All to often private taxi form Uber is in the news and often for the wrong reasons with bad press for its gig employment rules however today it is good news for wheelchair users and particularly if you are in Liverpool.

Liverpool is today added to the list of cities that Uber offer a wheelchair taxi service which can be accessed by phone or by its app. From 4pm today, Uber is offering wheelchair friendly cabs in and around the city all of which have rear-entry wheelchair ramps and restraint points to allow wheelchair users to ride comfortably along with one additional passenger.

All users of wheelchairs know that i can be very difficult to get a suitable taxi that caters for their mobility needs. Uber says public transport is not always accessible or sufficient and taxis can be an expensive way to travel. The new wheelchair friendly cabs are now available at the touch of the screen on their smartphone app and what is particularly good news is that the cab will cost the same as it would for a regular cab and trips wont need advance planning as they have done for so long if you require a taxi that will cater for your wheelchair. Plus, Uber has said that all of their 'top-rated' drivers have received Disability Equality Training.

For the initial phase to celebrate the launch wheelchair users are also being offered a discount on their first trip with a value of up to £15 as an incentive welcoming those with mobility issues and wheelchairs to try their new service. Liverpool is the seventh city where the new wheelchair friendly service has been launched, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle and Wolverhampton.

Neil McGonigle, General Manager of Uber in Liverpool, said: “Thousands of people in Liverpool already use Uber to get around the city - whether it’s to an early morning train, to meet friends and family, or home after a night out. “With the launch of uberACCESS we can now offer the same reliable option for wheelchair users to travel on their terms at the touch of a button.”

Ruth Owen, Chief Executive of Whizz-Kidz, said: “When Uber launched wheelchair accessible vehicles in London, many of the young people we work with told us how useful it was to have another option for getting across town.

"We are delighted that disabled young people in Liverpool will now be able to take advantage of this brilliant service.”

So if you are a wheelchair user and you live in one of the cities that Uber provide this service to we would loe to hear what you think and how you have been looked after as a wheelchair user.

Over the years we have seen many variations of the standard wheelchair where people have decided that they want or need something a little different for their mobility needs. These modified wheelchair have taken many forms and have generally been designed to cater for some specific requirement the wheelchair user might have. Others have been modified for the sake of it and simply to make a wheelchair that is a little different and that maybe expresses something about the user, a bit like the concept behind Izzy Wheels - wheelchair accessories.

So it was with curiosity that we read last week about the Irish company who have recently been granted the exclusive distributorship for the 'FREEWHEEL' which is an attachment that converts a regular model in to an all terrain wheelchair allowing users to travel over rough terrain in relative safety.

The Freewheel is an American invention that is being sold already in many other countries around the world. It is essentially a clamp-on third wheel that fits on to the foot plate of a rigid framed wheelchair and extends the wheelbase allowing it to cope with surfaces that would normally cause a problem to the user.

Intended for self propelled wheelchairs, the Freewheel takes only a few seconds to fit and can be carried on board with ease when it is not required, allowing the wheelchair user to fit it as and when it is needed. It is claimed that rough tracks, lawns and plenty of other surfaces can be tackled with ease with the addition of this easy to fit wheelchair accessory. In addition to the rough surfaces it allows, the FreeWheel also makes curb climbing easier as its wheel has a far larger diameter than is found on self propelled models.

When you buy the FreeWheel a kit is provided to allow you to customise the fitting clamp to marry up to your wheelchair. This ensures that is fits virtually all manual, rigid frame wheelchair footrests. It works so well by extending out of the front of the wheelchair by about 2 feet. This effectively lengthens the wheelbase which also spreads the load over an additional 5th wheel.

Weighing in at only 5 lbs, the FreeWheel is lightweight and compact and yet transforms an ordinary wheelchair in to an all terrain model in seconds. Its oversized 'front' wheel pivots on its own swivel fork which allows you to steer your manual wheelchair as normal using the rear wheel hand rims. We will be looking in to this smart wheelchair accessory with interest to see if it takes off in Ireland.

Hats of to Izzy who is bravely going where no wheelchair user has ever been before ! Isabel Keane is the Brand Ambassador of an Irish company that sell custom wheelchair spoke guards that started only 9 months ago in September 2016. The company 'Izzy Wheels' has already sold hundreds of sets of wheelchair spoke guards in both the UK but also Worldwide.

The easy to fit spoke guards are designed to be fitted to self propelled wheelchairs and span the entire wheel within the rim. The designs are many and varied and this is the attraction as wheelchairs are seen as medical devices and rarely are they made to look like anything else. Created by independent designers and illustrators these spoke guards turn a regular manual wheelchair into a fashion statement and offer a form of self-expression to the user.

