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Wheelchair buggy helps families 'make memories' on beach

Angela FergusonNorth West
Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs A wheelchair buggy is in a car park. It looks like a sturdy pushchair with large inflatable grey wheels.Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs
The new buggy is suitable for babies old enough to use a pushchair and toddlers up to about the age of three

A charity has said families of all ages will now be able to access a beach to make precious memories together thanks to a new baby beach buggy.

Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs (FBW) in Lancashire can now cater for all ages - from babies to pensioners - after taking delivery of the the buggy, which has large balloon-like tyres.

The charity's chair of trustees Michael Gray said it was important that families, including those with loved ones with terminal illnesses, were able to enjoy a trip to the beach together to "make memories".

"Now we can cater for everyone, from babies to great grandparents, so no one is left out," he said.

Gray said the volunteer-run charity's ethos was that beaches should be accessible to people with disabilities, with visitors travelling there from across the north west and as far afield as Yorkshire.

Prior to the new special baby buggy being purchased, babies and toddlers would have had to be catered for using wheelchairs designed for older children or adults, with on-the-spot adaptations having to be made to ensure they were suitable.

Gray said they expected the new buggy to be used for the first time this weekend.

Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs Four older people are using beach wheelchairs. They are lined up on the sand, with the sea behind them. A man on the left is using one that a support frame, while three people next to him are sitting in beach wheelchairs. They are all smiling.Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs
The charity says it can now offer specialised buggies for all ages from babies to pensioners

The organisation had some funding available and so they "could not resist the opportunity to get one [a beach wheelchair] exclusively for the little ones", he added.

"These would take from just about any age of child who could be put into a pushchair up to the age of about three."

Beach wheelchairs "creating special memories"

He said being involved with the charity was "very rewarding" for volunteers and they loved their work.

The charity, which was set up in 2020 and has supported more than 1,700 people to date, also has two bright yellow children's chairs available for hire.

Gray said when the charity was first set up their ambition was to get three chairs in three years but they were pleased to have got 10 chairs in 12 months.

Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs Four beach buggies with large grey wheels are parked up on a paved area to the front of the organisation's building. Two teddy bears, including Winnie the Pooh, are seated in two of the buggies.Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs
Some of the other wheelchairs which visitors to the organisation in Fleetwood can hire out

The wheelchairs are all free to hire when the centre, based at Central Car Park in Fleetwood, opens between 10:30 and 16:30 BST at weekends.

Anyone interested in using them is encouraged to pre-book, although they can be hired out on the day.

There are 10 disabled parking spaces available, along with changing facilities.

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