Mobility Events Calendar

From the latest stairlifts to the newest walk-in baths and technology, there are lots of useful items that can help those with limited mobility wanting to continue to live active and independent lives.

These latest technologies are often displayed at mobility events, allowing them to show off what they can do. The mobility and disability sector is always evolving with new products hitting the market, but the best way to keep up to date with new innovations is to visit the latest exhibitions and events that are taking place throughout 2023/24.

Here we give you an insight into the top mobility and disability shows, but please bear in mind that some are designed specifically for care providers and other healthcare professionals.

September

Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions

Dates of events: 1 September 2023 (Kidz to Adultz Wales & West), 1 November 2023 (Kidz to Adultz North), Event TBC (Kidz to Adultz Scotland), 14 March 2024 (Kidz to Adultz Middle), May 2024 event TBC (Kidz to Adultz South).

Location: International Convention Centre in Newport (Kidz to Adultz Wales & West), Manchester Central (Kidz to Adultz North), Venue TBC (Kidz to Adultz Scotland), Exhibition Hall, Coventry Building Society Arena (Kidz to Adultz Middle), Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre (Kidz to Adultz South).

Disabled Living has been organising the very prestigious Kidz to Adultz events since 2001 and now holds five of the largest free UK exhibitions totally dedicated to children and young adults up to 25 years with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and all the professionals who support and work with them.

At the events there are generally around 100-180 exhibitors sharing information and offering advice on the following:

• Funding
• Mobility
• Seating
• Sensory
• Beds
• Communication
• Education
• Employment
• Legal matters
• Sport activities
• Holidays and leisure
• Access
• Accessible vehicles
• Transport
• Leisure

There are also free CPD seminars for professionals, parents and carers to attend.

The exhibitors at the Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions will be showcasing their products, equipment and outlining details of their services. There is also an opportunity for attendees to take part in competitions!

Visit the event page website here.

RISE Expo

Dates of event: 12 September 2023

Location: Kent Event Centre, Kent Showground

The free-to-attend RISE Expo event will be back to celebrate all abilities, promote inclusion and offer advice on services for disabilities.

The Rise4Disability team will be returning to the Kent Event Centre, and this year you can browse more than 100 exhibition stands, showcasing the latest innovations in disability equipment provision and a wide range of services. Relevant charities will also be on hand to offer free and impartial advice to delegates.

There are conference theatres and workshops at the event and these will feature motivational talks from people with lived experience. There are sessions covering updated knowledge across Moving & Handling, Occupational Therapy, Housing & Adaptations, Children’s Services, Care and Community Health, Ability and Advice & Housing and Adaptations.

There is always a particular focus on ways to increase accessibility and mobility, and at this year’s event, there is a test track so that you can put the latest mobility equipment through its paces and make sure it meets your individual needs.

Visit the event page website here.

Southbank Centre's Unlimited Festival

Dates of event: September date TBC

Location: Southbank Centre

The annual Unlimited Festival will once again be held at the Southbank Centre and will allow people to experience the work of outstanding disabled artists.

The Unlimited Festival is a biennial event, and as well as the visual art, it will feature dance, performance, comedy and music from disabled artists and companies.

Since the festival’s creation 10 years ago, Unlimited’s commissioning programme has awarded over £4.8 million to over 460 ambitious disabled artists and companies.

Visit the event page website here.

One Big Day Edinburgh

Dates of event: 15-16 September 2023

Location: Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

This free-to-attend event offers locals in the area the chance to find out more about motoring with Motability.

There will be over 70 cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters and powered wheelchairs exhibited at this regional event. There is also expert information available about the adaptions people can make to their cars.

If you are visiting with children, there is a children’s play area at the event, including face painting stations and a bouncy castle.

Visit the event page website here.

October

International Day of Older Persons

Date of event: 1 October

Location: Worldwide

This worldwide event takes place on the 1st of October every year and looks to celebrate older people in the country and their contribution to society.

This year will mark the 33rd anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons, and this event often sees numerous activities take place up and down the UK to encourage older people to get active and for younger people to spend more time with the older generations.

The event’s objectives this year will be:

• Bring awareness of the importance of digital inclusion of older persons, while tackling stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination associated with digitalisation.
• To highlight policies to leverage digital technologies to fully achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).
• To address public and private interests in the areas of availability, connectivity, design, affordability, capacity building, infrastructure, and innovation.
• To explore the role of policies and legal frameworks to ensure the privacy and safety of older persons in the digital world.
• To highlight the need for a legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons and an intersectional person-centred human rights approach for a society for all ages.

Visit the event page website here.

Care Show

Date of event: 11-12 October 2023

Location: NEC, Birmingham

Regarded as the UK’s largest completely care-focused event, the Care Show is a great place for healthcare professionals to find out more about caring for older people.

