The Redcar beach has now become accessible to anyone wanting to enjoy the coastline, regardless of their physical abilities, due to the Council’s acquisition of three new beach wheelchairs.
The Beach Wheels Redcar and Cleveland project, launched on Monday, 13 March, was initiated as part of the Covid Recovery Plan, using a small amount from the Government’s Covid Recovery Fund. The impact of the Covid pandemic on people’s mental health and wellbeing has highlighted the benefits of accessing all outdoor spaces, including the beautiful coastline in the area, for exercising and socialising. The opportunity to benefit from this should be available to all, promoting inclusion, independence and the right of choice.
To ensure the success of Beach Wheels Redcar and Cleveland, the Council’s Health Improvement Team, who secured the funding for the project, asked for advice and guidance from the Beach Access North East, the charity leading the way for beach wheelchair access in North East.
Local communities have also been invited to share their views, which revealed that beach wheelchairs would not only be valuable to the users, but also to their families, allowing them to enjoy quality time together.
Thus, the Council procured two Hippocampes and one Debug wheelchairs and a hoist to facilitate people’s transfer onto them. They can be hired free of charge from the Northern Renewable Centre in Redcar and used by both children and adults.
The programme will be taken over by Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA), a social action organisation committed to bring positive change and overcome challenges in the communities. Northern Renewable Centre will be hosting the wheelchairs while the Route 1 Coffee House and Bike Maintenance Service will look after their maintenance. There is a future ambition to expand the project to Saltburn and other beaches in Redcar and Cleveland, subject to funding and volunteer availability.
Cabinet member for Health and Welfare, Cllr Steve Kay, said: “Everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy some time spent on the beach with their family and friends, especially if they live in an area that allows them to do so regularly. I am delighted that we were able to facilitate a provision of beach wheelchairs on the Redcar beach and I hope it will be possible for this project to be expanded in the future across our coastline.
“I would also like to thank all officers and volunteers who made this possible as well as ‘RCVDA’ for taking on the project going forward, ‘Northern Renewable Centre’ for hosting the wheelchairs and running the hiring process and ‘Route 1 Coffee House and Bike Maintenance Service’ for upholding the wheelchairs’ good condition.”
Ward Member for Dormanstown, Cllr Ceri Cawley, who had a major involvement throughout the project and who continues to champion disability, said: “It is amazing to see this programme, that took us two and a half years to complete, finalised. These chairs will not only make a difference for the residents of Redcar and Cleveland as we have been contacted by people from Leeds to inquire about the wheelchairs and been made aware that Redcar has become the closest accessible beach for areas going as far as South Yorkshire. Hopefully, more people will be visiting Redcar in order to enjoy the beauty of the coastline.
“ This is only the beginning for us as we aim for Redcar and Cleveland to become the most inclusive borough in North East and I will continue to promote inclusivity and be the voice of those disabled for as long as I can.”
The opening was dedicated to Emily Matthews, a young girl who didn’t have the chance to ever go to the beach because of her condition and whose family was part of the driving force to complete this project. Emily sadly passed away last year, and her family revealed the plaque in her honour during the launch. As the quote says on the plaque everyone deserves the option to enjoy any outdoor space.
The beach wheelchairs can be hired from the Northern Renewable Centre, 39-41 Esplande, Redcar, TS10 3AG, or booked by calling 07729 751561.