This one-off capital grant funded the purchase of wheelchair-accessible weighing scales to support clients at the Independent Living Centre Semington (ILC) assessment centre.
The organisation provides free, impartial advice and assessments to people with disabilities and older residents, helping them maintain independence through appropriate mobility equipment such as scooters and powerchairs. Accurate weight measurement is essential during assessments to ensure the suitability and safety of the equipment provided.
While the Wiltshire Wheelchair Service has its own set of wheelchair scales, they are only available to their direct clients due to high demand. The ILC was regularly receiving enquiries about where people can be weighed, and no local alternative existed. With this new equipment, individuals who cannot use standard scales can now be weighed safely and privately, leading to better-informed decisions about mobility aids and improved confidence in using them. This also helps to prevent unsafe or unsuitable equipment use, which can impact wellbeing.
Having the right mobility support enables clients to get outdoors, visit friends and family, and run errands independently, reducing isolation and improving both physical and mental health. This investment enhances the centre’s capacity to deliver comprehensive, inclusive assessments and meets a clear, unmet need in the local community.
This grant has allowed us to make wheelchair scales available to our clients and to the general public. They are very hard to come by in Wiltshire, with none available in GP surgeries, despite GPs often telling wheelchair users that they need to be weighed regularly.
