For a number of years, the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust has proudly supported the wonderful work of Cerebral Palsy Scotland (CP Scotland), a charity based within a mile of our own north Glasgow offices.
The relationship started with a £2,000 donation in 2022 and participation in the charity’s Dragon Boat race that summer, where Managing Director, Peter Facenna, led the Allied team to glory, beating eight others.
CP Scotland then started 2023 with a Firewalk held at the Glasgow Tigers Speedway stadium and 11 Allied employees braved the flames.
Later that year, a further £2,000 donation was made, and our Allied Mobility brand sponsored the 2023 and 2024 Dragon Boat races. Company founder Gerry Facenna’s team claimed victory in 2023.
In April 2025, CP Scotland applied again to the Trust looking for help to fund a summer walk and picnic for children and families, summer lunch for adults with cerebral palsy, and a few Christmas events.
The Trust donated £1,950 towards the cost of these events, and CP Scotland recently told us how much of an impact that support has made. Rachel Webb, Head of Fundraising & Communications at CP Scotland, said:
“Thanks to your generous support, we have been able to deliver our CP Social events between April 2025 and March 2026, supporting 46 individuals with cerebral palsy and their families and carers in Scotland. We are sincerely grateful for your belief in our work and the difference it enables us to make. All activities were delivered in or near our specially equipped Glasgow Centre and supported by our expert physiotherapists and occupational therapists.”
In 2025 CP Scotland surveyed its community, and an astonishing 100% of respondents said they were unable to access social events elsewhere.
Rachel went on to say:
“As a result of your support, participants were able to:
- Connect with others who share similar experiences, reducing isolation
- Build peer support networks within the cerebral palsy community
- Improve wellbeing through inclusive, social participation
- Take part in activities that are otherwise inaccessible to them
“These events provided more than social opportunities; they created a sense of belonging and shared identity within a community that often feels excluded.”
At the family Christmas party, a few lovely comments were overheard which Rachel kindly shared with us. One young boy was heard to say, “Look! That boy walks like I do!”, with another excitedly announcing “Santa has cerebral palsy!”
The biggest endorsement of CP Scotland’s work came from mum-of-three, Louise.
Louise’s daughter Rose was born alongside her twin brother in February 2021, and both twins had some difficulty breathing after they were born. Rose’s brother stabilised, but she had an extended period without oxygen which damaged her brain and caused cerebral palsy.
Rose uses a wheelchair and a walker. She struggles with speech but loves to sing along to songs she recognises, and she will start primary school later this year.
Louise said:
“What’s different about the care and support we receive from Cerebral Palsy Scotland is that they are specialists. They aren’t working across all conditions, and they know exactly what our children’s needs are. If we didn’t have Cerebral Palsy Scotland, we would feel very lonely.”
David Facenna, Corporate Culture Director at Allied Vehicles Group, said, “Cerebral Palsy Scotland offers vital, specialist support for people with CP and their families, and it’s so good to hear about the impact of our support directly from those who have benefited from it. I’m incredibly proud that the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust has been able to support this excellent charity over the years.”
