The Mobility Roadshow celebrates 30th anniversary

The Mobility Roadshow was held in Telford from 27^th-29^th June this year, marking the 30th anniversary of the event. Once again it was a huge success, offering consumers the opportunity to see the latest innovations of the mobility industry in one place. Although the roadshow started out as an event designed for wheelchair users who were looking for an adapted vehicle, it has now expanded to offer visitors the chance to meet with providers of everything from tailored holidays for wheelchair users to affordable stairlifts.

This year is the first year that the Mobility Roadshow was held in Telford, near Birmingham, having been held at the Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire, Donington Park and Kemble Airfield in previous years. This Magazine took the opportunity to look back at the development of the Mobility Roadshow in their August issue, which demonstrates just how useful mobility events can be to those who are looking for independent-living solutions.

The event began in 1983 when there was reportedly a "modest range of vehicles and adaptations available", but there wasn't the opportunity for people to see what was available and try out different styles. The Mobility Roadshow was created by the Department of Transport to combat this and give people a chance to assess a range of vehicles that were either made or adapted for those who have mobility difficulties or need to use wheelchairs. Motoring manufacturers that were invited to attend the event were reportedly unenthusiastic before the event was held, but adaptation companies had a great deal more hope for the Mobility Roadshow, and both went on to enjoy incredible success with consumers at the first show.

Since then, the show has grown to include all kinds of mobility aids rather than just vehicles, and its growing size and increasing visitor numbers have meant that it has kept on moving to bigger sites. The Telford International Centre appears to be a great new location for the Mobility Roadshow, and despite the growth of the event, entrance, parking, activities on site and a show guide are all still free for members of the public who attend.

The popularity and growth that the Mobility Roadshow has seen over the last 30 years looks set to continue well into the future, providing a great opportunity for those searching for mobility chairs, mobility vehicles and more to see and try out a range of styles and manufacturers in one place. Details of the 2014 show have yet to be announced; keep checking the Mobility Roadshow website for updates on the next show.

Image Credit: MTAPhotos (flickr.com)