IT IS NOW even more convenient and Covid-safe to get a wheelchair from the British Red Cross, who’ve teamed up with Tesco in Llandrindod Wells to provide a new pop-up service.

British Red Cross staff will be on hand once a week in the Tesco car park in Llandrindod to distribute wheelchairs on a socially distanced, click and collect basis.

This vital project will help vulnerable people regain their independence by improving their mobility, as well as easing the pressure on NHS services by freeing up beds and enabling patients to return home sooner.

It is hoped convenient access to wheelchairs at Tesco sites will play a big part in helping people get back to life as normal as restrictions ease and ensure no-one is left behind because of mobility challenges.

Head of the mobility aids service at the British Red Cross, Geoff Cheshire, said: “We know there’s a need for a service like this and we’re delighted that Tesco is helping to make it happen by providing car park spaces for our teams to use.

“We have all been restricted in what we can do over the last year but we hope these pop-ups will help people remain active, get out and about and begin to return to the lives they enjoyed before the pandemic.”

British Red Cross research shows wheelchairs can support people to recover from illness and injury, improving choice, independence and wellbeing.

Reserving a wheelchair is easy, using the Red Cross online booking system or via the phone by calling 0300 356 1914. You’ll then be given an individual time for collection from the Red Cross pop-up point, in the Tesco car park.

The pop-up service is part of a new pilot scheme, run in association with Tesco, who are welcoming the wheelchair service to 11 stores in Wales and England for six months. It’s hoped that the project will roll out to more locations nationwide later this year.

The British Red Cross has 150 staff nationwide dedicated to keeping people mobile. They’ve continued to provide wheelchairs throughout the pandemic, often for those unexpected events like recovery after an accident or an operation. More recently there has been an increase in demand from those who need help to get to a Covid-19 vaccination centre or GP surgery.

The Red Cross is the biggest national provider of wheelchairs for short-term use assisting around 50,000 people in 2019 when it had 950 active volunteers. It also provides other accessories and home equipment like bathroom aids and commodes.

Clinicians, local authorities and emergency responders can find out more about the full range of equipment by calling 0300 456 1914.

Tesco has been a partner of the British Red Cross for over a decade and donated over £10 million to emergency appeals. Since March 2020, this partnership has grown, with Tesco providing critical support for the British Red Cross when the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, enabling British Red Cross staff and volunteers to be there for the most vulnerable communities. From giving Red Cross emergency response teams access to Tesco stores for food and everyday essentials to give to vulnerable people, to helping refugees and asylum seekers stay connected through Tesco Mobile, this partnership is putting kindness into action.

British Red Cross wheelchairs are for a period of one to 12 weeks. For more information go to https://www.redcross.org.uk/wheelchair.