National Association for Bikers with a Disability

National Association for Bikers with a Disability
Founded April 1991
Type Registered charity No. 1040907
Focus Motorcycles adapted for disabled rider
Location
Area served
 England, Wales
Members
 6,500 (2008)[1]
Revenue
 £276,326 (2011)[2]
Employees
 1
Slogan Yes you can!
Website www.nabd.org.uk

The National Association for Bikers with a Disability or NABD is a Registered Charity (No. 1040907) in the United Kingdom and (No. SC039897) in Scotland. The NABD gives technical advice and financial grants to help to adapt motorcycles, sidecars and trikes for use by disabled riders. It also gives advice on training and rider assessments. It owns a fleet of learner-legal motorcycles adapted for various disabilities, which it loans free of charge for training and tests.[3]

The NABD is routinely consulted on issues relating to disabled motorcycling by the DVLA, DfT, VOSA, DSA, and MAVIS (the Mobility Advice and Vehicle Information Service).[3]

History

The NABD was set up in April 1991 by six motorcyclists in Stockport and Manchester who would not accept the idea that disabled people could not ride motorcycles, scooters, or trikes.[3]

The initial project was to find a way to adapt a motorcycle for a rider who had suffered the amputation of his lower left leg in an accident. A fund raising party was organised and publicised locally and this prompted several other disabled people to contact the group asking whether it was possible for them also to ride motorcycles. Within 12 months the NABD had just over 100 members and had helped three disabled people to adapt motorcycles and ride independently. Each adaption had to be designed from scratch, the money raised and the engineering problems solved, but from this small beginning the NABD was later to become the World leader in motorcycling for disabled people.[3]

The membership of the NABD has now grown to more than 5,000 individual members and has more than 200 affiliated clubs and businesses. Since its foundation the NABD has directly helped over seven thousand disabled people to enjoy the freedom and independence of motorcycling.[3]

The NABD has been instrumental in the founding of similar groups in Norway, Sweden, France and Japan.[3]

Expenses

The NABD does not charge any administration fees for its services. It ensures that 100% of all financial donations from individuals, clubs or companies are used 100% for the benefit of, and services for, disabled riders.

The administration costs of the association are met from other sources. NABD does not spend donated money on wages and plush office accommodation. The NABD has two full-time office administrators.[4] The first post was initially financed by a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, and both posts are now wholly financed by the proceeds of the NABD's national rally. Everyone else who works for the NABD is a volunteer.

Fundraising

The NABD holds a rally at Astle Park near Chelford in Cheshire one weekend in May each year.[5] This is both a social and a fundraising event that raises thousands of pounds for the charity. The NABD holds a number of smaller rallies in different parts of Britain during the course of each year for the same purpose.[5] A number of motorcycle clubs also donate profits from their rallies, custom motorcycle shows and other events to the NABD.

Patrons

The NABD currently has nine patrons:[6]

References

  1. ↑ "NABD Accounts (year ending 31 March 2008)" (PDF). Charity Commission. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  2. ↑ "Charity Overview". Charity Commission. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The NABD - an Introduction
  4. ↑ Personal communication, 1 April 2009.
  5. 1 2 National Association for Bikers with a Disability - events index
  6. ↑ NABD Patrons, accessed 27 May 2009

External links

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