With funds from the National Lottery, The Forth and Tay Disabled Ramblers have chosen a TGA Breeze mobility scooter so more people can enjoy their organised rambles.
The Forth and Tay Disabled Ramblers was set up in 2002 and its volunteers organise 15 accessible scooter rambles each year. The 50 members meet up at different scenic places between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Tay in East Scotland. The charity had several older scooters and needed a new one that was able to drive offroad.
As a charity, the Ramblers need donations to buy equipment, service scooters and organise events so Chairperson Sheila Batchelor applied to the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland for help. They already had an older Breeze that was ‘built as strong as a tank’, so they knew another one would provide comfort and safety over rocky tracks and muddy trails. Sheila was successful with her bid and Harry from TGA delivered the new Breeze S4 in January – to the delight of everyone involved with the charity.
The Breeze will be for all members to use however it is particularly ideal for Sheila as she has MS. With limited movement in her right arm, it was becoming harder for Shelia to join in on rambles. Now with a Breeze, that has been adapted to have left hand controls, she can explore in complete control whilst enjoying the company of fellow ramblers.
Sheila explains: “I contacted TGA to enquire about purchasing an all-terrain TGA Breeze. We required the controls to be switched to the left-hand side and Samantha from TGA could not have been more helpful. The whole process was entirely straightforward, and we took delivery of the scooter less than two weeks later. Harry delivered the scooter, arriving at the allotted time and again was extremely helpful and knowledgeable, taking time to explain all functions of the scooter and making sure it was correctly adjusted. The service offered by TGA staff is exemplary.”
After driving the new Breeze for the first time Sheila said: “It is a very stylish and robust scooter – ideal for our needs and more than capable of tackling some of the rough terrain we encounter on our rambles. The controls are easy to use for a disabled person, as are the adjustments to the comfortable seat and tiller. Six disabled members and a support team of volunteers and family members are to undertake the challenge of completing the Great Glen Way, from Fort William to Inverness in May this year to raise funds. The TGA Breeze will be an asset to our effort.”
The Forth and Tay Disabled Ramblers need funds to continue. In addition to raising money themselves they are always looking for donations. They hope to purchase another Breeze to help with the 6-day, 66-mile, Great Glen Way challenge.
Donations to the Forth and Tay Disabled Ramblers can be made here.