Wheelchairs do become part on the users identity - like it or not and this includes visually, practically on a day to day basis and psychologically. So being able to radically change the look of the wheelchair with ease and create a look and feel that you are content with is an amazing thing to do and totally transforms the meaning of that wheelchair to the user, plus the impression it has on everyone who sees it.

All too often, because the wheelchair is marketed as a medical device they seem to bring negative connotations both to the user but also anyone who sees it and yet at core it is a source of liberation and freedom although to many the wheelchair is rarely seen as a symbol of independence. So for anyone to challenge this is a fantastic idea and provides an outlet for wheelchair users to express themselves and move away from the 'unfortunate wheelchair user' image that is so often felt. Even the notion that a wheelchair can be made to look fashionable is a nice change to the norm.

“Izzy Wheels are so important to me because they draw such positive attention to myself and my wheelchair,” says Isabel Keane, Izzy Wheels’ Brand Ambassador. “I am no longer seen as ‘the poor unfortunate girl in a wheelchair’ by passers-by. I am now seen as a stylish person with cool wheels. They really reflect the relationship I have with my wheelchair… Wheelchairs help, they do not hinder a person and now they do not hinder a person’s fashion choices”.

Although decorating wheelchair wheels is not entirely a new concept, Izzy Wheels are insistent on making this wheelchair transformation an affordable personal customisation. Other companies have sold plastic discs that clip on to the rear wheels but the designs have primarily targeted young children and the choice has been very limited. However this has changed and now the spoke guards from izzy Wheels start at just 99 Euros and are easier to fit to your wheelchair by the use of velcro straps making them easily interchangeable. This means that your wheelchair can have a quite different look from day to day and it can be 'dressed' to suit your attire and the occasion.

Creative Director Ailbhe Keane states the obvious when she says that wheelchairs have looked the same forever “People have negative connotations with wheelchairs and associate them with sick or elderly people. A wheelchair can cost up to €10,000 and none of this goes towards the appearance of your chair. We want to give one of the world’s most underserved community of people the freedom to express themselves… Self expression is a right”.

“Since launching, we realised the demand for personalization,” says the startup’s Creative Director. “We are currently working on a digital platform for Izzy Wheels called ‘Be-spoked’. This platform will give users the ability to build their own designs from a wide range of prints, colours, text and elements. We hope to launch this platform in the next few months”.

We wish the team at Izzy Wheels all the best with this venture and more so we hope that wheelchair users of all ages recognise this affordable opportunity to pimp their ride and jazz up their wheelchair to reflect their style. Dont forget to find some inspiration for your wheelchair here.

Do you remember the Segway ? heralded as a new mode of transport back in 2001 it has now become the core of a new electric wheelchair concept thanks to the team who have designed it down in New Zealand.

In the next month or two this new powerchair is due for release and will be available commercially for the first time. Described by occupational therapists as very exciting, the Ogo electric wheelchair is also described as a personal transportation system and combines the unique active moving seat control system with the very best of self-balancing technology to form a powerchair that can be controlled by body movements.

Although the Ogo really doesn’t look like a regular electric wheelchair, it does however appear to fill a gap that exists for powerchair users who want a bit more freedom and something more challenging. It won't suit all electric wheelchair users although it may well massively enhance the lifestyle of many, allowing more freedom and more scope.

If you are already thinking the Ogo electric wheelchair is not for you because it requires good use of your core muscles to steer it then don’t worry. This powerchair comes with a choice of three types of control, hands-free, seat steer or joystick control.

The hands free capability is the big attraction to me. Most forms of mobility scooter and electric wheelchair require one or both hands to be in use all the time to drive and steer the mobility aid. With the Ogo both hands remain free, opening up a plethora of opportunities for sport and outdoor pursuits. In fact looking at their videos, you may want your hands to hang on as this electric wheelchair seems to be able to go places no other powerchair has ventured before !

See more Ogo videos here

By using your core and upper body muscles you are able to both steer and control the pace of the Ogo electric wheelchair. This balance requirement is what makes this powerchair different and for those who are able, it will help them to keep strength in their core muscles. When used in normal conditions on a footpath this requirement is fairly minimal. However, move to a more challenging terrain and you will need to brace yourself and hang on as the Ogo becomes an off road monster that can go just about anywhere, with the ability to tackle soft sandy surfaces, loose gravel, rough terrain and steep inclines. In relative the Ogo powerchair is relatively small and light in weight yet it is potentially faster than most other powered mobility devices and electric wheelchairs.

