SPORTS WHEELCHAIR DEVELOPED BY BRISTOL CHARITY

A sports wheelchair, designed and developed in Bristol, is revolutionising disability sport across the world making the taking part in sport affordable for disabled people.

The international charity Motivation, based in Backwell, near Bristol, developed the wheelchair at the request of the International Paralympic Committee, because many wheelchair sports enthusiasts could not afford the £1,500 cost of a specialist wheelchair.

Two versions of the Motivation Sports Wheelchair have now been developed at less than a third of the cost. Developed and designed in Bristol and manufactured overseas they are being brought into the UK through Royal Portbury Dock as they are proving popular with UK wheelchair athletes.

Profits from every wheelchair sold are re-invested into the charity’s main work – changing the lives of disabled people through the design and distribution of affordable flat-pack wheelchairs for use in poor and challenging environments.

David Constantine, a wheelchair user and one of the founders of Motivation in 1991, said: “With London 2012 just round the corner the new wheelchair is opening up opportunities for hundreds of people wanting to participate in sports including wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.

“For 20 years we have been designing wheelchairs for use overseas where there is rough terrain and where conditions are very different to the UK. Some of those techniques have been put to use in the sports wheelchairs.

“The steel frame is what makes it affordable and enables it to be maintained and repaired easily. The wheelchair is slightly heavier than the usual aluminium sports models on the market but that does not impair speed or movement.

“We designed it to develop grassroots wheelchair sport in developing countries but it is proving incredibly popular in the UK because of its affordability and design.”

The wheelchair was tested by the Bristol-based South West Scorpions basketball team, who train at Filton College. It has also won praise from Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain’s best-known wheelchair athlete who serves in the House of Lords.

She said: “One of the biggest barriers to wheelchair sports is the cost of the equipment. Many sports wheelchairs are designed for the elite market; this means that wheelchair users can be put off trying a new sport (because their day-to-day wheelchair isn’t suitable) or they face a huge price-tag.

“Motivation’s Sports Wheelchair enables people all over the world to be active which in turn gives them more opportunities to improve their quality of life.  The chairs are a fraction of the cost of many of the sports chairs I’ve seen, whilst still maintaining a good quality for the demanding sports environment.”

Two models have been created the Spin off for basketball and the Quick Hit for tennis players and are available in both adult and junior sizes.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Motivation by Empica. For further information contact Martin Powell (01275) 394400.