Tag Archives: mobility

News, Quingo Wheelchair

Quingo Connect Electric Wheelchair Portable and Lightweight

You will be familiar with our renowned Quingo 5 wheeled mobility scooter range but we would like to introduce you to a new addition to our range the Connect powered wheelchair.

The Connect is a very flexible and agile wheelchair suitable for those who may find a mobility scooter does not meet their requirements or health condition’s needs.

One of the key features is the easy use controls. These can be moved to either arm of the chair to suit passenger preference. In addition the controls can be mounted to the rear of the chair in moments making it an attendant controlled electric power wheelchair. So if you find yourself unable to operate the chair for any reason this can be handled by a partner or carer with ease.

The Connect is lightweight and folds in under 5 seconds making it possibly the best electric folding wheelchair available.

To find out more visit the new Connect Website.

Accessible Routes, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

There is so much to see and explore here in the UK, from historic castles to vibrant modern cities. But there is also a wealth of incredible routes that are easily accessible for all to enjoy. Here at Quingo Scooters, we’re always excited to share them with you and, in this latest series of the best accessible routes in the country that you can enjoy on your mobility scooter, we’re finding out what the Leeds-Liverpool Canal has to offer.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

 The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

Two exciting northern cities, Leeds and Liverpool, joined by a stretch of one of England’s most fascinating waterways. So many of the UK’s network of canals are well worth exploring. They’re a haven of peace and quiet and, whether you’re on the water or using the many miles of restored towpaths, they offer an accessible way to see the hidden side of the country. The Leeds-Liverpool canal is a real gem and is over 127 miles in length, making it the longest single canal in Britain. Of course, much of its fascination lies in the industrial heritage of the region: not just the remarkable scale and ambition of the canal itself, but also the many buildings that were built along it. So, if you’re visiting, make sure you take time to explore sights such as the Bingley Five Rise Locks as well as the historic town of Saltaire.

But it’s not just one for the industrial archaeologists among you: the Leeds-Liverpool canal also passes through some stunningly beautiful countryside. Whether you’re accessing the canal via its towpaths or seeing things from on the water, you’ll get to experience plenty of picturesque Yorkshire Dales villages and the Pennine hills.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes_ The Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Wigan Pier

Accessibility

Clearly, when you have a route that is as long and as varied as the Leeds-Liverpool canal, then there will be a broad range of levels of accessibility along its length. However, a great place to start to get the information you need before a visit is the Canal and River Trust’s website. They have a very useful map of many of the key locations along the canal, as well as a dedicated accessibility page here. Generally speaking, towpaths are often flatter and more accessible than most footpaths, but it is still well worth checking locally before you venture out.

Of course, one of the very best ways to see the canal when it comes to accessibility is to be on the water itself. There are several companies who offer trips along the canal on accessible boats. We recommend contacting the team who run The Rose of Parbold, based at Parbold in Lancashire, as a great place to start. Give Mike Walker a call on 01257 463269 to find out more about his boat.

Sites like Bingley Five Rise Locks are also well worth a visit. This spectacular stepped system of locks has a lovely cafe with an accessible toilet next to it, but unfortunately there is no Blue Badge parking nearby (only on-street). Take a look at DisabledGo.com’s review of the locks here.

There are direct trains and regular rail services to Leeds and Manchester from most of the UK, and each city also has its own international airport. They are also well connected both to each other and to the wider motorway network by the M62, if you are travelling to the region by car.

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo Scooter, or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo Scooters

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres.

For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters, Tips and Advice

Quingo Accessible Attractions: Haynes International Motor Museum

At Quingo Scooters we’re rejuvenating our Accessible Attractions series with another spectacular attraction for you to visit. This week we’ve discovered one for the motor heads amongst our readers!

We’re taking you to Sparkford in Somerset, to the UK’s largest collection of great cars from around the world, at The Haynes International Motor Museum. Buckle up your seatbelts, you’re in for a fun ride…

Quingo Haynes International Motor Museum 1
Editorial credit: Dave Goodman / Shutterstock.com

The museum

As the UK’s largest collection of cars; the museum boasts 400 amazing cars and bikes from the dawn of motoring in the late 1800s, to the classics of the 1950s and 60s. Keep your eyes peeled for beautiful Bentleys and Rolls Royces, to world renowned supercars such as the Jaguar XJ220.

