The Dorset Children’s Foundation (DCF), a charity dedicated to improving the lives of local children with disabilities, received £28,800 towards 50 adventure buggies for use by families when visiting off-road locations such as beaches and parks.

Talbot Village Trust, a local grant giving charity in south-east Dorset, donated the significant funds to help improve the lives of children with disabilities to ensure they continue to enjoy the outdoors. So far, 29 children have directly benefitted from the scheme.

The ‘adventure chair’, an all-terrain wheelchair, has positively impacted William, a child who suffers from Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, a rare and progressive condition affecting the central nervous system. William and his family love being outdoors, and the state-of-the-art equipment funded by Talbot Village Trust has given the family an opportunity to continue their love of the forest as well as making sure that William is safe.

William’s parents said: “Our son can do so many things despite his disability but one thing he couldn't do before was join his sisters on their outdoor adventures because of the limitations of his wheelchair, but his Adventure Chair can go pretty much anywhere and now he's finally a part of their adventures and he LOVES IT!” 

Kitty is another child that has benefitted. Kitty can walk for short periods but becomes very unsteady on her feet and she wanted to be able to manoeuvre easily when out and about. An adaptable wheelchair that can go anywhere has been essential, providing much needed support while also enabling her family to nurture her independence. 

As a result of the funding, DCF has been able to purchase four Delechon Delta Wheelchairs, plus a wide range of adventure chairs including the Firefly WeGo and GoTo.

Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, Chair of Talbot Village Trust, commented: “Being able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful landscapes our county has to offer is key to our well-being and it is essential that this is accessible to everyone. All of us at the Trust are delighted to have been a part of supporting so many deserving families to be able to experience one of life’s greatest joys.”

The scheme works on a loan basis so that families can return the buggy for re-use when the child outgrows it. This means that many more children can continue to enjoy the countryside and manage the terrain that comes with it, for many years to come.

Patsy Hallmey, DCF Co-Founder said: “We want to thank Talbot Village Trust for their donation which has made a huge difference to our charity and the lives of our families, especially the children. A big donation like this is just remarkable and enables us to purchase mobility equipment which is expensive and would otherwise be out of reach for many of our families. We are passionate about enabling disabled children to do what able bodied children can, and now many of them can enjoy the beautiful countryside where we live”.

For more information on Dorset Children’s Foundation visit www.thedcf.org

Talbot Village Trust donates £1million each year in grants to organisations in south east Dorset. In 2021, the trust supported 53 organisations across community, education, youth, and faith and will continue to broaden their support for priority projects tackling climate change, mental health and wellbeing, and education exclusion.