Ben Foley

@benwheels.bsky.social

369 Followers 182 Following

Campaigns and Policy Lead at Wheels for Wellbeing, but views my own. Published and promoted on behalf of Ben Foley and Bedford Green Party, both at 48 Olivier Ct, Bedford, MK40 2UU

Alt text: photo of Ben, masc presenting and middle aged, essentially clean shaven, wearing a straw hat, specs and a green polo shirt. In the background the distinctive stonework and windows of the Palace of Westminster in sunshine, and a bright blue sky with white wispy clouds.
Photo of Ben, masc presenting and middle aged, using wheelchair, wearing trilby hat, glasses and purple sweatshirt with a Green Party badge. Ben is holding out his hand showing radishes he’s just bought. To the left of Ben a group of six primary age children of various ethnicities, wearing blue tops and white aprons saying “School Food Matters”. One is holding a brown paper bag, and another a plant that is about 300mm tall. Behind them is their teacher, a bearded man wearing a green t-shirt. Also in the background another market stall and landmarks on the north side of St Peters Square, Bedford.
Map of England and Wales, with an area marked out and labeled Red, extreme heat. The area covers much of southern England and south Wales, including Greater London, Bedford, Birmingham, Swansea and Taunton. A wider area is covered by the Amber extreme heat warning, including virtually all of the parts of England and Wales visible.
Group of smartly dressed people applauding, virtually all pale skinned and middle aged. In front of them, and facing the same direction as them, a masc presenting wheelchair user wearing specs, a trilby hat, a colourful sweatcshirt and grey trousers. All of the group are wearing orange lanyards. They are in a room dressed with drapery at the ceiling and windows as a pavilion, and with high tables with long tablecloths on them. On the one table able to be seen clearly, and blurred in the foreground are champagne flutes.
Coloured bar chart. Headline: Greens 2nd place and highest ever vote share. REFUK: 29% (-3) Green: 19% (+2) LAB: 17% (+3) CON: 17% (-1) LDM: 11% (-) changes from 21 January. Source Find Out Now 28 January. Graphic from Green Elects.
Screenshot of a social media post from Bedford & Kempston Conservatives. The main item is a green-coloured montage, with text "Tell your residents the truth - you voted for it!" "Green Party voted for East West Rail 'Route E' Demolishing homes and businesses." "Facts cannot lie". On it is a photo of Ben Foley and buildings that look similar to some buildings in Ashburnham Road.
Montage of three leaflets with titles "Castle and Newnham Green" "Kempston News" and "Greyfriars Green". While each has a different design, each of them features prominently on the front page a story about saying "no". Accompanying text visible includes "Council want to make the poorest pay" and "Overspending by the Tory-run council has left it in financial trouble. Now to balance the books they want to cut council tax support for the poorest. They're consulting on council tax support changes. These changes will mean everybody who qualifies for council tax support will pay hundreds of pounds..."
Photo of Bedford's four Green councillors, with at the top, a Green Party logo and at the bottom the words "Green Win" and "Bedford Council vote to oppose EWR demolitions". The four councillors are all middle aged and wearing coats with Green Party badges, three of the councillors are white. On the left, one who is masc presenting, wearing a trilby hat and specs, next one femme presenting with light coloured hair, then one masc presenting with dark hair and 'salt and pepper' facial hair, finally one femme presenting with grey hair and a handbag. They are in sunlight with autumnal trees behind them.
Photo of five white envelopes, four with the words "private and confidential", three with windows visible. One has "Overdue" printed in red on the envelope, a second "Final notice" and a third has a red exclamation mark and obscured other parts in red.
Graphic saying "Former Labour Councillor Defects to Green Party in Bedford" with Green Party logo. Then picture of Caroline. Caroline is wearing a Green Party badge on her black coat. Caroline is white and middle aged with fairly short grey hair, and her specs are up on the top of her head. Overlaid, "Cllr Caroline White, Kempston Central and East, Bedford Borough Council". In the background, grass with trees with autumnal leaves and a brick/stone building as the backdrop.
Screenshot of social media post from Election Maps UK, 30 Oct 2025. Westminster voting intention: RefUK: 32% (=) Green: 17% (+2) Con: 16% (-1) Lab: 16% (=) LibDem: 12% (=) SNP: 2% (=) Via @FindOutNowUK, 29 Oct. Changes compared with 22 Oct.
Selfie. In the foreground, Ben, white, masc-presenting, clean shaven, wearing a trilby hat and specs, In the background a display showing the words "...up and closing", with below them in smaller writing and largely obscured text from the live captions "have to rush for the train... ...look forward to it..." Between, a small huddle of people near the stage
Photo of Ben on a balcony at rooftop level, with block towering above him to the right. He's holding up in front of himself a leaflet that says "Greyfriars Green, Ben and James's Issue 22 Tell them 'No'! Council want to make the poorest pay! Overspending by the Tory-run council has... [edge of photo]...financial trouble. Now to balance the books... ...cut council tax support for the poorest."
