Press Release

17th November 08

Press release

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POWER CHAIR USERS WANTED FOR NEW ADVENTURE CLUB
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By Emma Foster, Community Newswire
SPORT Powerchair Newcastle, 13 Nov 2008 - 13:40

A 61-year-old Newcastle woman is calling on power chair users from across the country to join her club and take part in sports, rallies, trips and other challenges.

Mary Lever, who is severely disabled due to rheumatoid arthritis, has set up the Power Chair Challenge Club and now wants disabled and able-bodied people to join her.
The club already has a constitution, a bank account and a blog and Mary says now it just needs members and volunteers to help run it.

The Forest Hall woman says she wants to go out and have fun in her Alber Adventure Power Chair, and wants other power chair users to join her in activities such as rallies, extreme sports and even a ride from Perth to Sydney in Australia.

She said: "The idea has been in my head for a long time, I've always wanted to find other people in power wheelchairs because there's nothing out there for us. There are no power chair clubs.
"There are lots of things for manual wheelchairs but nothing out there for people like me, even though there are thousands of power chairs in the North East.

"People in power chairs need the support of a club to get out and about. Power chairs can only go for as long as their batteries last so we need to have generator to charge up.

"I go out on a long ride on my own and my power chair breaks down how do I get back? It's a long way for a carer to push me so it can become very awkward to do something off track."
Sports, a display formation team, fundraising activities, social events, holidays and trips are just some of the plans Mary has for for the club once it gets going.

Mary continues: "The scope for what we can do is enormous - we could have social events such as power chair dancing and do sports.

"Why can't we play tennis from a power chair? And hockey, basketball and of course football.
"One good thing about being in a power chair is we do not have to do the running bit, so we can compete with people much younger than ourselves!"

The Power Chair Challenge Club is open to people of all ages and abilities with any kind of power chair, scooter or trike.

Mary adds: "I called it a challenge club because for some people who are stuck in a house, just to go out in their wheelchair and do a few yards can be a challenge.

"My challenge is Lands End to John O'Groates or Perth to Sydney, but the club is open all abilities and all ages. I thought we could divide routes into a, b and c for different types of chair and levels of ability."

Anyone who can help organise a ride, be a bike rider on a challenge, join the club's committee, help with publicity or transport is also invited to join the club.

Last year Mary tried driving her power chair from Lands End to John O'Groats but had to stop after a day after she felt there were not enough people in the care team to cope with the demands.

Mary is now planning a second attempt at the challenge in May/June next year to raise money for the British Legion, and is inviting four other power chair users to join her.

For more information or to join the club contact Mary on 0191 266 5197 or email mary.laver.e2e@googlemail.com. To read Mary's blog visit www.powerwheelchaire2e.blogspot.com.