Mobility business taking part in repair scheme to help people with disabilities
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A former Wick woman is playing her part in a scheme to keep older people and those with disabilities on the move.
Carol Elliot is managing director of Inverness-based City Mobility, which is taking part in the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme by giving a helping hand to users of wheelchairs, powerchairs and mobility scooters.
City Mobility is one of 300 businesses and projects involved in the scheme, which offers £50 towards the repair or service of a manual wheelchair, or puncture repairs or tyre replacements on mobility scooters and powerchairs.
It says it is "the first business in Scotland participating in the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme that hasn’t touched a bike".
The scheme is aimed at people who would otherwise struggle to afford to have their equipment serviced or repaired. It seeks to get equipment out of sheds and garages across the country and back in use.
Carol said that, as a person with a disability herself, it is always import to her to ensure people with disabilities can access these opportunities as easily as everyone else.
“We are delighted to be able to help people get their mobility equipment back in use through the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme," she said.
"We’ve had a really good response which shows there is a real need here. People want to be able to get out and about safely and not have to rely on others, so a mobility scooter is ideal for that."
Carol (formerly Punnett) lives on the Black Isle with husband Steve, who is from Sutherland. They are owners of Able Care as well as City Mobility, both specialist mobility businesses.
Some 30,000 people are set to benefit from the repair scheme, which is funded by Transport Scotland and administered by Cycling UK.
City Mobility goes to customers’ homes anywhere in the Highland, Moray, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire local authority areas to do the repairs.
Shona Morris, Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme programme manager at Cycling UK, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many bike shops and community organisations getting involved in this scheme. The Covid crisis has hit many people hard, so we know it can be difficult to pay for essential repairs right now.
"We’d encourage those people to dig their bike or mobility equipment out of the shed or garage, get it fixed up and get travelling again.”
To check if you are eligible or for more information go to City Mobility’s website at www.city-mobility.co.uk
To book a repair call 01463 250850 or 01224 452850.
City Mobility is also offering people whose mobility scooter is beyond repair the opportunity to win a new Pride Apex Lite mobility scooter in time for Christmas. More details of how to enter the free competition can be found on the City Mobility Inverness and Aberdeen Facebook page.
