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The Big Event: Streamed Live Lineup

Meet your hosts Helen Dolphin and Mark Ormrod

Helen Dolphin 2024
<b>Mark Ormrod MBE</b><br>Former Royal Marine and Invictus Games athlete


Helen Dolphin, MBE
transport and accessibility consultant and Motability Scheme customer for over 20 years will be joined by Mark Ormrod MBE, Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete, author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer to host The Big Event: Streamed Live.

On Friday 17 and Saturday 18 May, you'll be able to join the live stream of all the content listed below, right here! All of the live stream content will be available throughout the day on demand, so you don't have to miss a thing.

Helen and Mark will be bringing you exclusive interviews with our speakers, live product demos, as well as footage from around The Big Event, all to watch from the comfort of your own home. There will also be a chance to submit your questions during each session.

Studio chat: Welcome to The Big Event – Day 1

9:30am to 9:45am
  • Helen Dolphin
    Transport and accessibility consultant , Motability Scheme customer
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer
  • Andrew Miller
    Chief Executive, Motability Operations

Join our hosts Helen Dolphin and Mark Ormrod as they kick-off day one of The Big Event Live Streamed! They will guide you through the event and help you plan your day, to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

First up Helen is chatting to Andrew Miller, CEO of Motability Operations so we can hear more about the latest news from Motability Operations and the Scheme, and what he’s most excited about seeing at the event.

Live tour: Car display area

9:45am to 10:00am
  • James Horne
    Head of Accessible Vehicles, Motability Operations
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

Join Mark Ormrod as he takes for a quick tour of the cars on displays with Motability Scheme experts Sam Wickenden and James Horne. They’ll be showing you some of the latest vehicles available on the Scheme from the large range of vehicles on display and exploring what they have to offer.

Talk: The Car Revolution – How innovation and technology are transforming the way we move

10:00am to 10:25am
  • Matt Lizzimore
    Drive Editor, Lifestyle
  • Steve Huntingford
    Editor, WhatCar?

What Car? Editor Steve Huntingford and Lifestyle Drive Editor Matt Lizzimore take to the stage to talk about the exciting world of automotive innovation. They’ll discuss the latest car technologies that are making a difference now, and offer some insight into what we’ll see in the near future.

‘Blind Not Broken’

10:30am to 10:55am
  • Lucy Edwards
    Blind Broadcaster, journalist, content creator, & disability influencer, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

Join Lucy as she shares her journey from sight loss to becoming a thriving business woman told in her debut book ‘Blind Not Broken’.

Losing her full eye sight at 17 and with no one to look up to inspired Lucy to make it her mission to share her experiences with the world. Through her open commentary on life Lucy has amassed an incredible 1.8M followers on TikTok and over 350 million views on YouTube and has gone on to become a blind broadcaster, journalist, content creator, disability influencer and a Motability Scheme customer and is an absolute force to be reckoned with.

She’ll share her many different experiences from becoming the first-ever blind presenter to host on BBC Radio 1 to winning an RTS Award for her BBC documentary ‘How Does A Blind Girl Go On Safari?’ and being the first female blind talent to walk the red carpet at the BRIT Awards .

Lucy has also partnered with more of the world’s leading brands including Google, Estée Lauder, Spotify & L’oreal and has positioned herself as a leading voice for disability inclusion.

Studio chat: New car technology & Innovation

10:30am to 10:55am
  • Matt Lizzimore
    Drive Editor, Lifestyle
  • Steve Huntingford
    Editor, WhatCar?
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

Join Mark as he chats to Steve Huntingford and Matt Lizzimore about all things cars. This is a great opportunity to submit your questions to Mark so he can quiz Steve and Matt further on what’s coming next in the world of car technology.

Talk: Supporting the move to electric vehicles (EV’s) for wheelchair users

11:00am to 11:25am
  • Michelle Vellacott
    Customer Support Director, Motability Operations
  • David Fairbairn
    Managing Director, CALLUM Designs

Join Michelle and David as they share the work Motability Operations, the organisation that delivers the Motability Scheme to disabled people across the UK and design and engineering house CALLUM are doing to make the transition to electric vehicles simple for users of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs).

Motability Scheme WAV customers have told us what they want from an EV, so in collaboration Motability Operations and Callum have developed a concept solution that addresses the challenges around EV conversion and wheelchair accessibility through thoughtful and inclusive design. They’ll unveil the designs for eVITA, a next-generation electric wheelchair accessible vehicle (eWAV) and share the exciting next steps.

