LORD RENNARD VISITS NEWLIFE
Big Society Commissioner Lord Rennard has made an impromptu visit to the Newlife store in Cannock to find out more about the work of the UK's leading disability charity.
Lord Rennard takes a keen interest in disability issues and so was delighted to see for himself the trading company that exists solely to support the aims of Newlife Foundation which provides essential equipment for disabled and terminally ill children.
He was accompanied by his wife, Lady Ann, who before retirement, was the head of an Early Years Centre so is very much aware of the needs of disabled children. They toured the offices and talked to Newlife's nursing team about the growing demand on the charity's services. Calls to its Helpline - 0800 902 0095 - are up 109 per cent on the same period in 2011.
Newlife's CEO, Sheila Brown, OBE, said: "We were delighted to welcome Lord Rennard and his wife to the store and have the opportunity to talk to him about issues affecting disabled children and their families. One pressing matter concerns the Road Traffic Act* and how it is preventing some of our most disabled children accessing powered wheelchairs."
Lord Rennard has offered to host a campaign event at the House of Lords to highlight this issue and raise Newlife's concern at this outdated law.
* ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT
Newlife is seeking an amendment to the Road Traffic Act 1988 which not only bans children under 14 from using very technologically advanced wheelchairs - a ‘class three vehicle' weighing up to 150kg - it classes wheelchairs heavier than 150kg as cars, which means users must theoretically be over 17 and have a driving licence to use.
Since 1988 wheelchair technology has improved greatly - accessories added to wheelchairs can make them lie flat, stand straight or rise and lower to suit the given environment. All these changes have inevitably caused an increased weight to the average chair.
Currently a wheelchair weighing more than the 150kg limit would be technically classified as a car. Users would therefore have to meet statutory requirements for car ownership, tax, insurance etc. Mirrors and lights would also have to be added. The Department for Transport has confirmed that any powered wheelchair weighing over 150kg is "non-compliant" and would be at risk of confiscation.
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Pictured: Mrs Sheila Brown OBE, Lord Rennard and Lady Ann
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