About Powerpack

The opportunities we have created are funded through grants and donations.

We are a group of families who have physically disabled children. All the disabled young people are wheelchair users. The name Powerpack derives from the batteries that drive their wheelchairs. Together we have discovered we have the power to create opportunities for our children.

We have positive parents who have formed a support network and through their endeavours have watched the young people have fun and achieve in so many ways.

Wheelchair Football with Powerpack: Fully Charged By James Marley

Just one of the highlights of Powerpack is the Wheelchair Football once a month. We always have a great time and it is a good opportunity to catch up with everyone, while playing a fun game of footie. Everyone can join in and whoever does always loves it. And every time there’s some great goals. Many thanks to our fabulous coach John, who is always a laugh and without him this would not be possible. There are also important rules that are set for safety and fairness, such as only allowing one player to tackle a player from the other team with the ball.

Things We Do

Music Zone

I really enjoyed the music day, I thought it was excellent because of the variety of instruments there was. The music day was also fun because of the things we could do. Music is my hobby so creating it is an easy thing for me to do especially around those sort of people that were there to help, because I was able to brainstorm with them.

Thanks, Nicholas

 Having Fun!

Tennis in Chairs

The wheelchair tennis on a friday is brilliant, we play at the Devonshire for two hours every week, the group is called T.I.C (Tennis In Chairs). Recently we had an article written about us which was in "The Plymouth Magazine".

Mark Blackler our coach has helped us improve greatly, we play games and matches which help us better our shots.

This year I was chosen to take part at an International Training Foundation Training camp in Holland where we trained and took part in a tournament in the evenings we got to meet some of the worlds top wheelchair players and watch them play. I gained a lot of experience from the camp and made new friends. I really enjoyed myself and I am looking forward to my next tournament in October.

Josh Steels 15

The Beach Wheelchair Project

This began as a simple conversation between several families on how much they had enjoyed going to the beach when their children were young. As the children became older it became impossible to carry them on to the beach. The power chairs just wouldn’t move in the sand and often became stuck.

We decided to search for some suitable beach wheelchairs and on one wet day in April 2006 we tried out several chairs. The young people loved the chairs, so as parents we were committed to make their dream of going to the beach a reality.

The Plymouth Magazine championed our cause and ran several articles on our appeal for funds. Many people gave to our appeal including a team from Red Rocket, the design agency who help do our website, who raised money from running in the Great West Run.

The young people in our group also wanted to be part of the project and were successful in their application to the Youth Capital Fund administered by Plymouth City Council Youth Service. We were now able to buy 3 beach wheelchairs and a storage shed.

We also had some very exciting news from the Beckham Trust who generously agreed to fund a power all terrain beach wheelchair. This extra chair will give us a selection of wheelchairs to suit most young disabled people and will allow several families to go to the beach together.

Some very kind friends helped to erect the storage shed and everything is now in place for our families to enjoy summer days on the beach. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.