A new collaboration between vehicle adaptation specialist Mobility in Motion and spinal cord injury charity Aspire aims to improve independence and accessibility for people living with paralysis.
Mobility in Motion announced its partnership with Aspire, a national charity supporting individuals with spinal cord injuries. The collaboration focuses on raising awareness of adaptive driving solutions and highlighting their role in life after injury.
The partnership builds on a successful milestone in 2024 when Mobility in Motion sponsored Aspire’s 100th Channel swim. The event, held on Sunday 4th August 2024, saw the Aspire Llamas relay team complete the Channel crossing in 12 hours and 59 minutes, raising nearly £10,000. The sponsorship covered boat costs so that every donation directly supported Aspire’s services.
Together, the two organisations will create expert-led content, share lived experience stories, and develop resources to help people understand how they can return to driving or travel as passengers after a spinal cord injury. For Aspire, this is a new focus area that complements its wider work in practical rehabilitation and advocacy.
In the UK, an estimated 105,000 people live with spinal cord injuries, and around 4,400 new cases occur each year, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Database. This is nearly double the previously estimated figure of 2,500. Every two hours someone in the UK becomes paralysed due to accidents, illnesses, or medical conditions. Such injuries affect movement, sensation, and other vital functions, making accessible transport a central part of recovery and daily life.
“We’re incredibly excited to deepen our relationship with Aspire,” said Bruce Lauder, Head of Sales and Marketing at Mobility in Motion. “There’s a real gap in knowledge around what driving and car travel looks like after a spinal cord injury and we’re here to help fill it. Together, we can empower more people to explore the freedom that adapted driving can provide.”
The announcement coincides with Aspire’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Paul Parrish, completing a solo Channel swim to raise funds for the charity. On 15 August 2025, the Herne Bay resident from Kent began the 22-mile challenge at 2.30am, swimming for 16 hours and 13 minutes before reaching Wissant Bay in France at 6.45pm. He was joined by dolphins mid-swim, which lifted his spirits. “Then I was aware that they were swimming underneath me. It was wonderful and I think they knew I was struggling,” Parrish said. His effort raised £16,000 and marked his retirement after 13 years with Aspire. Parrish had also taken part in the 2024 relay alongside long-time fundraiser Eleanor Reddington, who has raised over £20,000 since her first Channel crossing in 2009.
Aspire’s Channel swim programme began in 2009 and has since guided more than 500 swimmers across 100 relay teams, raising over £3.5 million. The funds support Aspire’s mission to help people paralysed by spinal cord injuries move from injury to independence.
This partnership unites innovation and community care to address a crucial issue in recovery: the ability to drive again and regain independence. By promoting adapted driving, it gives spinal cord injury survivors practical tools to rebuild confidence and autonomy.
Founded in 2023, Mobility in Motion provides accessible automotive solutions designed to make travel safer and easier for everyone. The company offers products such as the Autochair Boot Hoist and Transfer Plate through the Motability Scheme and grants. Customers receive personalised guidance to ensure each adaptation meets their needs.
Aspire is a UK-based charity that supports people with spinal cord injuries through services including Aspire Housing, Independent Living, Welfare Benefits Advice, Housing Advice, Money Matters, Grants, and Assistive Technology. Ninety-six per cent of clients report greater independence after advice sessions, and 89% improve computer access through assistive technology.