The show will offer expert-led CPD-accredited conference sessions, hands-on training and a host of networking opportunities for those responsible for providing care to others.

Visitors can trial thousands of the latest products and services from more than 200 healthcare suppliers showcasing anything and everything from furniture and interior products to business services. There are set to be more than 80 healthcare experts speaking at the event and over 75 CPD-accredited conference sessions, as well as seven training zones.

Visit the event page website here.

November

The Occupational Therapy Show

Dates of event: 22-23 November 2023

Location: NEC, Birmingham

The Occupational Therapy Show is the UK's largest dedicated CPD education and trade event for Occupational Therapists (OTs) and managers working within the equipment services teams alongside them.

The show welcomes thousands of OTs from all over the country and from a wide range of specialist areas to educate, inspire, and raise the profile for such an important allied healthcare profession and looks forward to welcoming more equipment service teams this year.

There is a total of 100+ hours of professional development to be obtained over the two days. CPD certificates will be sent out post-event, stating the sessions attended and the total number of hours attended.

The exhibition features leading suppliers displaying practical new equipment, innovative products and services.

The 2023 event will feature more than 100 interactive lectures and over 100 hours of CPD training, and there will be over 270 exhibitors attending the event.

Visit the event page website here.

December

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Mobility events in 2024

January

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February

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March

Abilities Expo

Dates of event: 15-17 March 2024

Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, USA

The Abilities Expo is one of the biggest events in the world, and for more than 40 years it has been a go-to source for people with limited mobility and other disabilities all over the world.

The next Abilities Expo will be bringing together new products and tech for the community of people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, seniors, and healthcare professionals, all under one roof.

This year attendees can expect to see the latest tech and disability products, visit informative workshops and, try inclusive activities such as adaptive sports, dance, and have a go on the adaptive climbing wall.

The event is highly recommended with one attendee saying, “I love this expo. Have gone the past five years. There’s always something new, exciting, innovative and informative there.”

Visit the event page website here.

Naidex

Dates of event: 20-21 March 2024

Location: NEC, Birmingham

The Naidex event is Europe's most established event dedicated to the disability, healthcare and independent living sectors.

The event will showcase a wide range of solutions to improve mobility and accessibility, the latest innovations in mobility tech, and will explore the future of digital and physical accessibility.

As part of the event, you can listen to live seminars from leading experts in the industry, watch a range of demos, meet with suppliers that can help offer you products and solutions to overcome your challenges and network with experts and forge relationships with existing and new contacts.

The event normally welcomes more than 8,000 visitors and over 200 exhibitors, with more than 100 seminars taking place over the two-day event.

 In previous shows, there have been celebrity appearances from James Cracknell OBE and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and live performances from the Music Man Project, Kate Stanforth and the Grumpy Gits podcast.

At this year’s event, some of the speakers include the Arsenal Disabled Supporters Trust, the comedian Lee Ridley, professional athlete Lauren Steadman MBE, the Born To Perform Dance School, and the five-time Paralympic Champion Ellie Simmonds OBE.

Visit the event page website here.

April

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May

The Big Event

Dates of event: 19-20 May 2024

Location: NEC, Birmingham

The Big Event, which is the Motability Scheme's flagship show and is the UK’s largest display of cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs for disabled people, will once again be held at the NEC in Birmingham.

The event, which is free-to-attend for visitors, allows those with mobility problems to find out everything they need to know about worry-free motoring with Motability.

At this year’s event there will be more than 150  cars from manufacturers such as Ford, Toyota, Audi and Vauxhall. Each manufacturer has advisors on hand to demonstrate the vehicles, helping you find the one that best suits your needs.

Visitors are normally able to test drive the adapted and non-adapted cars with a professional instructor to find out which vehicles are best suited to their individual needs. Test drives are also normally able to be booked on the day.

Visit the event page website here.

June

NAEP Annual Conference

Dates of event: 13-14 June 2024

Location: Chesford Grange Hotel and Spa, Warwick

The NAEP National Annual Conference is organised by the National Association of Equipment Providers. The two-day event is for the benefit of people who work within the community by providing equipment and advice on the most up-to-date practices, particularly for those who supply equipment that can help older people and those with mobility difficulties or a disability.

This year’s conference will discuss topics which have changed the sector, including technology and other pressing matters. The 2024 event will again be welcoming guest speakers and will be hosting workshop sessions over the course of the event.

Full details of the event programme, speakers, workshops, and exhibitors will be announced by organisers as they are confirmed.

Visit the event page website here.

Do Your Own Thing with Heart n Soul

Dates of event: Every Wednesday and Friday

Location: Online and in-person at various locations

Heart n Soul, is an award-winning creative arts company that believes in the talents and power of people with learning disabilities and provides opportunities for people to discover, develop and share this talent. They have also been running popular events for many years.