The museum currently offers 19 individual exhibitions, with frequent tours, talks and activities for families, children and car enthusiasts. Each exhibition covers a specific period in the motoring industry, such as:

  • The Dawn of Motoring – displaying some of the oldest vehicles throughout the museum. With references to motoring pioneers such as Volta, Barsanti, Matteucci, Benz, Daimler and Olds.
  • Minis and Micros – a collection of the museum’s smallest vehicles, including those from Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, India and (former) East Germany. Displaying quirky European ‘bubble’ cars which became popular in the 1950s within the British motor industry. Following on, this resulted in Britain presenting the Mini to the world.
  • Custom and Bespoke – since motor cars were introduced onto the roads they have been customised/modified by their owners. This collection displays how owners interpret ‘different’.
  • Supercar Century – within the display are popular supercars such as a 1930 Bentley 4.5 Litre, 1973 E Type Jaguar and a 1995 Dodge Viper. The range is one of the most desirable and exclusive within the museum – certainly not one to miss!
  • Ferrari: The Man, The Machine, The Myth – high performance brands such as Ferrari have become innovators within sports and racing cars. As one of the most expensive and beautiful brands in the world, the collection is a homage to the innovation behind Ferrari’s brand.

Quingo Haynes International Motor Museum 2
Credit: Haynes International Motor Museum/ Unsplash

Accessibility

The museum is generally a ground floor attraction with a range of hands-on exhibits, the first-floor Motorcycle Mezzanine level has lift access up from the rest of the museum. There are accessible toilets within the reception area, at the AA display and in the Supercar Century exhibition. There are ramps within the Red Room and the Auto Games Area, as well as a large ramp for access to the Café 750. There are 7 blue badge bays within the car park, located just a few metres away from reception. For more information visit the accessibility section of the website here.

Prices and opening times

Ticket prices for adults (aged 16+) are £14.50, children (aged 4-15 years) £9 and children (under 4 years) are free. Concessions (disabled adult, senior citizens over 65 years, students, forces and disabled senior citizens) are £13.50 and disabled children (aged 4-15 years) £7. The museum is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm from 2 March to 28 October (Monday-Sunday), and 9.30am to 4.30pm from 29 October to 1 March (Monday-Sunday).

Planning a visit

Travelling to the museum is very accessible. For people planning to visit by rail, the main line station at Castle Cary is 5 miles away from the museum and has a high-speed link between Paddington and Penzance. The line also has a daily route between Bristol and Weymouth with regular stops at Yeovil. For more information visit the National Rail website here.

By bus, there are regular bus services to Sparkford Village from Castle Cary and Yeovil. Further information can be found on the Travel South West website here.

For visitors travelling by car, the museum is situated just off the A303 near Sparkford on the A359 Sparkford to Castle Cary Road. High profile brown tourist signs from all the major trunk roads provide easy to follow local directions.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Accessible Attractions: Steven Joseph Theatre

Wherever you travel in the UK, you’ll be greeted by a treasure trove of fantastic cultural attractions which you can explore as a mobility scooter user. It’s hard to know where to check out first, so Quingo Scooters is putting together a guide to the UK’s most accessible attractions to help you decide.

We’re taking you on a trip to the seaside this week, as we head to the town of Scarborough. This North Yorkshire town is known for its golden sandy beaches, thrilling amusements and breath-taking historic ruins, but one of its highlights is undoubtedly the Steven Joseph Theatre.

QUINGO ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: STEVEN JOSEPH THEATRE 1

Take in a show

The Steven Joseph Theatre has served as one of Scarborough’s top cultural sites for decades. It was originally opened as a small ‘theatre in the round’ on the first floor of a public library in 1955 by actor Steven Joseph. It flourished but struggled to find a permanent home until the existing Steven Joseph Theatre was set up in an old Odeon cinema in 1996 and it has thrived ever since.

You can visit the Steven Joseph to take in a range of shows from kid’s pantos to gripping dramas. It has two stages, the first of which is ‘The Round Theatre;’ a unique circular space, where you can get a 360 degree view of all the action on stage. It also has ‘The McCarthy Theatre’ – a more traditional stage. Shows expected to come to the Steven Joseph this year include Little Voice, Grimm’s Tales, Cyrano and Charlie and the Light Fantastic, so you’re sure to find something for every member of the group.

If you check out the Steven Joseph Theatre website’s what’s on page, you can find a full list of its existing and upcoming productions, along with details on showing times and ticket prices. The Steven Joseph Theatre also boasts a shop, where you can pick up fantastic handcrafted items made by the finest local artisans. It also contains restaurant/bar space, where you can relax with a meal and a drink in the intermission, whilst waiting with baited breath for your show to commence once more.

QUINGO ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: STEVEN JOSEPH THEATRE 3

Accessible venue

The Steven Joseph is a great attraction for any mobility scooter user, as it is incredibly accessible. You can get to the Steven Joseph Theatre with little fuss, as it is situated a few minutes away from Scarborough train station. There are accessible parking bays located on nearby Albemarle Crescent, while if you’re a blue badge holder, you can park for free on Hannover Road just 20 metres away from the theatre. Check out the website’s visiting us page to find more information on the different ways of getting there.

