Isle Of Wight Charity MAD-Aid Hoping To Reintroduce Favourite Fundraiser

Isle of Wight-based charity MAD-Aid is hoping to bring back a favourite fundraiser – Push The Wight.

Push The Wight was last held in 2014 and involves teams of wheelchair users and able-bodied pushers, together with solo wheelchair and mobility scooter users, tackling a relatively flat course.

The event is planned for mid-summer and will be held on the Isle of Wight.

The aim is twofold – to highlight the challenges wheelchair-users face, as well as to raise money to fund the transport of second-hand medical equipment and mobility aids to hospitals in Moldova and Ukraine.

MAD-Aid saves healthcare settings money – including St Mary’s Hospital, Mountbatten hospice and Isle of Wight care homes - by collecting decommissioned medical equipment free of charge.

This equipment is more usually disposed of commercially in landfill at considerable expense, but instead, MAD-Aid recycles it by transporting it directly to hospitals in Eastern Europe where it is badly needed.

This is a WIN-WIN-WIN situation because it saves the NHS money; saves the UK environment by stopping perfectly good equipment from going into landfill and ensures people in poorer countries have good quality equipment. It’s a perfect example of circular economy at its best.

Everyone is welcome to take part in Push The Wight and it is hoped the event will attract people of all ages.

Kate Couch, from MAD-Aid, said:

“Last time Push The Wight was held, teams from several care homes took part, as well as people from Isle of Wight businesses and charities, and there were around 50 wheelchairs and mobility scooters involved.

“Many of those who took part were able-bodied people who wanted to experience the challenges involved in getting around when you have mobility issues.

"Each articulated lorry full of medical equipment costs between £4,500 and £5,000 to transport from the UK to Eastern Europe, so it would be amazing if Push The Wight could raise enough money to cover the cost of one lorry."

Anyone who is interested in taking part – or supporting Push The Wight in other ways – can call MAD-Aid on 200648 or email info@mad-aid.org.uk