About Us

Who we are

Mobilise Organisation was formed in 2005 from a merger of two long-standing charities, the Disabled Drivers` Association (founded as the Invalid Tricycle Association in 1948) and the Disabled Drivers` Motor Club (founded in 1922).

With almost a hundred years of campaigning history behind us, Mobilise is run by and for disabled people. We believe that personal mobility impacts on every aspect of disabled people`s lives. Mobilise is not just an organisation for drivers. We also campaign for and support passengers, scooter and wheelchair users, families and carers.

By leading in the fight to improve mobility and access Mobilise seeks to promote a better way of life for all disabled people irrespective of age, gender or race; and to end discrimination and segregation.

What we do:

Mobilise is a campaigning charity. By lobbying government & businesses in the UK, we fight to address the inequalities faced by many disabled people and remove the barriers to their personal mobility.

We also provide information and guidance to enable people to make informed decisions about their individual transportation requirements. We do this in various different ways.

Our information officers are available to answer questions by phone, email or letter (see Contact Us) and we also run a confidential casework service for members who are experiencing difficulties with parking, driving, public transport, insurance, funding or any other problem that impacts on their mobility.

Our monthly magazine, Mobilise, keeps members abreast of all sorts of issues, including our current campaigns, the latest news and reviews of vehicles, scooters and mobility aids as well as features on everything from buying an accessible holiday home to wheelchair rambling.

We also publish a series of leaflets and information sheets which aim to clarify the often complicated world of VAT, vehicle tax and parking for disabled drivers.

When it comes to finding solutions to the mobility problems our members face, we believe that choice and affordability are paramount. We work closely with Motability in a role that ensures the benefits of co-operation and the ability to be constructively critical when necessary. We also participate in mobility events at dealerships up and down the country as a way of engaging with the public and publicising the services we provide.


Our history:

Mobilise formed in 2005 from the merger of the Disabled Drivers` Association (founded as the Invalid Tricycle Association in 1948) and the Disabled Drivers` Motor Club (founded in 1922).

The DDMC

The DDMC was originally formed by a group of ex-servicemen who were having artificial limbs fitted at St Mary`s Hospital, Roehampton, at the end of the First World War. The first official meeting of the DDMC was held on 20 April 1922, when it was decided that membership should be open to all disabled drivers of cars and cycle cars. In the early years the club`s principal activities revolved around organising hill climbs and reliability trials.

In the 1930s the DDMC won the right for disabled people to hold a driving licence, and by the end of the decade the DDMC was officially recognised by the Minister of Transport as the representative organisation for disabled drivers. The club`s ranks were swelled during and after the Second World War, both by injured military personnel and civilians.

The club`s main role during this time was to provide prospective members with information on suitable cars, adaptations, insurance, driving tuition and petrol allowance. In June 1949 the DDMC published its first edition of the Club`s official journal, The Disabled Driver, which was the principal means by which the club kept in touch with its members.


The DDA

Having contracted polio whilst serving in the Royal Navy and become paralysed from the waist down, O A (Denny) Denly was issued with a 198cc petrol-powered Argson tricycle with a maximum speed of 30mph. In June 1947 he crossed the Swiss Alps on it, and in August the same year listeners to the BBC Home Service were enthralled by a broadcast about his extraordinary adventures.

So much interest was aroused from the radio broadcast that an article was placed in Motorcycle Magazine to float the idea of an association, and in January 1948 the Invalid Tricycle Association was formed. Initially, the main activities revolved around rallies and excursions, but the association also focused on mutual help and support for its members.

At this early stage the main focus of the association was on trikes and early issues of the association`s magazine, “Magic Carpet”, had trikes on every page. But by 1949 articles were beginning to appear on the “minicar” and as the range and type of cars available to disabled drivers expanded so did the Association`s remit. By they were campaigning for the invalid trike to be replaced by a more suitable vehicle, and in 1967 the decision was taken to change the name to Disabled Drivers Association in order to reflect the changes that were happening in the mobility of disabled people.


Our shared achievements

Both the DDMC and the DDA were at the forefront of the campaigns which resulted in:

• The Blue Badge parking scheme and the subsequent efforts to preserve its concessions
  
• The introduction of the Mobility Allowance (now the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance)
  
• The establishment of the Motability scheme
  
• Exemption from VAT for hand controls, and other conversions specifically for disabled drivers or passengers
  
• The right of disabled 16 year olds to hold a provisional driving licence for cars and light vans

The DDMC and the DDA were among the very first organisations of disabled people in the UK. Both were self-help organisations, run by disabled people for disabled people. By stressing the importance of action and mutual support in this way, the DDMC and the DDA have pioneered, in practice, the social model of disability.

Mobilise – The future

In 1995 it was decided that a merger between the DDA and the DDMC would enable the pooling of resources and give us a strong foundation for future growth. Mobilise is the result of this merger.

Mobilise is not just an organisation for drivers. We also campaign for and support passengers, scooter and wheelchair users, families and carers.

Full membership is open to all disabled people whose impairment affects their personal mobility. To ensure that Mobilise remains accountable to and representational of disabled people, only full members can be voting members of the charity.

Associate membership is open to anybody who is interested in furthering the objects of the charity, whether you are disabled or not. Although you cannot be a voting member, you can still receive our monthly magazine, and access our information and support services.

If you believe that the segregation and discrimination which so many disabled people still experience is wrong, why not join Mobilise today and help us fight against it? Membership starts at just £14 a year. We need your voice and your support in our campaigns.

See our Membership page for more detailed information & rates.

Mobilise is currently campaigning on a number of issues, including the abuse of disabled parking bays, the planned reform of the Blue Badge Scheme, accessibility of city centres and the lack of free parking at healthcare facilities. See our Campaigns page for more information.

If you would like to join Mobilise, please visit our Membership page or call us on 01508 489 449 (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday). You can also contact us via the Contact Us form on this site.