Website Statement

It is with immense sadness and regret that we inform you that Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People (QEF) will commence a wind down programme from 11th November 2025.

This process is expected to take 28 days to allow time for alternative placements to be found for residential clients at our Care and Rehabilitation Centre, and to honour commitments to other clients to the best extent possible.

At the end of this period, QEF intends to file for administration.

We have worked tirelessly over the last year to try and save the charity, exploring numerous options to improve its finances, but unfortunately there wasn’t a viable solution that met all the necessary requirements to overcome the challenging financial situation QEF faced.

It has been our privilege to support disabled people for over 90 years, providing expert services that have changed many lives, and we are deeply saddened that it cannot continue.

Our priorities right now are to work with funding bodies to ensure clients find suitable alternative placements and to support our remarkable staff during this difficult time.

Other

Disability Equality Training for Aviation

QEF has teamed up with recognised equality trainers to develop a Disability Equality Training Course specifically aimed at the global aviation industry. This unique course aims to ensure that as the sector rebuilds post COVID-19, equality for Disabled people is at the heart of the industry. Disabled people and those living with a long term health condition make up the world’s largest minority group, and their return to flying will be essential to airline and airports planning recovery.

To develop this course, QEF’s Accessible Aviation team led by Graham Race MBE, has partnered with Mary Doyle; accessible aviation consultant, executive coach, Modern Classroom Certified Trainer (MCCT®) and one of Britain’s most influential Disabled people on the Disability Power 100 list in 2018 and 2020.

This one day, interactive course is aimed at the global aviation sector, for staff who are required to understand disability equality to improve the passenger experience, comply with aviation regulatory requirements and ensure they are providing inclusive service at every stage of the journey. Online and instructor led, this course encourages attendees, wherever they are based, to fully participate. It makes good use of exploratory discussions, videos, chat, online polls and recent news events, including COVID-19. The aim is to increase understanding of Disabled people, their rights, compliance with accessible aviation laws and solutions to remove and prevent barriers to equality.

This course builds on QEF’s expertise in supporting thousands of disabled people to feel confident about air travel. It has been designed and delivered by people with lived experience of disability, with insight and experience of the issues people face, as well as a thorough understanding of the specific challenges faced by the sector. Working together, QEF aims to build disability allies in aviation.

“It provides such a balance of disability equality and awareness for the aviation environment, which is also designed and delivered by specialists in accessibility and aviation – it’s fantastic.” Geraldine Lundy, MBE. Director – Accessible Travel Consultancy Ltd

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