The free creative sessions offer training in music, dance, radio DJing and digital arts to young people (aged 10-25 years) with learning disabilities who are new to the arts.

Heart n Soul continues to offer activities which people can enjoy from home. Each activity is happening on Zoom, as there are movement and dance sessions every Wednesday and art sessions on Fridays. There are also many different sessions taking place online and in-person in June and throughout the year where adults with learning disabilities can try new activities, learn new skills and meet new people.

Visit the event page website here.

July

PMG Conference

Dates of event: 15-17 July 2024

Location: The International Centre, Telford

Image Credit: PMG Conference

Posture & Mobility Group’s annual conference is an industry exhibition and networking event. It also offers an educational programme for a multi-disciplinary group of professionals working in the field of posture and wheeled mobility, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rehabilitation engineers and clinical scientists.

The PMG Conference focuses on the postural and mobility needs of wheelchair users and delegates can learn about manual and powered wheelchairs, special seating, postural management, pressure care and assistive technology.

The 2024 event will include lots of sessions that are of interest to people working with older people. Previous events have included sessions about pressure mapping for cushions, dystonia, and sustainability within the field of powered mobility.

You can join the PMG mailing list for up-to-date information about the event.

Visit the event page website here.

Disability Awareness Day

Dates of event: July 2024 date TBC

Location: Walton Hall and Gardens, Warrington

The annual Disability Awareness Day (DAD) has been running since 1992 and is recognised as the world’s largest pan voluntary-led disability independent living exhibition and family fun day covering physical, sensory and learning disabilities and mental health, for all ages.

The show has three main aims:

• To highlight the statutory, private or voluntary services available to enable disabled people to stay independent.
• To promote new equipment and aids that can improve independence.
• To highlight what disabled people can do in the field of sport, arts and entertainment.

Visitors to the event can expect to see over 200 exhibitors covering sectors such as equipment suppliers, transport, holidays, leisure, employment, support groups and services. There will also be a sports zone including scuba diving, an arts marquee and a family arena. The event is free and will be open from 10am-4pm.

Visit the event page website here.

One Big Day Exeter

Dates of event: July 2024 date TBC

Location: Westpoint, Exeter

Those with mobility problems in the South West of England can attend the annual One Big Day event. Attendees will be able to discover everything you need to know about worry-free motoring with the Motability Scheme.

The free-to-attend event will display wheelchair accessible vehicles and other mobility products such as powered wheelchairs that visitors can learn about.

In previous years, visitors have been able to look at more than 60 cars and wheelchair accessible vehicles as well as get advice from a number of experts in the field.

Visit the event page website here.

Disability Expo

Dates of event: July 2024 date TBC

Location: ExCeL London

The Disability Expo is one of the UK’s leading person-focused events for people with lived experience of disability.

At the event, visitors can learn about relevant services, products and information that organisers of the Disability Expo hope will empower you with the tools you need to improve your quality of life.

Hundreds of exhibitors showcase their latest innovations in independent living, mobility aids/technologies, services and advice from charities/organisations. There is also an accessible place where you can network with like-minded people and share your experiences, as well as a full event programme of speakers, activities, performances, and presentations.

Visit the event page website here.

August

One Big Day Harrogate

Dates of event: August Date TBC

Location: Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate

Held at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate, the One Big Day event provides you with the perfect opportunity to discover everything you need to know about worry-free motoring with Motability.

At this year’s event, there will be over 60 cars and wheelchair-accessible vehicles that you can look at, and you will even get the opportunity to test drive adapted and standard production cars. There will be an indoor scooter test drive area to try out different products in a safe space, and there are set to be more than 30 powered wheelchairs and scooters.

There is a new Electric Vehicle Info Hub, and this area will give visitors a chance to discover if an electric vehicle is right for them.

Visit the event page website here.

Book a scooter or wheelchair for an event

Event Mobility is a charity which provides electric scooters and manual wheelchairs at events all over the UK and Europe to help people with disabilities and temporary mobility problems to enjoy a day out with their families.

The charity is set to be present at events throughout 2023/24 and Event Mobility is listing the events they are set to be at.

You can see Event Mobility’s programme for 2023/24 here.

If you suffer from any mobility issue that means you need aids such as walk in baths, stairlifts or wheelchairs, it is worth marking the dates for these digital and physical events in your diary for 2023/2024.

Are you interested in more mobility-related content from Age Co Mobility? Take a read of some other articles on the blog.

• How accessible is the UK?
• How accessible are the UK’s train stations?
• Age Co Mobility's Worldwide Attractions Accessibility Guide
• Every premier league team ranked by accessibility

Image Credit: Jonathan Clover, Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions, Naidex, Disability Awareness Day, PMG Conference, The Big Event.