All-Ability Bike launched at Clickimin thanks to Partnership Working
A brand-new bike that enables people with reduced mobility to exercise is now installed in Clickimin Gym thanks to a partnership project between three Shetland charities.
MS Society Shetland and Ability Shetland worked together to source and fund the all-ability bike while Shetland Recreational Trust created space for it in their main gym, trained their staff and added the bike to their membership offer.
The THERA-Trainer Tigo enables people to exercise their legs or upper body from a chair or wheelchair, either using their own muscle power or with assistance from the machine if required. It gently encourages mobility, can help with rehabilitation and has a positive aspect on many other aspects of health.
The bike was a direct request from a member of the MS community. Andrew Graham approached MS Society Shetland in November to see if they could support with sourcing an adapted bike. He was keen for it to be located somewhere it could be of benefit to lots of people.
Andrew said: “I first heard of the Thera Trainer Bike through my physiotherapist. She knew of someone in the North Haven Care Centre who was kind enough to let me have a go of it there. I’m a wheelchair user so my legs are completely immobile. Using the bike makes me feel very liberated with the feeling of movement in my arms and legs.”
Alyson Halcrow, volunteer administrator at MS Society Shetland said they discussed it at committee level and agreed it was something which they would like to encourage and facilitate.
She said: “We took it to the Disability Sport Development Group and that’s when Ability Shetland and Shetland Recreational Trust came onboard. Luckily they were as keen as us to work together to try to figure something out.”
Charis Scott, Ability Shetland Sports Development Coordinator said: “This bike will benefit many of the people we support so we were happy to jointly fund the purchase of it with the MS Society. Having SRT on the Working Group too meant that finding a location for it was easy to do and it has been a great example of the type of successful partnership projects we hoped the group would facilitate.”
SRT’s Health and Wellbeing Community Liaison Officer Kerry Geddes said: “We were delighted to be involved with this project as it fits perfectly with our desire to make our facilities more inclusive. Knowing that this piece of equipment has been identified by customers and facilitated by groups which support them means we can be sure that it is a bike which will be well-used and will be of benefit to many.
“It is an expensive piece of equipment with lots of amazing features so we’re really grateful to Andrew and both charities for allowing us to enhance our facilities like this.”
SRT’s Health and Fitness Team Leader Toyah Irvine said: “Our Health & Fitness Team are really enjoying having this piece of kit in the gym and getting to know the customers using it. We’re lucky to have the gym staffed at all times so are on hand to help set up and support where needed.
“A huge thanks to Andrew for his patience and help over the past few weeks while we get to grips with the operation of the Thera Trainer. There has been lots of laughing which we look forward to sharing more of.”
Alyson said: “Multi-agency cooperation has resulted in the Thera trainer bike, paid for by two agencies, housed and looked after by a third, whose staff have also undertaken training regarding this bike, to ensure all users can do so safely and alongside all other gym users. It has been an amazing, selfless piece of cooperative working, and will hopefully be the first of many.”