Gary Darkes with the fold up light mobile scooter; Shirwin Lee trying out the super scooter and also showing us the gun empacements.
Independent living means living with the freedom to make choices. As a person gets older or disability with physical movement becomes an issue, then having a means to be mobile adds so many dimensions to a person’s life.
Meet Gary Darkes and his specialist mobility scooters. Gary is the face of the Independent Living Charitable Trust and has been helping people choose the right mobility scooters for their needs and their environment for over twenty years.
Gary’s work takes him all over the North Island and his focus is ensuring that people not only enjoy their independent living made possible by their mobility scooter but works in communities to enable scooter safety and driver confidence.
Independent Living Trust is really New Zealand’s largest specialist mobility store and Gary is working with Whitianga Social Services to equip people effectively with the right mobility scooter for their needs.
It was a fun event recently at Whitianga Social Services in Cook Drive, when Gary was demonstrating the latest and largest mobility scooter. Local resident, Shirwin Lee (who doesn’t need a mobility scooter at all), was invited to try out this new scooter. It looked like a super ‘hot rod’ and Shirwin was tempted to take it for a spin. However, he did not but did comment on how easy it was to maneuver and drive. At the other end of the scale, Gary demonstrated a fold-up mobility scooter which was light and portable but very strong.
“Freedom matters to people,” says Gary. “It is my job to make sure they enjoy the freedom the mobility scooter gives them, safely.”
Gary is able to assist people when their needs change. It is not one mobility scooter for years on end. A person’s needs change as their mobility changes or their environment changes. He also ensures that people learn the basics of what ‘considerate riding’ really means and provides tips on staying visible, and in control.
“A mobility scooter may seem small, but it’s still a vehicle,” says Gary. “I like helping users feel confident with their scooter and how to share the space in terms of road safety. I work to support them with their vehicle for as long as it takes.”
Gary will be spending time not only working with Whitianga Social Services but with the communities of the Coromandel Peninsula in assisting mobility scooter users.
Ph: 0800 625 100
