Lynne, who is soon to celebrate her 40th birthday, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was four, but that hasn't held her back. She has a great bunch of friends and a fantastic team of support workers enabling her to lead life to the full. A crucial part of that independence is getting from A to B with her Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV). "It's really important," says Lynne. "Without it, I wouldn't be able to get to half the places that I visit."
A massive difference
Lynne has had several WAVs through the Motability Scheme, ever since she moved into her own bungalow over two decades ago. Having previously used a hoist to sit in the back of a Scheme car, being in a WAV is more comfortable as Lynne can sit in her own wheelchair. Moreover, living in semi-rural Norton, Yorkshire, with only one bus per hour, means having a WAV is crucial to Lynne getting out and about, with mum Julie saying "it's made a massive difference". Last year, it was time for Lynne to choose her latest WAV. "We asked two organisations to come and do a demonstration," says Julie, but Lynne was tempted by Automotive Group, who could get the Citroën Spacetourer M in her chosen silver grey. "The admin team at Automotive Group deserve a shout out as their professional responses at times when our calls were emotive, due to circumstances beyond their control, were both informative and reassuring," says Julie.
Roomy and easy to drive
Lynne's Spacetourer M allows her to enter via a wide-low angle rearward ramp. "When Lynne's in her electronic wheelchair, she can drive into the back, but when she's in a manual wheelchair, it's got a winch that you can attach that actually takes her into the WAV," says Julie, describing the particular feature as a "first" for Lynne. Inside, Lynne sits in the middle of the second row of seats (one of six layout configurations you can spec), meaning she can easily chat with people sitting either side of her or those in the front. "I've got a really good view, and it's nice and comfortable because it's carpeted," says Lynne. The incredible around-the-clock support team from Acorn Community Care are Lynne's travel companions. "Now that I've got an automatic, it's better for my staff team, because some of the staff couldn't drive my previous [WAV]," she says. Now the whole team can take Lynne out. Jo, a member of Lynne's support group, has praised the drivability of the Spacetourer M, which measures 4.98m (length) by 2.2m (width) and benefits from rear parking sensors. "It's really easy to drive and really comfortable," she says. "And it has a much smoother ride for Lynne as well, which is important."
On tour
Having a larger WAV is also enabling Lynne to broaden her horizons. Unlike her previous vehicles, Lynne's Spacetourer M has room for all of her equipment and luggage. "She's going to Blackpool for her 40th birthday, which actually would have been quite a distance for somebody to have taken her stuff [before]," says Julie. Lynne also uses her WAV to travel to Boccia tournaments, a recognised Paralympic sport, which she enjoys "because it's something I can actually do, and I'm quite competitive". She also enjoys a wide array of events at the Acorn Community Care centre, cinema trips and concerts. But for all of them, there's no doubt Lynne's WAV helps her live her best life.
