Congratulations to our latest Mobility Scooter competition winner!

This entry was posted in General February 4, 2021

Mrs Meadows from Gloucester is our latest lucky winner who has won back the cost of her Rascal 388XL Road Scooter!

In our Summer Sale, here at Ableworld we ran a competition to ‘Win back the cost of your Road Scooter’, which meant that ALL customers who purchased a road scooter during our Summer Sale were automatically entered into the FREE draw.

After purchasing her new Rascal 388XL Road scooter in our Ableworld Gloucester store, Mrs Meadows was then randomly selected as our lucky winner. Our Gloucester team were delighted to present Mrs Meadows with her winners cheque, where she was delighted to get her £1295 back that she paid for her scooter, saying it was such a pleasant surprise and she can’t wait to treat herself! We hope you enjoy spending your winnings Mrs Meadows. 

In all of our Ableworld stores we offer customers a wide range of products including larger items such as mobility scooters, wheelchairs, adjustable beds and rise and recline chairs but also many smaller items to help with those everyday tasks. Whilst also holding a wide range of products to help with bathing, toileting and dressing. Our team of engineers are also on hand to install stairlifts and service scooters. Whatever the product, our aim is to help people to lead easier, more comfortable and independent lives.

During these difficult times, our store teams are on hand to arrange a contactless delivery if required, with free home delivery available, subject to value and distance.

If you have any questions regarding equipment or if you need any advice please call your local Ableworld store and our teams will be more than happy to help! 

Back to the top

Elmhurst Care Home Fundraiser

This entry was posted in General January 28, 2021

Our Ableworld Northwich team were delighted to be able to help a local customer, Andrew Matzen, in his quest to help a local care home in Winsford recently. 

Brothers Andrew and Chris Matzen have set about raising money for Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford, in honour of their Dad, Ronald Matzen. Ronald was a resident at Elmhurst Care Centre when he passed away, and to show their support to the care home, Andrew, Chris and Grandson Lewis wanted to thank them for taking such great care of him.

When Andrew contacted Elmhurst to see what supplies they needed, he was made aware that they have a shortage of cushions for their residents, and need an additional 50 to have enough for all residents. Andrew then got in contact with our Ableworld Northwich store to see if there was anything our team could do to support his mission. It was our pleasure that our Northwich team were able to offer a discount on the required cushions to help support this great cause.

With the money raised from their Dads funeral, Andrew and Chris were able to purchase a total of 23 Cushions from Ableworld for Elmhurst Care Home. Nurses Amy, Debbie and Emma were extremely thankful for this kind donation and said it will really help their residents.

Our Ableworld Northwich team were pleased to be able to deliver the cushions to Elmhurst recently (at a distance!) and meet Andrew and his lovely family, along with the wonderful staff at the Care Centre.

Andrew has now made it his mission to raise the money and provide his local care home with the remaining cushions needed. On Saturday 13th February 2021 Andrew is hosting a karaoke event for Elmhurst Care Home on the ‘NHS Blue Nose Day / Covid Aid’ Facebook page. The event will be starting at 13.30 and will feature live karaoke singing for 8 hours. All information on how to donate will be located on the NHS Blue Nose Day Facebook page.

Ann, Store Manager at Ableworld Northwich said “We are really pleased we could help Andrew in his mission to support a local care home, it is a lovely thing to do. We are proud be able to play a small part in helping our local community through this difficult time, and wish Andrew every success.”

We are privileged to be a part of Andrew, Chris and Lewis’ journey in raising money in Ronald’s honour, and look forward to tuning into the Karaoke event on Saturday 13th February.

Back to the top

5 tips to keep your loneliness at bay during Lockdown

This entry was posted in General January 27, 2021

With the current lockdown restrictions, social distancing measures can leave people feeling lonely within their home. 

Charity Age UK estimates that “two million people in England over the age of 75 live alone. While more than one million say they can go for more than a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. Research suggests the effects of loneliness and isolation can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.” – mentioned in a recent Which? article.

Here at Ableworld we have therefore researched 5 ways to keep your loneliness and negative feelings at bay during these diffuclt times for us all.

