Press release

24 August 2009

Mary Laver

Travelling the longest path in the UK, in a ‘Alex Power Chair.’

Between 18th July and 12th August 2009, Mary drove her ‘Alex’ power chair from Lands End 2 John o’Groats, a distance of 965 miles.

Mary did not do this journey with family but a team of seven people, four of whom she had never meet before. The team was made up of four guys and three girls of different ages and backgrounds. Mary was the 8th member of the team and the power chair user.

Her dependence on the other team members was total. Mary cannot do anything for herself and had to be hoisted into her chair and onto her bed. This meant that her team bedsides putting up tents, cooking meals, driving vehicles, riding bikes, had to feed and water her, do all her personal care and a team member had to sleep in her tent as she need looking after during the night. Mary’s disability is caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Mary says that the journey its self was hard. She drove her ‘Alex power chair’ between 45/55 miles per day using mainly minor A & B class roads. To be part of a team that had one goal for 26 days was to get her from Lands End 2 John o’Groats was a shear joy and honour, says Mary.

Mary has a ghostwriter now looking at writing a book about this incredible journey.

If you want to read, more about Mary’s journey then go to http://powerwheelchaire2e.blogspot.com/

Mary is now looking to next year and getting a new challenge together, if you would like to do the same and have any ideas then please write her. Her email is mary.laver.e2e@googlemail.com