Click here to donate to the Crowdfunder community fundraising effort for the Beach Wheelchair Scheme.
What it is: ‘Reach the Beach’, the West Bay Beach Wheelchair scheme, is a non-profit organisation that provides FREE beach wheelchair hire at West Beach a beautiful, easy access beach in Dorset, so that no one should be excluded from the simple pleasure of being on the beach.
Who it is for: ‘Reach the Beach’ is open to residents and to visitors, to individuals, families looking after someone, care groups, schools, in short, anyone with mobility difficulties that would love to spend time on the beach, to reach the seashore, or to experience the delight of being in the sea.
What is provided: In the summer months, beach matting is laid 24/7 on West Beach, a beautiful family beach with sloping ramps for easy access. The matting provides a firm route over the sand and shingle enabling wheelchairs, scooters and buggies to ‘Reach the Beach’ easily. We also have our own building with a mobile hoist and height adjustable changing table with side rails.
‘Reach the Beach’ provide free hire of 4 different specialist wheelchairs, all designed to travel easily on difficult terrain, one even designed to go into the sea. Have a look at the details of each chair below and see which one might best suit your needs.
How it works: The matting is laid down and the wheelchairs are available to book from May to September? To book, just call 07342 236 443. If possible, you will need to bring the completed booking form, or it can be filled in at the time of hire.
We would prefer 24 hours’ notice for land beach wheelchairs, & for Mobi hire, it is essential.
Where we are: The collection and return point is the Beach Wheelchair Scheme building, in front of the Harbour Master’s Office, on the slipway below the Mound car park. DT6 4HE
Information about the four chairs:
The beach blue Sandcruiser is an upright, manual, beach wheelchair, suitable for the elderly, adults, and teenagers. The Sandcruiser seat height is the same as a normal wheelchair and the arms lift up out of the way, to allow for easy transfer from chair to chair. The Sandcruiser has large balloon tyres for a smooth ride off the matting, onto the beach and down to the shoreline, but not into the sea. (The Sandcruiser will require either a strong carer/2 carers if venturing off the matting onto the sand)
The Hippocampe is a reclining buggy style beach wheelchair which is suitable for younger users- children and young adults, who can transfer to and from a lower position. There is a lap belt and shoulder harness, and neck support. It’s a light easily manoeuvrable chair with balloon wheels, that can travel across the beach and down to the shoreline, but not into the sea. (The Hippocampe was generously donated by Bridport Round Table).
The innovative, amphibious Mobi-Chair, is suitable for users of any age, and the balloon tyres guarantee a smooth ride across the matting and beach, and down to and into the sea. The flotation armrests provide buoyancy and stability while in the water.
Uniquely, ‘Reach the Beach’ will provide a trained swimming coach and an additional volunteer with Mobi hire who can bring you into the sea (up to their waist height) and will stay with you at all times.
We reserve the right to cancel the hire if the sea conditions are not safe.
‘Reach the Beach’ is rightly proud of the Trail Glider, a ramped wheelchair carriage which is unique and very special as it provides beach access for those who need to remain in their own wheelchairs. Your own wheelchair can be pushed up the ramp onto the Trail glider, safely secured, then the Trail Glider can be pushed beyond the matting and across the beach. Getting onto the Trail Glider can be done on the matting, which, due to its size, will require two carers.
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Who runs it: The West Bay Beach Wheelchair scheme was established in 2023, in partnership between Bridport Town Council, Dorset Council, and Parkdean Resorts and a fabulous group of local volunteers. Funded by the community!
West Dorset Mencap, Magna Housing Ltd, Bridport Round Table, the Rotary Club of Bridport local charities, local businesses, organisations and the local community have all generously helped to fund the purchase of the equipment, matting and the building.
Reminder:Please call 07342 236 443 to make a booking. They will tell you whether a wheelchair can be made available on the day you want. If it can, they will take your details and email you a copy of the booking form (or you can download it here), which you must bring with you when you collect the chair. Twenty four hours notice is required/preferred.
Download the Beach Wheelchair Scheme poster here.