SHOPMOBILITY is a national scheme for supporting people with restricted mobility, whether temporary or otherwise.

It hires out powered scooters, electrical and manual wheelchairs and stroller/walking frames, to improve access around the town centre and local facilities. Users may be waiting for surgery, have a fracture, be recovering from an injury or illness or find walking difficult.

Whatever the reason Shopmobility will help and can even provide an escort to push a manual wheelchair, giving users confidence with a powered vehicle or simply keep them company.

There is a small registration charge and hire fee to help to cover costs with full details on the website at shopmobilitybasingstoke.org.

As well as hiring out equipment for access around the town, it offers long-term hire for holidays, days out or use at home. This includes lightweight wheelchairs and scooters ideally suited for lifting and packing in vehicles.

Shopmobility also supports a number of events based in the Basingstoke area, and is happy to hire out equipment for users to access these events.

Once a year, Shopmobility arranges a trundle for all customers to help give them experience of using a scooter or power chair and to let them explore areas of the town they may not have known existed.

It has regular trundles so why not come along and give it a try?

It’s a great way to spend a couple of hours, and to meet and make many new friends. Call to book a place today.

Shopmobility is based in Church Street, Basingstoke, near St Michaels Church and is available on 01256 476 066.

It is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm, on Saturday from 9am to 4pm and on Sundays by appointment. It has has free parking, subject to availability, and a drop-off and pick-up point for Dial-A-Ride.