1. Stick to a routine

Most importantly you should stick to a daily routine. If you can try and get up at a reasonable same time every day and tackle some chores then it will keep your mind active and busy. Make time to relax and enjoy your hobbies too - this is great for mental health.

2. Get active indoors

It is proven that exercise can lift your mood, it can encourage the release of your body’s ‘Feel-good chemicals’ called endorphins. There are plenty of exercises you can do from a seated position if you are unable to stand. Take a look at the NHS Sitting Exercises article.

3. Reach out to your Family, Friends and Neighbours

As many of us are unfortunately unable to see our loved ones at the moment, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep in touch with them and continue with that interaction. There are plenty of ways of keeping in touch, even a simple email or text can make a big difference. You could even write a letter to somebody. There are also many Video calling platforms you can try, such as Facetime for apple users, WhatsApp Video, Zoom, Skype and many more.

4. Make new connections.

You could turn lockdown into a great opportunity to make new friends. There are plenty of groups you can join on Social Media to help you gain new friends with similar interests. For example, if you enjoy gardening, there is a Which? Gardening Facebook group where you can chat online with other people with gardening interests.

5. Ask for help

If you are experiencing loneliness, please don’t suffer in silence. There are a lot of friendly volunteers out there that you can chat to if you’re feeling isolated.

Try Silver Line: 0800 470 80 90. The Silver Line is a free confidential telephone helpline offering information, friendship and advice to older people in the United Kingdom, available 24 hours a day.

 

We hope you find our tips and advice helpful during these difficult times. If you do have any queries then please feel free to contact your local Ableworld store team as we will be more than happy to help.

In the meantime, stay safe and we hope to see you soon.

Back to the top

Mobility Products for Winter Nights

This entry was posted in General January 21, 2021

As the crisp mornings and cold winter nights are fully upon us now, we start to think of ways to keep us warm and healthy both mentally and physically.

It is extremely important for our health to stay warm during the colder weather. Simple solutions like putting an extra jumper on in the morning, a heated blanket on the sofa or even some warm wool socks can help you stay well this Winter.

For those of you who aren’t suited to the colder climate, whether it’s down to personal preference or an underlying condition – staying warm isn’t easy.  We thought now was the perfect time to round up some of our favourite products that can keep you warm.

Starting off simple we have our Heated Lap Blanket. Designed with a Fleece touch material and dual temperature setting, the heated lap blanket allows you to choose the warming temperature you desire. It is perfect to be used whilst sitting in the lounge, or can be used in bed or in the car with the car adapter included. It is ideal to be used to improve circulation, alleviate muscle pain and rebuild injured tissue.

If you are looking to venture out for some fresh air during the cooler temperatures, then our Tiller Covers are ideal if you are using a mobility scooter. Not only do they protect your Scooter controls from the weather by keeping them dry, but they also keep your hands warm too. Our Tiller covers are great for mobility scooter users.

Another popular Mobility Scooter accessory for the cooler weather is our Scooter Canopy. This canopy is designed for the majority of mobility scooters, and works by covering the whole scooter, blocking out any cool winds or rain from the scooter user. If you own a mobility scooter then this canopy is a great buy for keeping you warm over the next coming months.

If you are looking to venture outside over the coming months, but possibly on a wheelchair, then our Hand Muff is ideal for keeping your hands warm. It features a fleece lining effect and elasticated cuffs to keep the heat in and the cold out, as well as a showerproof material on the outside to withstand all conditions.

A slightly alternative product that can be beneficial for mental health throughout the colder months is our SAD light therapy lamp. This lamp is designed to ease the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which is a form of depression triggered by long nights and short days. The lamp works by supplementing your daily intake of light in order to achieve the recommended dose of lumens, through its LED panel and dimming features. This product is highly important for those who spend the majority of the time indoors without sufficient daylight.

All of our suggested products are available to order for home delivery on our website, or alternatively pop into your local Ableworld store or give us a call.

As a caring Mobility Retailer, we hope our product suggestions help you to stay warm over the next few cold months. Make sure you take care of yourself, stock up on warm drinks, stay active and wrap up warm.

