Target reached!
As we only have six outdated electric scooters in our possession, we can’t always m...
Norwich Shopmobility
Norwich, England, United Kingdom
Cost of Living Boost
Donations to our project will be matched by the Cost of Living Boost up to the value of £250 to help us tackle the cost of living crisis.
Please note only one donation per supporter will be matched by the Cost of Living Boost. View the Terms & Conditions.
Aim
Shopmobility - Electric mobility scooter and wheelchair hire in Norwich City Centre
Who we are
Hello. We are Equal Lives, a disability rights organisation operating across Norfolk and Suffolk. We exist to support anyone who faces disabling barriers and believe in empowering people to live independent lives. One of the ways we do this is by running a FREE Shopmobility service at Chantry Shopping Centre, Norwich.
Why are we raising money?
We need to make more electric mobility scooters available for disabled people to hire in Norwich city centre. We don't have enough for the people who need them, so we're raising funds to buy more.
Because of the catastrophic impact COVID-19 has had on the disabled community, we made Shopmobility free to access in April 2021. Whilst this is good news for disabled people, our customer numbers have soared, and we simply can't keep up with demand. Our most popular vehicles are the electric scooters, but we only have six. Also, the models we do have are outdated and regularly in for repair, plus they sometimes don’t meet the requirements of the people who need them.
Sadly, all of this means we regularly have to turn disabled visitors away which is incredibly disappointing. We're striving to change this by purchasing some brand new vehicles
Not just about getting from A to B
People using mobility scooters is a familiar sight of the high street, enabling people who are physically impaired to safely get around the city centre. However, what you may not know (or may never have thought about), is that Shopmobility can mean a lot more to a disabled person than simply getting from A to B:
- Spiralling cost of energy: This will no doubt disproportionately affect disabled people this winter. Shopmobility means people cans seek out warm communal spaces and take some respite from the potential hardship of their home
- Cost-of-living crisis: Shopmobility can help people take some control of their financial wellbeing. They can get a lot done in one trip (where competitive prices are available) as opposed to lots of smaller journeys outside the city where banks, medical centres, affordable groceries, and other services / amenities are spread out. Plus, Shopmobility means people don't have to purchase an expensive scooter themselves or they can at least try-before-they-buy
- Empowers people to be independent: Shopmobility helps breakdown disabling barriers and offers people choice and control by allowing them make decisions for themselves with confidence
- Supports mental wellbeing: Shopmobility helps physically impaired people take advantage of everything their city centre has to offer - not just shops and amenities but entertainment and cultural events etc. In these unsettling times, where mental health is so fragile for so many, it’s more important than ever to connect people with the community in which they live
"Shopmobility allowed me to leave my home and visit the city for the first time in 2 years" Shopmobility customer
Thank you for your time
The Equal Lives team
Aviva Cost of Living Boost has provided £3,125 of match funding
Aviva Community Fund has provided £930 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 16th February 2023