The DDMC team take a quick break from chatting to members, old and new, at Donington Park

North to South

With two Mobility Roadshows – one in England and one in
Scotland – as well as another event in the south of England, it's been a busy summer . . . but we've been at them all chatting with members and capturing the atmosphere on camera.

And if you didn't fancy a trip north . . .

Gowrings Mobility, organisers of the regional disability event, Mobility South at Newbury Racecourse, has billed the show a brilliant success. At just under 2,000, the number of visitors to the show more than doubled from the previous year, some having travelled from as far away as Sheffield, Essex, Bournemouth and North Wales.
Rather than focus on the quantity of exhibitors and visitors, Gowrings say they handpicked a careful selection of likeminded, reputable organisations and charities which would provide visitors with a diverse range of products and services in a relaxed and pressure-free environment.
Linda Ling, Gowrings MD, said: “Feedback from our customers is that, at some exhibitions, they just donʼt have time to actually talk to us about their needs.
"They are too busy trying to get round to all the stands, and when they do get there, they have to queue. And some find the sheer size of the layout physically exhausting and the number of exhibits confusing.
“That is why at Mobility South we limited the numbers of stands yet provided a full cross-section of products and services for visitors to try out. We are absolutely delighted with the result. Visitors managed to get round the entire show without hurrying, and exhibitors were pleased that they could have long conversations with customers.”
Two new products were unveiled at the show. Techmobility,
manufacturers and suppliers of vehicle adaptations for disabled
drivers and passengers, launched a new hand control system, the VOR Infra-Red Switch Controller. The compact system enables drivers to operate 12 functions including all the lights, indicators, horn and windscreen wipers. It is the only system approved by the main manufacturers including Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Nissan.
The Gowrings Mobility 4 IN 4 power chair also made its debut, attracting very positive feedback. It was the first power chair to be successfully crash-tested and it is compatible with most wheelchair accessible vehicles, both in a passenger and driver situation.
Joan and Len Casson, who travelled to the show from Oxfordshire, said: “This has been a brilliant day out. We picked up just as much information as we did at a much larger exhibition last month, and the best thing was that we managed to visit three stands we couldn't get to.”
The art and photographic gallery by the Disabled Photographer's Society & Mouth & Foot Painters Association provided a wonderful backdrop to the show. Tom Yendell, an artist with the Mouth & Foot Painters, commented, “It was fabulous. I liked the fact that visitors felt relaxed enough to stay, watch me paint and have a chat.”
In addition to the main exhibition, local carers from the West Berkshire Princess Royal Trust for Carers were treated to pampering and massage sessions. Christine Eeley, Business Support & Development, Princess Royal Trust for Carers said, “It was such a lovely and original idea to give something back to our carers, who spend all their time looking after other people.
They really appreciated it and enjoyed a little bit of pampering,
themselves.”
Gowrings says it will hold Mobility South in Newbury again next year, with dates still to be confirmed.