Service opens in Cambridge offering short-term hire of a wide range of mobility equipment
A British Red Cross service that helps people stay independent and mobile has opened at a new site in Lothbury House in Cambridge.
The mobility aids service provides a wide range of assistive equipment available to hire for short- to medium-term use, for a reasonable hire charge. This includes manual wheelchairs, toilet and bathroom equipment, and walking aids.
Wheelchair hire is available for £20 a week, which includes free wheelchair accessories. An additional £25 charge for the delivery and collection of wheelchairs is also available in most areas, according to British Red Cross.
British Red Cross’ new mobility aids service is already helping people who need a short-term wheelchair hire or other accessories to help them maintain independence at home.
Joanna Hutchings, Mobility Aids Service Assistant for the British Red Cross, said: “It is fantastic to be here at our new site in Cambridge.
“We know this service makes a genuine difference to people’s lives and our charity’s research has shown that wheelchairs can support people to recover from illness and injury, improving choice, independence and wellbeing.
“We are always looking for new volunteers to join our exciting team so that we can help as many people as possible.”
The service is run by a team of volunteers and staff and is open to the public four days each week.
Alongside the charity’s hire range, it is possible for people to purchase second-hand items that have been donated to the service. The charity is always grateful for donations of good-quality mobility equipment.
British Red Cross also provides local support to people who experience difficulties with their mobility following surgery, accidents, and illnesses.
The Cambridge service can be contacted by phone on 07590 962907 and is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday each week from 10am to 3pm.
British Red Cross also encourages people to get in touch with the store who need a wheelchair but will struggle to cover the cost, as the charity might be able to help in this area.
The charity is the biggest national provider of wheelchairs for short-term use, loaning 53,700 mobility aids and making 87,000 deliveries through its community equipment service in 2021.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to implement a project to provide internally displaced persons in the country with vital assistive technologies.
Specialised AT10 kits have been procured and distributed in Ukraine. Each kit contains 10 types of assistive products identified as most needed by Ukrainians in emergencies, which includes wheelchairs, walking sticks, crutches, and more.