Last updated 13:09, Friday, 09 January 2009

HELP is at hand for elderly folk who struggle with Millom’s streets.

Fund-raiser Shelagh Dawson has donated three brand new wheelchairs to the town in memory of her late son.

The donation has been made through Age Concern Bradbury Centre, St George’s Road, where the chairs will be stored.

The chairs cost a total of £537, and were bought using money raised at last year’s Peter Dawson Memorial Walk. The chairs are now available to rent for periods of up to six weeks.

Mrs Dawson said: “They are from the community really. The community has bought them from last year’s sponsored walk. They belong to Millom.

“I think it is wonderful. We have donated them because I had an operation on my foot and we had to get a chair from Kendal. It was an old thing we could barely push. We thought the chairs were needed.”

Staff at Age Concern Bradbury Centre have issued a public thank you to Mrs Dawson and her husband Bill.

Locality manager at the centre Linda Chapples said: “It will enable us to provide a service that we didn’t have before.

“It is all about giving people independence within the local community.”

Wheelchair charges are as follows: £3-a-day, £15-a-week, £60-a-month (four weeks).

There is also a £20 refundable deposit.

Chairs must be returned after six weeks and a new one issued so quality checks and repairs can be made.

For more information contact the centre on 01229 774573.