Cornwall's All Terrain Chair Launch | Cornwall Mobility

The 20th of March 2024 marked the launch of Cornwall Mobility's new all-terrain chair fleet. The day celebrated their fleet and the freedom they bring to people visiting beaches across Cornwall (and the weather held up!). #cornwalldisabilityalliance
Visit Cornwall Mobility's brand-new website which includes a map showing where these all-terrain chairs will be: www.cornwallbea...
Cornwall Mobility, in partnership with disAbility Cornwall & Isles of Scilly, work with Cornwall Council as well as a diverse range of coastal charities and businesses in providing all-terrain wheelchairs, also known as sand chairs, for the public to use on a number of beaches in Cornwall.
Some other fantastic organisations joined us: Active8, Wetwheels South West, AdSurf, Mid-Cornwall Lifestyles, Merlin - Cornwall's Neuro Therapy Centre, Hearing Loss Cornwall, Rewind Radio, The CHAOS Group, Alex Wood - ITV Westcountry.

[@rachelgeorge1425]

Whilst these 21 chairs are progress in the right direction, this video does make it sound like beach access has now been solved for disabled people.
When that isn't true.
Many disabled people could not even access this event to showcase the chairs due to a lack of hoisting equipment and there being no toilet with a hoist and a changing table nearby.
The chairs are great news for people who can walk or who can self transfer, but for wheelchair users who cannot, the beach is still inaccessible.
What you have done is great, but it would have been nice to acknowledge that it still didn't enable everyone to access the beach.

[@discovervoices]

Hi Rachel thank you for your comment.
This video was a short documentation of the event. At the event, what you rightly point out about the lack of hoisting equipment, was a big point of discussion and will be the next point of action.
The collective mission of the Cornwall Disability Alliance going forward will be looking at facilitating creating changing place toilet suites to be available at the accessible beach locations with the all-terrain chairs, that will include accessible equipment like a hoist.
Just for more context, our Chief Exec said in her speech on the day:
''While these new chairs are a welcome edition for inclusion, we won’t stop here, we know that for many people they will only be able to use the chairs if a hoist is available, but of course this can be incredibly challenging at beach side locations, so the only way forward is for more Changing Place Toilet suites to be available at the accessible beach locations, where people can benefit from full inclusive facilities, to truly meet their needs, and in a dignified manner.''
We can assure you, we will be putting your comments forward to the Cornwall Disability Alliance, as DISCOVER Voices is a service under disAbility Cornwall & IoS, which is a member of the Alliance. Thank you.