Accessible Away Travel - Help Needed !!

[wafc1926]

Originally Posted by terrytactics

No surprises there Kelly, carried out the same research 4-5 years ago and the best help available was from Pendine Park, they let us use two converted mini buses that we self drove around the country as and when; including Wembley twice. Very surprised you got a negative response this time. Its the owners PA you need to talk to however, I cant remember names at the minute.

The owners of Pendine are Mario and Gill Kreft.

[Official DLO]

Can I just say a massive Thank you to everyone for all the offers of help and advice, the response to my plea for help has been quite overwhelming and you really don't know how grateful I am. If there is possibly a way to solve this issue, then I promise to find it !!

[RED2309]

https://www.leonardcheshire.org/supp...homes/dolywern

I think these might be worth a call.

[dlrwrexham]

Originally Posted by Official DLO

Thank you so much to each and every one of you for your suggestions.
I have spoken to a few children's charities including Dynamic and because we are not transporting children, they aren't able to help us, and I have also spoken to local special needs schools who also have these type of buses, and again they are unable to help. I have also spoken to Pendine Park along with other local nursing homes who sadly can't help us. I have spoken to coach companies locally who either cannot help me because they don't have the facilities, or I did have one estimate back of £1200 just to take us to Salford, so completely out of the question I'm afraid. I have rang Oswestry community action / dial a ride but they can only transport one person in a wheelchair. Also spoken to Charriotts and they can only taxi one wheelchair user in the fairly local area at a time. I have spoken to Morgan Foundation who again could have only helped us if we were transporting children. I have rang other football teams to see if it's a service they provide and can advise me on, but not having much luck there either, apart from premiership teams who use a company who provide wheelchair spaces on their standard coach contracts, and this isn't an option for us at present time. I have tried ringing hiring companies to see if we could hire a mini bus and then sort out a driver but not to be. These vehicles just don't seem to exist, and I really have put all my efforts into this for the last couple of months. I really didn't realise it would be such a difficult impossible task until I started it. I haven't finished yet, I have only today been in touch with another company and I will definitely leave no stone unturned, if it's possible then I will certainly find the way to do it.
But I thought by explaining who I have already contacted you get an idea of the difficulty in the task at hand. Please keep your suggestions coming and I still promise that I am doing everything in my power to make it happen.

Your efforts are hugely appreciated Kerry, and I know you'll push this boulder as far up the hill as you need to. It's just yet another, very sad indictment of the society we still live in.

[eastsussexred]

Quite a few on ebay, ex nursing home buses etc, though obviously they would need to be checked out first. I am happy to donate £25 as a start, and I am sure that there would be plenty of others on here who would be willing to donate too. If you can pm your email address, I can PayPal. https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Mercedes-Be...28.m4213.l8401

[FieldtownRed]

Originally Posted by eastsussexred

Quite a few on ebay, ex nursing home buses etc, though obviously they would need to be checked out first. I am happy to donate £25 as a start, and I am sure that there would be plenty of others on here who would be willing to donate too. If you can pm your email address, I can PayPal. https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Mercedes-Be...28.m4213.l8401

25 from me too if you do setup a fundraising/crowdfunding total.

[Official DLO]

Thank you so much, eastsussexred and FieldtownRed for your very kind offer of a donation. I have a few more avenues to go down with regards hiring away travel 1st, and then if we decide the way forward is starting to fund raise for our own mini bus which obviously has to be a more long term plan, I will certainly come back to you both. I didn't think when I embarked on this mission it would be as difficult as I'm finding, and I'm passionate about everyone should have the same opportunities in life, and disabled people should have the option of away travel like everyone else, but I'm now finding sadly it's not that simple. I will keep you all posted!!

[pagl]

Surely a standard 17 seater could be converted into disabled places.
Im am not an expert in welding etc but removing seats and then putting in the safety bits should be ok. I would guess the lift would be the key factor.
Maybe some company would be prepared to convert for Wrexham fans.

Alternatively I would expect to be able to purchase a 2nd hand vehicle already converted.

These options would seem easier to pursue than trying to hire vehicles that are probably needed for more practical daily & weekly use.

[WrexhamO]

We discussed funding one for the club some years back. The club were concerned about running costs and how they would be covered. Also who would be covered to drive it.