Red Wheelies nominated for prestigious UK award

The Red Wheelies have been nominated for a prestigious UK award by disabled motoring charity Disabled Motoring UK. The ladies on Quingo's, who are based in Canterbury/Herne Bay, are up for the Mobility Sport Award, which an individual, team or organisation who either by their own sporting achievements, or a more organised program of work and/or engagement, has encouraged, inspired and enabled people with disabilities to participate in sport.

Nominations for this award were considered from all sporting disciplines including, but not limited to, motorsports and official Paralympic sports and came from fellow members of Disabled Motoring UK and feature a range of companies and individuals from around the UK and beyond. Other awards include the Get Going Award, O.A Denly Memorial Award, Happy Holidays Awards and Best Mobility Product Award. A team of judges from Disabled Motoring UK, the British Parking Association and Disabled Motoring UK’s marketing and events team The Lively Crew will decide the winners, to be announced at the Disabled Motoring UK Awards on Friday 16th September 2011, with a ceremony at Goodwood Hotel to coincide with the Goodwood Revival Festival.

Disabled Motoring UK CEO Graham Footer said: “We are delighted to be able to launch this awards scheme which we hope will not only rightly recognise those people and organisations that make such a positive difference to the lives of disabled motorists, but also continue to inspire people to do more. The standard of entry for this year’s awards was very high and it is encouraging to see the level of innovation, care and improvements that are being made and our intention is to continue to grow the awards year on year and continue to highlight best practice.”

See Quingo at REHACARE in Düsseldorf, Germany 21-24.09.11

See the entire Quingo Range, the world's safest 5 wheel scooters with Quintell Technology at Europe's leading healthcare exhibition REHACARE in Düsseldorf.

All visitors are welcome to try the Quingo range. Advanced Vehicle Concepts Ltd stand is in HALL 03 / B40.

The show runs from Wednesday 21st to 24th September 2011.

We look forward to meeting you!

Quingo Vitess is Scootmobiel Platform 'Scooter of the Year 2011-2112'

The New Quingo Vitess has been awarded Scootmobiel Platform 'Scooter of the Year 2011-2112' in Holland. Scootmobiel Platform is the most comprehensive website for anyone who is interested in anything to do with mobility scooters in Holland and the Quingo Vitess has been selected for this prestigious title. More details to follow.

Our best UK exhibition ever!

Once again the Mobility Roadshow has been heralded a huge success by visitors and exhibitors alike and was Quingo's most successful show to date held in the UK. Staged at the East of England Showground, Peterborough for the second consecutive year, there is no doubt that this venue has proved popular.

Mark Nicholls, Managing Director, Forever Active, agreed: “The Mobility Roadshow is the show to be at.”

Quingo launched the all-new Quingo Vitess at the show which was received fantastically well and along with the other models in the range proved hugely popular.

We were also extremely pleased to present Kate Davies with her Guinness World Record Certificate for the 24 hour Challenge that she, Jackie Weeden and the Red Wheelies team completed last month in Kent. They also performed at the show to the large crowd outside the main hall.

Jacqui Jones, Executive Director, Mobility Choice is understandably delighted with the response. We are delighted that the Mobility Roadshow has once again proved so popular and, most important, that so many said they rely on it each year as a valuable source for their future mobility needs.”

This year’s Mobility Roadshow opened with a wealth of product innovation as well as classic mobility solutions for visitors to try out and compare from over 170 exhibitors.

VIP guest on the first day was Private Derek Derenalagi, one of the British soldiers who provided inspiration for the birth of the charity Help for Heroes. Derek lost both his legs in action and now with his bionic legs, is aiming for a place in the GB Paralympics squad. Adding a touch of military ‘glamour’ was the Minden Band of The Queen's Regiment, resplendent in full ceremonial uniform.

A big thank you to everyone who came to visit us!

BHTA membership & OFT approved code for Advanced Vehicle Concepts Limited

Advanced Vehicle Concepts Limited have as of May 2011 joined the BHTA. (British Healthcare Trades Association).

When a company displayed the BHTA badge in the past it simply meant they were a member of Britain's longest established healthcare trades association.

Now, that badge has been joined by the Office of Fair Trading Approved Code logo. That's because the BHTA Code of Practice has been granted full OFT approval under the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS). Only BHTA member companies can display the two together. BHTA is the first trade body within the health industry to have an OFT approved code. The OFT only approves codes that have proved effective in safeguarding and promoting the interests of consumers beyond the basic requirements of the law.

The BHTA has been around for quite a while – it is one of the oldest and most established trade associations and as well as having a lot of history, it also has an important role to play in the future. It is important for the companies producing equipment, for the professionals who work with that equipment and customers who use it to make their lives easier.

