PEOPLE with disabilities now have a new way to access the water – thanks to an innovative wheelchair designed and built locally.
Made by Port Macquarie man Steve Jenkins and other volunteers, the amphibious KSM Beach Mobility Chair was a major hit during recent trials, receiving a big thumbs up from users and carers.
The joy and exhilaration showed clearly on the faces of those using it and onlookers commented it was “fantastic”, “marvellous” or “the best ever”.
Mr Jenkins has worked in a professional capacity supporting people with disabilities since 2001 and came up with the concept for the design after working with several disabled people who were keen not just to access the water’s edge, but to feel it wash over them.
He and fellow volunteers then set about developing some sort of water-friendly chair that could make that dream a reality.
“The chair has evolved over the past few years as I experimented with length, width, weights, various materials and buoyancies to achieve a floating chair that would meet everyone’s needs, from child to adult,” Mr Jenkins said.
“The first one made was quite chunky and the second was less chunky but quite angular. This is our third, which is a sleeker and slimmer design with even easier accessibility for wheelchair users – the floats raise, the bar drops out of the way and the rider slides on from either side.
“It can be further adapted for the individual’s needs and preferences.”
Mr Jenkins said many friends and volunteers chipped in their ideas over the time and sacrificed their dignity to trial the chair in various settings and conditions.
He paid particular tribute to Jeff and Melissa Roughley of Port Macquarie and their son Aidan, who made many constructive suggestions for improvements based on their many years of experience with the Hastings Disabled Surfers Association.
Welder Neil Wallace of SKM Engineering in Port Macquarie was another person he singled out for particular mention, as was Craig Kelly of Bonny Weld PMQ, who was involved in earlier prototypes.
“Do you know how hard it is to weld aluminium?” Mr Jenkins said.
“I went to TAFE to learn, but I never mastered it, and thought then I should stick to supporting people with disabilities and leave the welding to the professionals!”
Mr Jenkins hopes the chair will catch on with other disabled groups.
“There are a lot of people who have helped who wished to remain anonymous and no one did this hoping for any sort of kudos,” he said.
“We just wanted to give people an option to be able to really enjoy the water.”
Inquiries about the chair to Steve Jenkins on 0414 906 561.
