Outdoor Adventure for the GM4X All-Terrain Paratreker; A Visit to the AHOEC 2023 Conference
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Background
Now-a-days, majority of offices and buildings, restaurants and cafes, resorts and hotels, and many other public spaces boast about being “Wheelchair Accessible”. This allows individuals with mobility disabilities to visit these places with ease. However, not all outdoor terrains are accessible to people with disabilities. These may include more complex terrains such as trails and mountains, beaches and river sides and other rugged terrains.
While a plethora of companies manufacture wheelchairs for day to day use, only a handful of manufacture electronic and manual wheelchairs for outdoor use. The GM4X team in collaboration with Grit and Davinci recently showcased their products at the 60th Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres 2023 conference. The GM4X Paratreker, Grit Spartan, and Davinci Quattro aim to make the outdoors accessible with their All-Terrain Wheelchairs.
These outdoor access wheelchairs are completely different from the “day-to-day” wheelchairs that are used indoors or for “softer” terrains. The 3 day event saw multiple speakers and heads from different organizations sharing their views on one common goal, with one focus: improving outdoor access for all.
The GM4X range of Paratrekers, consists of versatile, All Terrain Wheelchairs that can be taken outdoors. These wheelchairs are customisable and able to withstand different climates and outdoor environments. These are suitable for individuals and organisations and users of all ages.
The Conference
The conference was aimed at improving the outdoors and making it more accessible for all. Multiple workshops and presentations were carried out throughout the 3 days giving the participants ample time to interact with and learn about each other’s ideas and aims.
GM4X Founder and Director, Gordon McGregor’s workshop was called “Go Anywhere; All Terrain Wheelchairs” and focused on the Equality Act 2010 as well as demonstrating the outdoor use wheelchairs.
This act states that an individual is considered to be disabled if they have any physical or mental impairments that have ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. It further defines ‘substantial’ as something that is more than minor or trivial and ‘long-term’ as lasting upto or more than 12 months. The attitude towards inclusion and disability is constantly improving and newer ways of incorporating the needs of disabled people are being thought of. Gordon presented the GM4X Paratreker Trail and the GM4X Paratreker All Terrain along with American born Grit Spartan and home bread DaVinci Quattro. The hand driven Grit and Paratrekers and mechanical DaVinci are perfect companions for outdoor use and are made keeping the end users in mind. They are customisable which means they can be made according to the needs and comfort of the users.
These wheelchairs are stronger than the usual wheelchairs which ensures that they are not damaged during transit or use. This also makes them suitable to use while exploring hills, campsites, beaches, or any other rugged terrains.
The GM4X Paratrekers can be leased, purchased, or rented by
individuals and organisations. Simply write to us at sales@gm4x.co.uk to take your first step at exploring the outdoors!
