport to make all journeys accessible.
We carried out a recent review with disabled people to understand what the biggest current issues are in accessing transport. The review highlights what we should be addressing through our expanding innovation work.
The National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) launched earlier this year at Coventry University with £20m of funding provided by us.