The Ogo seems to beat traditional powered wheelchair is many ways. Firstly it has a huge range, potentially up to 40 km / 24.8 miles on a single charge. Secondly it achieves reasonable speeds of 20 kph / 12 mph which is far greater than any other production electric wheelchair on the market. SO where can the Ogo be used ? It is designed to be used for where ever pedestrians can access. It can be used as a primary or secondary wheelchair, medical aid, a toy, a piece of sports and recreational equipment.

What is nice about the way the Ogo is being marketed is that it is not simply a piece of mobility equipment nor an electric wheelchair. Instead it is being promoted to able bodied folk as well as those with disabilities, which, when you think about its removes stigma attached to using a mobility aid such as a powerchair. If folk who are not wheelchair users become frequent users then any user of the Ogo will not be assumed to be disabled nor a wheelchair user.

One restriction of the Ogo is the weight restriction of 110 KG which equates to about 17 stone, however there are plans afoot to make a model for heavier users. In the UK the speed will be restricted to in the United Kingdom it is limited to 4mph/6.5 kph.

Ogo  state Ogo is not just about the users. Family and friends of those who have trialed the Ogo love it too. They have told us that their homes are a happier and healthier environment - that Ogo means more freedom and independence for them and increased opportunities to get back into activities they had given up - walking the bush trails, rediscovering the  beaches and parks, shopping. Just participating in life with their partners. “Grabbing life by the wheels”.

So if you are in the market for a new electric wheelchair and can afford to wait a month or two then you might like to consider the Ogo ! Or if you are looking for a more regular powerchair please visit here.

When staff at the hospital in Israel found themselves wasting time collecting electric wheelchairs for their patients one of them decided it would be good if you could beckon for your electric wheelchair like you would a well-trained dog and it would come to you. Then they invented Chair Call !

Now they have just that, powerchairs and electric wheelchairs that are commanded by an app on their mobile phones allows them to call their chair from within near distance.

A team of experts at the Jerusalem hospital developed the device now called 'Chair Call' to help improve the quality of life for wheelchair users.

Alyn Rehabilitation Hospital for disabled children near Haifa north of Tel Aviv developed the app and the associated device that brings electric wheelchairs to their users like well trained dogs at their beck and call.

The device fits easily on to the joystick of the electric wheelchair and the application installs on to a tablet of mobile phone. The cost of this small device is under £15 making it very affordable for a powerchair user and making their life easier by way of having their electric wheelchair to hand at all times.

Acting like a remote control, the device allows you to call your electric wheelchair. Often as not powerchairs are stores out of the way when the user is in bed or in another chair. So to be able to call you wheelchair when it is needed is a very attractive proposition and will make many users lives easier.

The development team is headed by Hila Borel and includes specialists in paediatric rehabilitation.

Other volunteers from Intel and various techie organizations recently won the prize for outstanding social development from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. They developed the electric wheelchair friendly device when theory recognised the need of the children treated at the hospital.

Alyn Hospital is dedicated to helping physically disabled children to become more independent and use technology as part of their remit. Locally this system can be fitted to an electric wheelchair for just 60NIS or under £20.

Naidex mobility show was held last week and mobility product suppliers of all natures were airing their new wares.

One product that does shine above others is the all new Foldawheel PW-1000XL folding electric wheelchair which is heralded as the lightest and most advanced power wheelchair on the market. It seems to combine the best of all features that most folk look for in an electric wheelchair, namely the ability to fold with ease, lightweight construction making it easy to carry or lift in to a car boot or on to a bus and suitability to larger or heavier users coping with user weights of up to     150kg (330 lbs).

We hope to be selling this reasonably priced electric wheelchair very soon and think that it will prove very popular thanks to its strong feature line up. The frame of this power wheelchair is made from aircraft grade aluminium which guarantees one thing and that is strength but allow the wheelchair to remain lightweight.

The PW-1000XL powerchair seat width is 19" making it wider than the average wheelchair seat. It comes as standard with one battery which provides a range of 13km from a single charge. However, a second or even third battery can be added at extra cost, giving this electric powerchair a potential range of up to 39km or 24 miles from one charge. The charge time for a single battery is just 4 hours.

Other great features include a brushless electric motor which not only provides more power but also has an extended lifespan over a traditional electric motor that is used in many electric wheelchairs, making it 50% more efficient.

With a very quick folding action, rigid tyres front and back, twin 250watt motors and a very comfortable seat, this folding electric powerchair seems to have it all. So watch this space and we hope soon to have the Foldawheel powerchair in stock very soon !

Carl is no stranger to grueling physical challenges in his wheelchair. But this week end he and his wife completed the Manchester marathon in his wheelchair and propelled himself the whole of the 26 mile course taking the somewhat undulating route in his stride.