Photo of Road junction. It is completely impossible for anyone to cross the side road near the junction because of the large number of Lime bikes at the junction, even sticking out into the carriageway of the ‘main’ road.
Photo of Ben (white, masc presenting, wearing specs and a trilby hat). Behind, a window with lead glazing bar and just visible through the window, a broad river.
Screenshot of a tweet from Simon Lightwood MP. Jul 21. "Everyone deserves safe, accessible transport. That’s why we’re extending e-scooter trials to 2028 and expanding them to new towns to learn how best to regulate them. We’re also looking at our mobility aid laws so disabled people can use the devices they need for independence." Accompanied with a photo, the alt text for which was "Hire escooters parked in a line in a designated parking area", image attribution Department for Transport.
Photo of Ben smiling and looking down to the camera. Ben is masc presenting, wearing a straw hat, a pale sweater with a white open collar showing. Behind Ben is the Palace of Westminster, with the Elizabeth Tower (aka Big Ben) visible.
Photo of two people sat on stage in armchairs, talking to each other. Both Middle aged and white. To the left, masc presenting, wearing a white shirt. To the right, side view of someone femme presenting, wearing a stripy top and brown leggings. Behind them a roller banner saying “Creating safer streets” and another sign saying “Active City York 2025”
White, Middle Aged man standing alone on a stage, microphone in hand. In the background a pop-up banner from Active Travel England “Transforming the school run”
Selfie taken in a high ceilinged room. Closest to camera on the right, masc presenting person wearing straw hat and blue casual shirt with three white stripes, and around the neck a lanyard saying "visitor". Behind and to the left, Baroness Grey-Thompson, with short light-coloured hair, typing into a laptop. To the left, a femme presenting person with hair tied up, perhaps in her 30s, hands held out in front gesticulating while she talks. To the left, another femme presenting person wearing a dress with a Greek key pattern in black and white, she has longer hair. To the left, two further people, not easy to discern in shiloette as light streams in from the window behind them. Behind the speaker is the top of a banner saying "The Accessible Transport Policy Commission".
Angled picture of two people, both smiling. Flat ground runs top left to bottom right in the picture. On the left, masc presenting, clean shaved person wearing straw hat and dark blue casual shirt. To the right, femme presenting person, with shoulder length brown hair, wearing sunglasses and a long blue dress with a red pattern. Partly visible between the two, a wheelchair, clearly not being sat on by either. To the right at a steep angle, red bricks of a modern building and a red London bus.
4 people sat on stage. All 4 wearing dark trousers. From the left, two middle aged femme presenting people, each wearing fairly informal jackets. The leftmost is looking right. 2nd is looking straight ahead, with shoulder length hair. Next, a masc presenting person looking straight ahead, one hand up towards his face. Finally, a masc person (me) right hand pointing to a screen behind, holding a microphone with their left. I'm wearing my trilby hat & brightly coloured sweatshirt. On my lap are sheets of paper, and in front of me, my wheelchair. Behind me presentation slide. Some text is unreadable in the picture. What is clearly visible is the word "Infrastructure", logos for ECF, Wheels for Wellbeing & Velo City. Slide includes four photos. Top right there's a photo of an access barrier at a park entrance. Bottom left, a chicane barrier. Bottom centre a blocked cycle lane with a "cyclists dismount" sign. Bottom right, a road with steep crossfall on pavement alongside and vegetation.
Quote "I got to know Ani best when during a visit to Bristol on Party business, Ani walked with me through their ward, and we compared notes on representing inner-urban deprived wards./I've been impressed by Ani's level-headed response to issues and dedication to the Party and to equality" Quote is presented in white on a dark green background with massive quotation marks. On lighter green, top right the words Ani Townsend for Deputy Leader. Bottom left Ben Foley/Councillor/Bedford. Bottom right a circular picture of Ben, masc presenting, wearing a trilby hat, specs and a red and white scarf. In the background tower blocks.
Selfie on a train. Outside of the window, woodland. In the foreground to the left, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat, with collar of a polo shirt visible.
Selfie on a train. Outside of the window, woodland. In the foreground to the left, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat, with collar of a polo shirt visible.
Street scene dominated by emergency service vehicles of all sorts. In the middle, a set of traffic lights, and a Liverpool flag flying from those traffic lights.
Photo of people sat around a table. To the left two masc people wearing suits. On the far side of the table four people, two masc wearing blue shirts, two femmes wearing pink tops. Those include Fabian Hamilton MP and Ruth Cadbury MP
Selfie of me, a middle aged masc presenting person with another person wearing a Wheels For Wellbeing tshirt. The other person is also middle aged and masc presenting, but a person of colour wearing specs. Behind us an audience in a lecture theatre and in the background, just about visible, the panel.