Talk: Fully charged – At home and on the road

11:30am to 12:15pm
  • Ed Curwen
    Innovation Manager, Motability Operations
  • Russ Morgan
    Russ Morgan
    Commercial Innovations Director, Ohme
  • Dan Mclaren
    UK EV Education Lead, bp pulse

Do you want to learn about charging an electric vehicle (EV) at home and on the road? Join us for an exciting talk where we’ll explore all things EV charging. You’ll discover more about charging at home with Ohme, bp pulse’s network of public chargepoints across the UK, and how Motability Go Charge can make finding and paying for public charging across the UK easier. All available when you lease an EV on the Motability Scheme! Do not miss this opportunity to hear from experts, ask questions, and get inspired by the future of charging.  

Studio chat: New app technology supporting accessible charging

11:30am to 11:55am
  • Lucy Frank
    Innovation Specialist, Motability Operations
  • Felicity Kelly
    Digital Innovation Lead, Motability Operations
  • Helen Dolphin
    Transport and accessibility consultant , Motability Scheme customer

Join hosts Helen and Mark as they chat to Lucy and Felicity from Motability Operations as they talk about our latest app technology and what news things are coming soon. They’ll explain how the apps are designed to help our customers locate, navigate to, and review accessible charging… plus a range of other great features too. This is also your chance to ask Lucy and Felicity any questions you may have.

Live tour: Powered wheelchair and scooters

1:00pm to 1:25pm
  • Jim Wood
    Jim Wood
    PWS Account Manager, Motability Operations
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

Join Jim Wood from Motability Operations and Mark Ormrod as they take you on a tour of the powered wheelchair and scooter area at The Big Event. With over 70 products on display they’ll be plenty to see. Jim will demonstrate different sized mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs and chat to the experts about the latest models available on the Scheme.

Steve Brown – BBC TV Presenter, Paralympian and Scheme customer

1:00pm to 1:50pm
  • Steve Brown
    BBC TV Presenter - Escape to the country & Countryfile, Motability Scheme Customer

If you love Escape to the country or watch Countryfile this is a great opportunity for you to hear from TV presenter and Paralympian Steve Brown. Steve will reveal his deeply personal story and share his own journey from suffering a spinal injury to being a Paralympian to emerging as a TV presenter with a national profile. He’ll share glimpses from his work on TV and his experience as a Motability Scheme customer….. they’ll be plenty of time for questions too.

Talk: Adaptations – Unlocking your everyday freedom

2:00pm to 2:25pm
  • James Horne
    Head of Accessible Vehicles, Motability Operations

Do you want to learn more about how car adaptations can help you or someone you know drive safely and comfortably? If so, you are invited to listen to Motability Operations adaptation expert James for an informative and inspiring talk covering;

  • Adaptations available on the Scheme to help you get in and out of a car, to drive and store things, such as rooftop stowage and car boot hoists.
  • Adaptation innovation and new solutions, features and technologies
  • The challenges as vehicles get more cyber security and what we’re doing to help to ensure the security and privacy of car adaptations.

This talk is a great opportunity to discover more about the world of adaptations and have your questions answered.

Studio chat: Answering your adaptation questions

2:30pm to 2:45pm
  • James Horne
    Head of Accessible Vehicles, Motability Operations
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

In this session we’ll firstly join Mark in the studio as he chats to James Horne about all things adaptations and puts your questions to him. We’ll then join Mark Ormrod and Dale Groves in the adaptation area for a quick tour and some product demonstrations.

Live tour: Adaptation display area

2:45pm to 2:55pm
  • Dale Groves
    WAV and Adaptations Account Manager, Motability Operations
  • Helen Dolphin
    Transport and accessibility consultant , Motability Scheme customer

Join Helen Dolphin and Dale Groves in the adaptation area for a quick tour and some product demonstrations with the experts.

Talk: Exploring the fast paced world of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

3:00pm to 3:25pm
  • James Horne
    Head of Accessible Vehicles, Motability Operations

Are you interested in learning more about wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) and how they can improve your mobility and independence?

Motability Operations WAV expert James will cover the latest trends and developments in the WAV market. He’ll share the exciting new models that have been launched and are coming soon. You will also find out about the new electric WAVs that are available and what’s coming in the future. Finally, you will learn how to find the best nearly new WAVs that are immediately available.  Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions, and get inspired by the possibilities of WAVs.

Studio chat: Welcome back to The Big Event – Day 2

9:30am to 9:45am
  • Helen Dolphin
    Transport and accessibility consultant , Motability Scheme customer
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer
  • Nigel Fletcher
    CEO, Motability Foundation

Helen Dolphin and Mark Ormrod will be kicking off day two of The Big Event Streamed Live! They’ll be guiding you through the days activities, to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

Joining them will be Motability Foundation CEO, Nigel Fletcher, who will discuss how the Motability Foundation works to make transport more accessible for disabled people, through grant-giving, research and innovation.