Carl, who was born with Spina Bifida, has never let his condition limit his activities and has always enjoyed a challenge in his wheelchair. The unstoppable part time football coach has previously raised thousands of pounds for his football club the Skem Men-Aces Football Club in Skelmersdale , which was specifically set up for adults with learning disabilities.

After the gruelling marathon even Carl said “I truly cannot believe that today and with my missus that I did the Greater Manchester Marathon 26.2 miles.

“I’ve never been so physically and mentally exhausted in my life and that was the most demanding thing on my body that I’ve ever done.”

No stranger to such challenges, Carl has previously won both the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Groups and a BBC Sports Personality of the Year award for his impressive efforts in his manual wheelchair.

He said: “Between nine and 13 miles I had decided to call it a day but with huge encouragement from a fabulous crowd, Mim and the Skem Men-Aces, I managed to snatch away at each mile.

“The hills were absolutely ridiculous at times and so soul destroying. “My wife Mim and I cried buckets as we crossed the finish line to rapturous applause, it was so emotional.

“The people of Manchester were brilliant. They really kept us going with Jelly Beans and encouragement.

“I’ll take my hat off to anyone that is thinking of doing a Marathon and shake their hands from now on.

“Unbelievably I am closer to my target of £10,000 and that has made it so worth it.

“I am in incredible pain but think a couple of pints in the Plough and Harrow pub in Skelmersdale will sort me out!

Carl was the only entrant to the marathon in  a wheelchair. His drive and energy towards everything is so impressive. He formed the football team in 2009 and it now has over 50 members with varying disabilities including several wheelchair users.

Although wheelchair half marathons are not so rare, entire marathons require an enormous amount of effort and commitment. Carl completed his marathon in a fairly standard self-propelled wheelchair as opposed to the specialist wheelchairs that you see in wheelchair racing at the Olympics for example. To see more about the world wheelchair marathon schedule click here.

Well done Carl for such a tremendous effort and completing a massive 26.3 miles in your wheelchair. Your pint is well deserved !

What an interesting story it was to read when i heard about wheelchair man superhero ! a comic book character created by an injured Afghan child who was left paralyzed after his house was hit by a bomb and is now reliant on his wheelchair.

This story, albeit true is both interesting and compelling and shows the real strength of character of the boy known as Mohammad Sayed. Mohamed, no a US citizen designed a comic book superhero - Wheelchair Man - based on his own life story.

His mother died when he was just 5 or 6 years of age, a short time later he was seriously injured leaving him disabled and in need of treatment and a wheelchair. He was abandoned by his father who left him in the care of the hospital which was run by a team of 500 Italian medics. His spinal cord damage means that he will never walk and that a wheelchair was going to be a way of life for him.

While in hospital he was asked to pay for his own food and clothes, so he started a small business repairing cell phones which eventually lead to him inventing a series of wheelchair accessories.

After 7 years in the hospital Mohamed’s life took a change and he was adopted by a US citizen and taken to the states in his wheelchair still aged only 12. In his early days in the US he received medical treatment to straighten his spine.

A few years on he began to learn a bit about engineering which was the start of his career in making wheelchair accessories. It started by him scouring the Internet for things to fit to his wheelchair but noticed quickly that many wheelchair accessories were over engineered and therefore overpriced.

So Mohamed started designing his own inventions that included a cup-holder, a tripod for his camera and a canopy to keep the sun and rain off, all of which attached to his wheelchair. What was different here was that his wheelchair accessories were designed by a wheelchair user for wheelchair users. As he points out many of these products are designed to be fitted to the back of the wheelchair and therefore only in reach of the attendant and not the wheelchair user.

Then something big happened, somehow the White House heard about his antics and he was invited to the 2015 White House Science Fair and presented to President Obama. This publicity catapulted him in to the spotlight where he has been able to continue his development of wheelchair gadgets on a commercial basis and the development of his beloved Wheelchair Man fictional character.

Inspired by different comic characters - Spider Man and Iron Man he noticed the absence of any superheroes that represent the wheelchair community. "This is the greatest country, how is it possible that they have no wheelchair superhero?" he said.

He wanted to celebrate the skills, powers and capabilities that wheelchair users have, so Mohamed started to create a superhero called Wheelchair Man based on his own real-life story.

His character Wheelchair Man is a teenager, he's an immigrant and he's a Muslim. Hi s plan is to develop a comic book series to inspire people with disabilities. Wheelchair man is against hatred and he wants to end violence and make this world a better place. But he already has plans for more ! including Wheelchair Woman, Wheelchair Girl, Wheelchair Boy and Captain Afghanistan ! all of whom will be based on the real lives of wheelchair users from developing countries.

We wish him luck and look forward to catching site of his wheelchair hero publications.