Sian Berry MP (right) talking to Chris Boardman (left) with Mark Strong (middle) also concentrating on what Sian was saying. Sian is side-on and pictured from slightly behind, largely silohetted against the window, with glazing bars much in evidence. Sian has long blonde hair and gesticulates towards Chris Boardman. Mark has a bald head and smiles while looking in the direction of Sian. Chris Boardman looks relaxed, with hands possibly in pockets, but also clearly paying attention to Sian.
Selfie of Ben Foley - middle aged masc presenting - wearing a trilby hat, with in the background the Elizabeth Tower (known as Big Ben).
Selfie of Ben (middle-aged masc-presenting, clean shaven, wearing a trilby hat) at the back of a room with others seated, generally looking to the front left of the room. At the front of the room is a display screen, but brightness of the screen means no text is visible.
Graphic shows a row of houses and a man washing a motorhome on a driveway, with further vehicles of various sizes parked in more driveways and on the pavement down the road. A couple riding a tandem tricycle are talking to the man, who has a hand on hip in an assertive pose. Caption reads “Well I’m sorry, I just don’t think anything big enough to store that tandem should be allowed in front of a house.” The Wheels for Wellbeing and My Cycle, My Mobility Aid logos are in the bottom left hand corner. A signature Kate Ball for WfW is in the bottom right hand corner.
Photo of an a-frame access control barrier and horse style at the entrance to a traffic free route. Both barriers make the route difficult or impossible to access by anyone using a mobility scooter of non-standard cycle like a trike. Text says 'monitoring access control barrier removal on traffic free walking, wheeling and cycling routes'. Logos of the university of Westminster, the active travel academy, and motability.
Title: “Thinking about modal filters” Subtitle: “This sheet is to aid discussion in accessible design for Disabled people walking/wheeling, cycling, using public transport & private vehicles” Image: A bus gate modal filter. On the right, a footway with a long cane user walking away. A person on a recumbent trike is on a side road. People on a side-by-side cycle & a powerchair user are passing through the bus gate on carriageway. Sustainable drainage features are on either side. Controlled and uncontrolled crossings at various locations. A parent with children is cycling on road. Two children, one using a powerchair & the other a kick scooter, are on the left hand pavement. Labels on image: Footway width? Street furniture & sight lines? Drainage, cleaning & maintenance? Shelter design & position? Crossing depth &type? Tactile paving. Signage? Controls? Colour contrasts? Cycle lane width? Gradients? Island dimensions? Stop type audio alerts on bus. Kerb shapes, heights & materials?
Shared bus stop boarders Title: “Thinking about shared bus stop boarders” Subtitle: “This sheet is to aid discussion in accessible design for Disabled people walking/wheeling, cycling, using public transport & private vehicles” Image: A shared bus stop boarder. On the right, a red bus with a manual wheelchair and long cane user coming out onto the narrow buffer strip. To the left of the island is a cycle lane with a wide controlled crossing. A cyclist is waiting at the crossing. To the left of the cycle lane is a pavement with a bus shelter. A person is standing waiting at the bus shelter and another is riding a mobility scooter away. Labels on the image: Footway width? Street furniture & sight lines? Drainage, cleaning & maintenance? Shelter design? Tactile paving. Signage & Controls? Colour contrasts? Buffer dimensions? Cycle lane width? Gradients? Island dimensions? Stop type audio alerts on bus. Kerb shapes, heights & materials?
Title: “Thinking about bus stop bypasses” Subtitle: “This sheet is to aid discussion in accessible design for Disabled people walking/wheeling, cycling, using public transport & private vehicles” Image: A bus stop bypass. On the right, a red bus with a powerchair user going in up a ramp. A woman using a rollator accompanying two children and a bus shelter are also on the bus stop island. To the left of the island is a cycle lane with a wide zebra crossing, which has tactile paving along both sides. A tricyclist is riding on the cycle lane. To the left of the cycle lane is a pavement. A person on a mobility scooter and a person with a guide dog are on the pavement. Labels on the image ask: Footway width? Street furniture & sight lines? Drainage, cleaning & maintenance? Shelter design & position? Crossing depth and type? Tactile paving. Signage? Controls? Colour contrasts? Cycle lane width? Gradients? Island dimensions? Stop type audio alerts on bus. Kerb shapes, heights and materials?
Woodcut image of Stephan Farffler, using the world's first known cycle, a handcycle that he designed and built in the mid 17th century
Graphic with heading "Wheels for Wellbeing Photobank Launch 14th December 2023 Photo of two people riding tricycles on a road, going past a mural of Rosa May Billinghurst, pictured using her handcycle at a "Votes for Women" protest. Below, a quote “Active Travel England is proud to have supported this work. With a wide choice of great images in the Wheels for Wellbeing photobank, there are now no more excuses for failure to represent the diversity of cyclists and cycles. I would urge anyone working in Active Travel to sign up and start using this free and easy to use resource” - Chris Boardman, National Active Travel Commissioner At the bottom, are the Wheels for Wellbeing and My Cycle My Mobility Aid logos in blue and orange.