Live tour: EV Information Hub

9:45am to 10:00am
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer
  • James Horne
    Head of Accessible Vehicles, Motability Operations

Join host Mark Ormrod and Motability Operations expert James Horne as they take a quick tour of the EV Information Hub and chat to the experts from charging partners Ohme and bp pulse about everything electric.

Talk: It’s all about cars and the car industry

10:00am to 10:25am
  • Sam Wickenden
    Sam Wickenden
    Manufacturer Relations Manager, Motability Operations

Don’t miss this highly popular speaker session – Sam Wickenden, who has worked with car manufacturers for the past 7 years in his role at Motability Operations, will share his insights on all things cars and the car industry. He will cover the current trends in vehicle availability, the latest updates on the Motability Scheme, the evolution of EVs and the overall state of the car sector.

Studio chat: Let’s talk latest car and industry news

10:30am to 10:55am
  • Sam Wickenden
    Sam Wickenden
    Manufacturer Relations Manager, Motability Operations
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

Join Mark Ormrod as he chats to Sam Wickenden and puts your questions to him.

Talk: EV myth busting… the simple facts

11:00am to 11:25am
  • James Bird
    EV Section Manager, Nissan Motor GB

Do you have doubts or questions about electric vehicles (EVs)? If so, join us for an enlightening and entertaining talk where James will bust some of the most popular EV myths. You will learn about the real facts and figures of EVs, such as their range, cost, performance, and environmental impact. You will also discover the latest innovations and developments in the EV industry, such as new models. This talk is a great opportunity to learn more about EV’s and get your questions answered.

Studio chat: Euan’s Guide launches its latest access survey results

11:30am to 11:55am
  • Antonia Lee-Bapty
    Managing Director, Euan’s Guide
  • Helen Dolphin
    Transport and accessibility consultant , Motability Scheme customer

Join Helen Dolphin as she chats to Antonia from Euan’s Guide, the award-winning disabled access charity, best known for EuansGuide.com, the disabled access review website and the UK’s largest Access Survey. Helen will be asking Antonia about the latest survey results and share how you can take part in this year’s survey, launching in the autumn.

Talk: Fully charged – At home and on the road

1:00pm to 1:50pm
  • Ed Curwen
    Innovation Manager, Motability Operations
  • Russ Morgan
    Russ Morgan
    Commercial Innovations Director, Ohme
  • Dan Mclaren
    UK EV Education Lead, bp pulse

Do you want to learn about charging an electric vehicle (EV) at home and on the road? Join us for an exciting talk where we’ll explore all things EV charging. You’ll discover more about charging at home with Ohme, bp pulse’s network of public chargepoints across the UK, and how Motability Go Charge can make finding and paying for public charging across the UK easier. All available when you lease an EV on the Motability Scheme! Do not miss this opportunity to hear from experts, ask questions, and get inspired by the future of charging.

Studio chat: Meet our Scheme Partners – RAC, Kwik Fit & Direct Line Motability

2:00pm to 2:25pm
  • Sian Rowley
    Motability General Manager, RAC
  • Luke Penn
    Corporate Account Manager, Kwik-Fit
  • Ruth McQuade
    Claim Director, Direct Line Motability
  • Helen Dolphin
    Transport and accessibility consultant , Motability Scheme customer

Join Helen as she chats to our Scheme partners about insurance, breakdown cover and tyre replacement, which makes up the Motability Scheme’s all-inclusive leasing package. Helen will ask representatives from our Scheme partners about the most commonly asked questions they get and also put your questions to the experts too.

Talk: CHANGING MOTORSPORT. CHANGING LIVES.

2:30pm to 2:55pm
  • Mike Scudamore
    Commercial Director, Team BRIT

Take a pit-stop here and discover more about Team BRIT, the world’s only competitive team of all-disabled racing drivers.

Commercial Director Mike Scudamore will share how their new partnership with the Motability Scheme is supporting their mission to provide a level playing field for disabled racing drivers. He’ll explain how the cars are adpated for the race track, showcase the racing team and share the race schedule for 2024 . The team’s ultimate goal is to take an all-disabled team to race in the epic endurance race, the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Team BRIT are proud to be opening the door to motorsport for disabled drivers and Mike will share more about the Team BRIT recommended ‘route to racing’ for any disabled drivers eager to get started in the sport.

Live tour: Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle display area

3:00pm to 3:15pm
  • Graham Lloyd
    WAV and Adaptations Account Manager, Motability Operations
  • Mark Ormrod MBE
    Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete and author, Motability Scheme Ambassador and customer

Join Mark and WAV expert Graham Lloyd in the WAV area for a close up look at the features to consider when deciding which WAV is right for you. 

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