Charnwood Borough Council - Leading in Leicestershire

The Council’s ‘Shopmobility’ service is celebrating a major milestone, having just signed its 1000th member. Shopmobility offers powered and unpowered scooters and wheelchairs to people with mobility problems who wish to use them around Loughborough’s town centre.

Mrs Pauline Wright of Kegworth became Shopmobility’s 1000th member since the service was started in 1996. At that time the service had 4 powered scooters and 4 wheelchairs but it has now increased its range to 10 powered vehicles. Shopmobility is very popular with its members, with around 3000 bookings each year. The service achieved a 96% satisfaction rating in a recent survey.

Council Leader Cllr. Max Hunt said, "We put in the Shopmobility service when we pedestrianised the town centre. A pedestrian-friendly town centre made it all possible and we couldn't resist the opportunity and it's proved a runaway success. Thanks must go to the kind and patient staff and to our many loyal and courteous customers."

Simon Todd, the Council’s Town Centre Manager and the officer in charge of Shopmobility said, “Shopmobility is a free service but it often receives donations. Recently, these donations were used to purchase a new scooter. In other towns it is often the case that mobility schemes are run in partnership with local stores and businesses and this is something that we think could work well in Charnwood.”

Loughborough Shopmobility is based in Town Hall Passage, off the Market Place and is open from Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 4.00pm. Anyone wishing to contact the Shopmobility office should call 01509 634706