Wheelchair bookings for Ron Short Centre
RON SHORT CENTRE members are pleased to have received their first booking for new power-assisted wheelchairs, one of which will be taken out this weekend.
Following a donation from the Sure Community Foundation and Revival Guernsey, four of the wheelchairs are available to be booked out from the centre free of charge by anyone needing them.
‘It was really exciting for us because our charitable aim is to support people with physical and sensory disabilities,’ said Ron Short Centre managing director Rob Harnish.
‘For people with disabilities there are a lot of added pressures already – we want to relieve as many pressures as possible.’
The centre also offers work for people with disabilities who are unable to access employment because of their lower rate of work, so running this new service has provided jobs too.
The booking and delivery of the new service will be run by the social enterprise team, of which Anthony Pengelley is a part. ‘I’ve got a lot of jobs – I charge the wheelchairs up and I’ll show people what to do,’ he said.
‘They make it easy to get around to different places and they are easy to get in the car.’
Fellow team member Claire Harbottle said she usually worked in the shop but was excited to have handled the first booking for the new wheelchairs.
‘I work at the till and with inputting data,’ she added.
‘We had our first booking for the weekend.’
Mr Harnish said the chairs are accessible and require no big effort to use because they need only to be steered.
‘Some people do a little for a lot of people, but we do a lot for a lower number of people with big needs – it changes lives and we have to constantly grow and develop,’ he added.
‘This has also allowed us to expand on the wonderful work Anthony and Claire can do.’
He was grateful for the donation, which would make a difference to people’s lives.
‘We rely on the kindness of trusts, companies and individuals to make our work possible.’
n Power-assisted wheelchairs can be booked for any period of time, from an hour’s trip from a care home to the end of recovery from an operation, by calling 724333. They can be collected from the Ron Short Centre at Beau Sejour.
