Archived press release

Date Published: 04/09/07

Aylesbury’s award-winning Shopmobility scheme is giving residents and visitors to the town centre the opportunity to try out its services. To celebrate their 10th anniversary this year, Aylesbury Shopmobility will be holding an open day on ...

Aylesbury’s award-winning Shopmobility scheme is giving residents and visitors to the town centre the opportunity to try out its services.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary this year, Aylesbury Shopmobility will be holding an open day on 12 September where members of the public will be able to come along and try the electric scooters that are available for loan.

Visitors can also take part in a tombola with some fantastic prizes up for grabs and see a photography exhibition focusing on the history of the scheme.

The Aylesbury Vale District Council-funded service is based on the ground floor of the Civic Centre car park and first opened its doors to the public on 12 November 1997.

Shopmobility is a scheme which lends manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and powered scooters to members of the public with limited mobility to shop and to visit leisure and commercial facilities within towns, cities and shopping centres.

The free service in Aylesbury currently has more than 1,000 users on its books and is typically attracting about 10 new members every month.

It has 16 electric scooters, 22 manual wheelchairs and six powered wheelchairs at its disposal between 9am and 4pm from Monday to Friday and on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm.

This year Aylesbury’s Shopmobility service proved to be a leader in customer care after winning a national award for its excellent service. The Shopmobility team, led by Val Lewis, saw off competition from more than 200 services across the country to be presented with the prestigious Tom Hillier award.

The annual award was set up in memory of the founder of the National Federation of Shopmobility UK, Tom Hillier, and is given to those services which go over and above the high standards which the Federation sets. Visitors to the open day will be able to see the trophy and meet the award-winning team.

Val Lewis, Shopmobility Co-ordinator, said: “Shopmobility isn’t just for older people or those who are registered disabled – it’s for anyone, young or old, no matter whether their disability is temporary or permanent. Shopmobility is an excellent scheme that can make life easier for many people and hopefully residents and visitors to the town centre will take this opportunity to try the service and help us celebrate our tenth anniversary.”

Councillor Netta Glover, Chairman of the Council, said: “Shopmobility in Aylesbury is going from strength to strength and has been a real success story since its introduction to the town back in 1997. Everyone at AVDC is immensely proud of the service Shopmobility offers to people and I would like to thank the staff and volunteers for all the hard work they have put into making the scheme the success that it is.”
    
The Shopmobility open day will be held at the Civic Centre car park on 12 September between 10.30am and 3pm. For further details, please call the Shopmobility team on 01296 336725 or email shopmobility@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk