Serving Whitby and the North Yorkshire and North East coast
Launched in 2018, Wetwheels Yorkshire became the fifth regional operator for the national disability power boating charity Wetwheels Foundation. It is community interest company number 10158051.
Wetwheels Yorkshire has her home in Whitby, so is perfectly positioned to operate across the region, from the North East to the Humber.
A Wetwheels Yorkshire experience is designed to enable every disabled person the chance to experience the excitement of power boating. Wetwheels Yorkshire is fully accessible - not just giving you the chance to be a passenger, but also to take the helm as the skipper - everybody gets the chance to drive!
We depend on the goodwill of our wonderfully experienced volunteers and generous donors to bring Wetwheels Yorkshire to you. If you would like to be part of a Wetwheels Yorkshire experience, it doesn't matter if you're young or old; Just get in touch with Peter in the office to arrange your visit.
The Wetwheels Yorkshire team look forward to welcoming you aboard.
If you are looking to make a booking for a group (10 participants) please contact us directly, otherwise check out the links below and reserve your place soon to avoid disappointment. If you are considering all the locations that Wetwheels Yorkshire visits, you can see available trips here: BOOK YORKSHIRE
Wetwheels Yorkshire has now finished running trips for 2023. Thank you to everyone that joined us for a wonderful experience this year. Our online booking system for 2024 will be opening in the New Year. We will announce dates on our e-newsletter first so, to be kept informed, please email bookings@wetwheelsyorkshire.com to be added to our newsletter. .
As with any successful organisation, it is our people that make the difference.
Our team of volunteer crew undergo specialist disability awareness training in a maritime context, training in such essential tasks such as boat safety, safeguarding and much more.
We even have a small group of 'land crew' that carry out the necessary logistics, fundraising and back-office tasks that every organisation needs.
The people that really make Wetwheels Yorkshire work, however, are the mums and dads, the care staff and other support workers who choose to make the effort to bring our participants along to take part in a Wetwheels trip.
Peter is the chairman and founder of Wetwheels Yorkshire CIC. As a professionally qualified skipper Peter spends his time away from the desk, at the helm of Wetwheels Yorkshire.
A retired business owner, Peter is vice-chair of York Sharks Wheelchair Basketball Club, a founding member of the Whitby Community Alliance, Safeguarding Officer of YCTC (RYA York Cruiser Training Centre) and sits on the North Yorkshire Disability Sports Steering Group.
Philippa has spent her career in healthcare including hospitals, the community and specialist environments. Philippa delivers Wetwheels Yorkshire's 'Disability Awareness Training in a Maritime Context' to our team.
Shane has spent most of his professional life working in IT and joined Wetwheels Yorkshire as a member of the crew in 2020 after seeing how much pleasure boating brought to his daughter Chloe, who is a wheelchair user.
Shane wanted to help bring that experience to more people.
Shane enjoys spending his free time with his daughter, Cycling and Boating (ideally with his daughter), and of course, being one of the volunteers onboard Wetwheels Yorkshire.
After a late start due to poor weather the Wetwheels Yorkshire 2023 outreach season began in North Shields. Based at Royal Quays Marina on the River Tyne, Wetwheels Yorkshire worked with several local charities and support partners in delivering some...
Following over two years of work and planning, the new Changing Places facility for Whitby Marina (affectionally dubbed the Wetwheels Yorkshire Changing Places) was lifted in to place this week. Scheduled to be fully open later this month in time for...
Wetwheels Yorkshire's visit to Amble, Northumberland in August 2023 faced some challenging weather conditions but the 'friendliest port' didn't fail to deliver the joy.
Blessed with great sea conditions and wonderful groups of participants, Wetwheels Yorkshire enabled many families to take part in a barrier free adventure on the sea. Kindly supported by Royal Quays Marina, North Shields, organisations such as Out Of Sight, Grace House, St Oswald's Hospice (Children and Young People) and our great friends at Special Lioness made sure the crew had to work long hours to make sure as many people as possible shared the joy. There were even dolphins!
Wetwheels Yorkshire spent ten days in sunny Amble, Northumberland in July 2022, Britain's Friendliest Port. Blessed with good weather, sunny skies and, most important, a record number of wonderful participants who took to the seas and enjoyed the ultimate sensory experiece that is Wetwheels!
Wetwheels Yorkshire spent a week in May 2022 running barrier-free trips for local groups in the Newcastle and Sunderland area. Operating from Royal Quays Marina on the River Tyne participant groups included St Oswald's Hospice Children's Unit, Special Lioness, Grace House, Out Of Sight, BLESMA (limbless veterans charity) and Active Strokes North East.
From the outset Wetwheels Yorkshire has worked closely with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to not only ensure that our interactions with the creatures of the North Sea are carried out in an appropriate manner, but also on projects that help actively preserve the wonderful animals and birds of our region. Projects include, amongst others, carrying out cetacean (whales, dolphins and porpoise) surveys, siting and maintaining fishing line disposal bins, running online information sessions (Wetwheels Yorkshire Live!) plus providing a film platform for tv interviews and promotional videos as seen here (look out for your favourite accessible power boat towards the end) ...
Brief highlights of Wetwheels Yorkshire's Amble Outreach 2021.