The BHTA has over 400 companies members and they range from a small, local showroom selling items such as scooters, wheelchairs, bathlifts and stairlifts, to the largest manufacturers and suppliers in the UK producing and distributing a vast range of products to help from the most sophisticated orthotic device and pressure care systems to the largest installations such as through floor lifts.

One of their most important roles is to maintain the highest standards.

A New Lease of Life

With the hazy days of summer just around the corner, being able to enjoy an active lifestyle is something which many people take for granted. But for 56-year-old Lesley Wood, enjoying the warmer weather will be a life-changing experience this year thanks to her rather unique mobility scooter.

The former pub cleaner, from Collumpton in Devon, will be reaping the benefits of being able to get out and about this summer after suffering from debilitating osteo-arthritis for the past five years.

The condition, which is also known as degenerative joint disease and affects up to 8 million people in the UK alone, has left her with searing and crippling pain in her knees, back, neck and arms.

Unable to climb the stairs, go to work or even stand up, Mrs Wood was forced to rely on her husband to help her carry out day-to-day tasks.

But since she got her Quingo 5 wheel scooter, Mrs Wood says she’s finally got her independence back. She can now enjoy meeting her friends for a coffee, or taking her five grandchildren to play in the park – and she wants to make sure that anyone who suffers from a similar condition knows the benefits of having such a scooter.

She said: “Having my scooter really has changed my life. My osteo-arthritis left me with crippling pain all over my body and I missed out on a lot. I’m only 56 years old, but I had no life at all and so I’m incredibly grateful to the Quingo team for helping me get that back. “Now I’m able to go out for walks with my husband or meet up with my daughter for lunch. You don’t realise just how important being able to get out and about is until you lose it. I finally have my life back and I can now look forward to enjoy the warmer months by going up my garden or down to the park.”

Any mobility scooter is great for those who are looking to get out and about during the summer to visit family, friends or the shops but thanks to its unique 5 wheel design, this particular scooter has the advantage of being incredibly stable and agile in tight spaces, while the multiple seat, armrest and adaptive footplates ensures that Lesley consistently drives maintaining the best possible posture.

Mark Nicholls, Managing Director for scooter firm Forever Active Ltd, added: “We are delighted that Mrs Wood has had such a positive experience with her scooter. We always appreciate hearing about the genuine benefits that our five wheel mobility scooters bring as they are much more stable and easy to move with the extra fifth wheel. We went to a lot of trouble designing a product that combined the best practical safety features with the best possible posture control. It is particularly gratifying to hear that Mrs Wood is reaping the benefits from her Quingo and long may it continue.”

We may have lost Eurovision... again, but we got a new Guinness World Record...

The first ever 24 Hour Mobility Scooter Endurance Challenge took place over the weekend on the tarmac cycle track at Fowlmead Country Park near Deal in Kent and a brand new Guinness World Record was set! The Red Wheelies have set a new world record for the longest distance travelled on a mobility scooter within a 24 hour period – covering a massive 154 miles (248km).

The previous world record was held by Haidar Talib from the United Arab Emirates, who travelled 88 miles (142km) from Masdar City to Sharjah Al Thiqa Club on November 11 last year.

This challenge was undertaken by The Red Wheelies Mobility Scooter Formation Display Team on a 20 strong fleet of 5 wheel Quingo’s, with Pit Lane Support being provided by Quingo’s specialist team of engineers and mechanics. All the Red Wheelies team members have Multiple Sclerosis and drove through most of the night but the 24 Hour Challenge was just another day for them.

Jackie Weeden, Red Wheelies leader, takes up the story: “We are utterly exhausted but totally ecstatic! Our aim was to have fun and raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis in a more positive light and we hope we’ve done that.

By completing the Challenge successfully we have shown that if you are diagnosed with the condition you don’t have to stop living a full life. In fact, you can do things other people can’t!”

Quingo’s Mark Nicholls says the company was delighted to support The Red Wheelies, all money raised will go to new facilities at the Kent MS Therapy Centre in Canterbury where all the team are members.

“This really was the biggest challenge that The Red Wheelies have undertaken and while there were plenty of thrills there were no spills, thanks to Quingo’s 5 wheel agility, stability.”

Jackie Weeden from The Red Wheelies again: “While our legs may have let us down, the scooters give us back our independence. Our philosophy is that we might have to accept the odd limitation but we certainly aren’t going to give up.

Wheelies feel that with a positive attitude and a sense of humour we can achieve what might appear to be impossible. After all, not everyone can say they are a world record holder, can they?”

The Duchess of Cornwall who became an honorary member last year will be informed.