Designability – INNOVATION AT ITS BEST!
DESIGNABILITY IS PERHAPS BEST-KNOWN FOR ITS ICONIC RED WIZZYBUG – A POWERED WHEELCHAIR PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO YOUNG DISABLED CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE UK.
T
he Wizzybug Loan Scheme is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Through this scheme, Designability has helped over one thousand children and their families, providing opportunities for independence, exploration and adventure from a very young age. Whilst the importance of early years powered mobility is evident from numerous research studies, powered wheelchairs for disabled children under five are hard to come by from the NHS. Designed and built in-house by the Designability team, Wizzybugs are made available for free to every child who could benefit. Once the
32
child has outgrown the Wizzybug, it is then refurbished by the charity and passed on to another child to enjoy. The pioneering loan scheme has proved to be a resounding success, with the charity regularly sharing photos and videos of children enjoying independent movement. The impact of having a Wizzybug goes much further though – it gives children the opportunity to make choices and decisions, which has a lasting effect on them. Looking to build on the success of the scheme, Designability is working to reach the next one thousand children by 2026.
A NEW LOAN SCHEME Inspired by the demand for and the success of the Wizzybug Loan Scheme, Designability is progressing its project to create a pushchair for manual wheelchair users. Parents who use manual wheelchairs have very few options when it comes to taking their children out and about independently. Whilst some use slings or other carriers, parents report that these are often uncomfortable and do not feel safe. Yet there are no products commercially available for a wheelchair-compatible pushchair.
