Charity Launches Trading Arm
Company’ (DTC). Founder and Chairman of WDP Dave Thompson MBE
A
DL explained what led to the decision to extend the charity to include a trading initiative. “Whilst reviewing our 5 year strategy we realised that to maintain the range of services we were offering, which included a team of over 40 paid staff and nearly 200 volunteers, we would need to find new ways of generating income as it was clear to see that statutory services were looking to make radical cuts to their contracts with 3rd sector groups”. The Department of Health guidance titled Transforming
Community Equipment Services provided the opportunity for WDP to create an arm’s length trading arm that is built on the philosophy of a true social enterprise, with the needs of disabled customers at its heart. We also received support and encouragement of senior leaders from local and regional health & social care. In October 2011 we opened our first Mobility &
Independent Living Store (MILS) in the Golden Square Shopping Mall in Warrington Town Centre. This was achieved in a partnership with the centre owners. Our second MILS opened in April 2012 in the Disabled
LITTLE over three years ago the internationally acclaimed Warrington Disability Partnership (WDP) launched their trading arm the ‘Disability Trading
Living Centre in Brunswick Dock, Liverpool. The service is supported by Liverpool NHS and Social Services, and its development was actively supported by local disabled people including Sir Bert Massie. Our staff have completed trusted assessor training which enables them to undertake assessments for a range of independent living equipment including wheelchairs and specialist seating. As part of a £1.3million refurbishment of our Warrington
Centre for Independent Living we included a purpose built Workshop and Service Centre which was to be used to maintain our Shopmobility and wheelchair loans fleet. As our MILS services have expanded, interest grew in our repairs service, which led to an extension on the workshop. In late 2013 we launched a Mobility Aids Recycling Service which has provided the opportunity to develop a rapidly expanding second hand sales market. The development of DTC has attracted interest from
dozens of teams nationally which have comprised of 3rd sector groups, health and social care partners looking to establish similar services. Earlier this year several national equipment suppliers met with our management team to review partnership opportunities. This resulted in opening a number of new accounts including being selected as the North of England official dealer for the new Roma Vida sports and recreational wheelchair.
Ability Needs Magazine
39
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