All of our stores are fully open and our friendly customer service team are on the end of the telephone to help also- simply call us on Freephone 0800 096 5440.

Take care

Back to the top

Hidden Disabililties Sunflower

This entry was posted in General January 18, 2021

At Ableworld we are delighted to announce that we have recently become a Member of the Hidden Disabilities Scheme. As a caring mobility retailer, we felt it was important to recognise the well-known Sunflower and work with this wonderful Charity to spread awareness across the UK.

Not all disabilities are visible – some are hidden and not immediately obvious, such as learning difficulties, mental health as well as mobility, speech, visual or hearing impairments. Living with a hidden disability can make daily life more demanding for many people, but it can be difficult for others to identify, acknowledge or understand the challenges you face. This is why it’s important we recognise the sunflower in order to help those choosing to wear it.

They affect each person in different ways and can be painful and exhausting. Without visible evidence of the hidden disability, it is frequently difficult for others to acknowledge the challenges faced and as a consequence, sympathy and understanding can often be ignored.

Wearing the Sunflower discreetly indicates to people that the wearer may need additional support, help or a little more time. For many, wearing the lanyard can help those feel more comfortable when leaving home every day.

At Ableworld we are now suppling Hidden Disability Lanyards and cards in selected Ableworld stores across the UK. Simply ask us in store for further details and our friendly team will be sure to help.

We are proud to be able to support the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme, and recognise the important work that this charity does.

Take care and we hope to see you in store soon.

 

Back to the top

Ableworld named as one of the top Franchise Businesses in the UK

This entry was posted in General December 23, 2020

Here at Ableworld we are proud to have recently been placed in the Elite Franchise Top 50 for 2021 which celebrates franchise business around the UK who are working hard to support and grow their network of franchises.

As well as featuring in the Top 50 businesses, we were featured as the 3rd best bricks and mortar retailer in the UK which is a great achievement for Ableworld.

The Elite Franchise Top 100 celebrates the industries brightest franchises, taking into account some key criteria as well as how they have coped through a difficult 2020.

At Ableworld we have remained open throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic to support people living with reduced mobility, providing essential equipment. As an ethical trader who looks after our customer’s needs and individual requirements, our teams have built great relationships within communities and often go above and beyond to help our customers.

Managing Director Mike Williams said “We are honoured to be recognised in the Top 50 franchises in the UK, especially considering the difficult year everyone has had. Retail has suffered with the pandemic as the government insisted retailers close their doors in fight against Coronavirus. Being a retailer providing essential equipment to vulnerable people, all of our stores remined open through the pandemic to help support our local communities. We are proud of all of our team members, business owners, and support staff for continuing to provide the best possible service to our customers through this difficult time. Many of our customers live with incontinence, struggle to manage the stairs or sleep in a chair if they do not have the strength to get up so we knew we needed to continue to support people as much as we could.

Being recognised as one of the best retail franchise businesses in the UK and the 3rd bricks and mortar retailer, is a huge achievement for Ableworld, as we know that helping people live more independently means so much to so many people.

We want to take the opportunity to send our best wishes to everyone for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.”

Back to the top

Ableworld Thank staff for their hard work throughout 2020

This entry was posted in General December 21, 2020

We wanted to take the opportunity to reward our staff who have worked so hard throughout 2020 and have taken the decision to close our mobility stores over the Christmas period, giving our teams an extended Christmas break.

We are so proud of everyone who works at Ableworld, the last 12 months haven’t been easy for anyone but our teams have continued to offer customers a friendly face and support going above and beyond, through these difficult times providing essential equipment. As such we wanted to thank everyone for their continued dedication and have changed our opening hours this year to ensure everyone gets some extra family time to rest and relax with their loved ones.

All company owned stores will be closed from 4pm on Christmas eve until 9am on Tuesday 29th December to ensure staff have 4 consecutive days off to rest and enjoy Christmas.

Some of the Ableworld franchise stores are choosing to open due to the support needed in their local communities so for details on the opening hours for your local store please click here. Our stairlift helpline will also remain fully operational over Christmas and New Year, for emergency call outs and repairs.

We also want to thank customers, staff and suppliers for their support throughout 2020 wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Back to the top