The Mobility Road Show 2009 was visited by four NFAFA committee members, Olly, Lionel, Mike and Joan at Kemble Airfield near Cirencester on a blustery but largely dry day.

As usual the show was a noisy, bustling, and very cheerful affair, apart from a few serious souls contemplating spending very large amounts of money on a coveted wheelchair or scooter, or adjusting bed – if you can think of it, it was probably there to try and/or buy.  The range of vehicles, adaptations and gadgets was a little overwhelming at first with every stall claiming to be the best value, having the newest equipment, best after-service ...........

All sorts of activities were on offer, from test driving adapted cars, having a flight with the disabled fliers association, climbing an accessible rock face?  There was a wheelchair robot greeting people, and a real human one-man band to provide some fun and entertainment.

Some of the items which caught our attention:

1.  NuDrive – a lever-drive propulsion accessory for manual wheelchairs.  You propel yourself simply by pushing the levers.  These are attached to almost any 24” metal spoked wheels, and once the wheel adaptors are fitted the levers can be removed very quickly.  Total weight 2.6kg.  Said to reduce the force needed to self-propel by up to 40%, and much less strain on shoulders.  

2. A scooter trailer from G.B.Elliott which turns on its tow bar so that a scooter or wheelchair can be loaded either from the rear or alternatively from the pavement.  

3.  Roma Cadiz 8mph scooter.  A compact 4-wheel scooter with 13” (330mm.) wheels and a 6” ground clearance. Very powerful.  Weakness – batteries cannot be easily removed for charging.

4.  Pride Go-Chair.  A very compact manoeuvrable in-door chair.  Disassembles easily for transport. Very stable.  

5. UltraLite 355/355XL  scooter from Electric Mobility.  Dismantles easily or can be folded and stored vertically.  Batteries remove easily.  Very portable.