A South Yorkshire mobility specialist has made a wheely kind donation of two mobility scooters to give disabled and elderly visitors greater freedom to explore at Wentworth Woodhouse.
The battery-powered scooters can cover up to 16 miles and can cope with stone and wooden floors on the Grade I listed Rotherham mansion’s ground floor, plus gravel paths and lawns in the grounds.
They have been gifted to Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust by Clark and Partners, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in July. They decided to donate the scooters after touring the house and learning about the Trust’s determination to become one of the most inclusive and accessible visitor destinations in the country.
“When we heard about its mission we immediately decided we wanted to help,” explained sales and marketing director Debbie Ashton.
“Its objectives are in line with our ethos of helping people with disabilities, and mobility issues in older age, to keep their freedom, confidence and independence. We realised how difficult it must be for someone who relies on a scooter to get around the house and gardens and decided to donate two vehicles.
“Our shareholders live in Rotherham, we employ 39 staff from the local area and our MD Paul Bennett once worked on the wider Wentworth Estate, shadowing the gamekeeper. We love Wentworth Woodhouse and are proud to support it.”
The One Rehab Vantage Cruise scooters, which retail at £1,150 each, will be available to hire for free. People interested in using one can contact info@wentworthwoodhouse.org.uk.
Sarah McLeod, Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust’s CEO, said: “We are very grateful for this very generous gift from Clark and Partners. The scooters are a great boost to the Preservation Trust, which is working hard to make Wentworth Woodhouse as welcoming and accessible as possible for everyone who works, visits or volunteers here.
“There are many improvements we want to make, including the addition of a lift to our first and upper floors, which we need so badly. We plan to start fundraising for this in the near future.”