Disability Charity Is 50!

The past 50 years have seen the lives of over 100,000 people with disabilities – from athletes, to ex-service people, to children, parents and those who have retired – transformed by volunteers of national charity Remap, who have built equipment to help these individuals lead independent lives.

The charity, which celebrates its 50^th birthday this month and now works in 80 branches across the UK, counts engineers, craftspeople, technicians and healthcare professionals among its army of over 1,000 volunteers who have devoted their time and expertise to turning around lives of individuals affected by disability. The volunteers carry out a full consultation with each client to understand their specific needs; using this information they design and build bespoke equipment that enables the individual to overcome challenges in undertaking everyday tasks and activities, providing a solution to a problem that cannot be answered by commercially available equipment.

Sue Lunn from Basingstoke has multiple sclerosis and uses an electronically powered wheelchair. She can drive an adapted car, but once she has transferred from the wheelchair to the car the wheelchair is marooned. Remap solved the problem using a remote control model aircraft system and adapted it so Sue could operate the controls on the wheelchair from the driving seat of the car. Sue says “ I always hoped there could be such a device. But Remap has made it a reality. I’m now free and independent and totally amazed”

Barry has been a volunteer with Remap for three years and says “this is the best thing I have ever done, I get more satisfaction and sheer life affirming joy and pleasure out of it than anything else. I had no idea  before this how much helping others adds to the sum of one’s own happiness”.

To find out about becoming a volunteer click here 

Donate to the charity here