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1932 Disability Trike Sets Off on Swiss Alps Challenge

Information provided by Disabled Motoring UK - Published: 2011-06-06

The Alps Challenge team defied an overheated clutch and puncture to get off to a roaring start, under the stewardship of children’s television presenter and wheelchair basketball star Ade Adepitan, on Saturday.

Cheered on by a small crowd and members of the team, Ade Adepitan piloted the trike away from Queen’s House, Greenwich at midday on Saturday 4th June – as the team from Disabled Motoring UK set off to recreate the journey originally made in 1947 by the national charities founder O.A Denly who sadly passed away last year.

Using the same trike, lovingly repaired by soldiers from the Royal Light Dragoons, the team will once again drive from London, through France and across the Swiss Alps, before heading home to a reception with MPs at the Houses of Parliament.

“The trike is really quite something – it is tough to drive with all the power steering coming from the driver, but is beautifully built and with a bit of care I have no doubts it can cross the Swiss Alps for a second time, 64 years on” said Ade before setting off.

Over the weekend the team made good progress and had made it to Paris by Sunday, nursing the trike and a rapidly soaked main driver Dan McIntyre, through French drizzle and are due to reach Switzerland on Tuesday 7th June 2011.

Disabled Motoring UK is a campaigning charity for disabled drivers, passengers and Blue Badge holders. We lobby government and businesses to improve parking, refuelling and access provision for disabled people, so that they can access the goods and services that they need. Disabled Motoring UK is not just an organisation for disabled motorists; we also campaign for and support scooter and wheelchair users, families and carers.

Our continuing campaigns include: the abuse of disabled parking bays, the reform of the Blue Badge scheme, accessibility of city centres, and the lack of parking at healthcare facilities. Disabled Motoring UK will continue to co-ordinate the successful Baywatch campaign, which surveys the abuse of disabled parking space in supermarkets across the UK and encourages retailers to improve their provision and enforcement of Blue Badge bays. Disabled Motoring UK were formerly known as ‘Mobilise’ and renamed in April 2011.

Ade Adepitan, Disabled Motoring UK CEO Graham Footer and main driver Dan McIntyre.

For more information on either Disabled Motoring UK or the Alps Challenge please contact Disabled Motoring UK on 01508 489449 or email info@disabledmotoring.org

For more information on how to support the Alps Challenge check out Disabled Motoring UK’s MyDonate site at https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/disabledmotoringuk

You can follow the Alps Challenge from www.disabledmotoring.org on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AlpsChallenge

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• This web page is from the Disabled World 2011 Alps Challenge section which provides: From 4th to 16th June 2011 the charity Disabled Motoring UK will recreate a journey across the Swiss Alps in a Argson mobility trike.
• People Still Ask If I Need a Push - Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
• Learning to Drive Key Catalyst in My Life Says Paralympian and TV Star Ade Adepitan
• Motor-Racing Star Nicolas Hamilton to Join Alps Challenge Team

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