You will be able to navigate your way around the Steven Joseph Theatre with ease. The building is accessible by ramp, which is located on the right side of its entrance. You can then take another ramp from the entrance up to the box office, allowing you to book tickets to whatever show takes your fancy. There are also accessible toilets dotted around the Steven Joseph Theatre.

The Theatre is just as accessible inside as it is outside. There are lifts to the shop, restaurant/bar and both The Round Theatre and The McCarthy Theatre. There are accessible seats in both theatres, located close to the lifts. You can also request accessible seating on the front row of both theatres by contacting staff at least 24 hours before you arrive. Visit the website’s access page, to find out more about accessibility at the Steven Joseph Theatre.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Holidays, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Accessible Getaways: Newcastle

A well-deserved holiday is never far away, and Quingo Scooters are on hand to help you plan it! There are so many unique spots around the UK, which you can visit easily as a mobility scooter, providing you with memories you’ll cherish for ever. It’s no easy task whittling these choices down, when looking for that next fabulous location to visit, so we’re revealing our top suggestions for accessible getaways!

You might want to wrap up warm, as this week we’re taking you up North! The region’s beating heart of Newcastle is a top getaway destination. It features a range of cultural attractions and it’s one of the UK’s most accessible cities, giving you so much to see and do.

QUINGO ACCESSIBLE GETAWAYS: NEWCASTLE 2

Welcome to Newcastle

Situated in scenic Tyneside, Newcastle is famous the world over for its friendly people, who are sure to welcome you to their city. Not only is the region home to breath-taking sites, such as the legendary ‘Angel of the North’ statue, it also features various accessible attractions, including:

  • Jesmond Dene Park: If you’re looking for an oasis of peace, Jesmond Dene Park is for you. Based just outside Newcastle city centre, Jesmond Dene Park features both native and exotic trees, as well as wildlife such as Kingfishers and Red Squirrels, and a café which serves tasty treats. Free to enter, the park is accessible, with accessible routes located throughout.
  • Discovery Museum: Delve into the history of Newcastle at the Discovery Museum. Opened in 1993 the Museum, which is located Blandford Square and is free to enter, houses maritime and science related attractions such as the iconic Sturbina steam ship – once the fastest on earth! All its floors have level access and there are lifts and accessible toilets across the site.
  • Theatre Royal: There’s no better place to catch a show than Newcastle’s Theatre Royal. The space, located on Grey Street, hosts everything from thrilling stage adaptions to fun musicals. You can find ticket prices on the what’s on page of the Theatre’s website and it’s really accessible with level access, lifts and accessible spaces in its stall, grand circle and upper circle seats.
  • Laing Art Gallery: For culture enthusiasts, the Laing Art Gallery is a must-see attraction. A few streets away from the Theatre Royal, it is free to visit, although there may be charges for some exhibits. Here you’ll discover British oil paintings, watercolours, ceramics, silver and glassware from across the ages. There is level access into the building and it has a lift up to the first floor.
  • Seven Stories: If you’re travelling with children, Seven Stories on Lime Street is well worth a visit. Billed as ‘the national centre for children’s books,’ this space brings iconic tales to life with readings, exhibitions and more. Ticket prices vary for adults and children of different ages, but these can be found here. Seven Stories has accessible parking, level access and lifts to all floors.

QUINGO ACCESSIBLE GETAWAYS: NEWCASTLE 3

Navigating Newcastle

It’s easy to travel to, and around Newcastle. The best way to reach the city is to catch a train to Newcastle Train Station, which is based at the centre of this scenic metropolis. When it comes to getting around, there’s no better way than the Tyneside and Wear Metro, which is a very affordable travel option. Its trains are fully accessible, with either lifts or ramps at all stations for ease of access.

Newcastle’s has a wide range of accessible hotels. Our top pick is the Royal Station Hotel on Neville Street, based near the train station. Known for its grand Victorian façade, the Hotel includes sumptuous period interiors, but modern, minimalist rooms, making for an interesting contrast. Accessible rooms in the Royal Station Hotel are available upon request and it also boasts a fantastic restaurant which has become popular for its elegant afternoon teas and delicious Sunday carvery’s.

The council of Newcastle are committed to promoting greater accessibility in their city. There are a variety of accessible parking bays dotted across Newcastle, which are open to blue badge holders, with a full list available at the parking in Newcastle section of the council’s website. Meanwhile, if you click here, you’ll find information on the public accessible toilets located across the city. With so much on offer, you’re sure to have a fabulous time if you choose Newcastle for your next getaway!

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.