The Mobility Roadshow organisers felt that Nigel would be an ideal ambassador for the 2015 event being a keen advocator of both the Roadshow and the Donington Park venue. Ambassadors proactively help to raise awareness of the event that helps people with disabilities and their families discover life-changing solutions. Nigel has been visiting the Roadshow since 1991 where he was introduced to previously unseen vehicle adaptations and conversions. Since then, he says, not only has technology greatly changed but so too have finance options. The Mobility Roadshow provides him with an ideal platform to find new innovative products, gain expert advice and try out different vehicles so that he can plan ahead with car purchases.

Nigel has been playing Boccia for over 20 years and regularly travels all over the country for training and to coach and compete.  Increasingly reliant on a power chair, Nigel also wishes to retain independence when travelling without needing someone on hand to put his chair in a vehicle.  He believes his current choice of vehicle, a Sirus Volkswagen Caddy, which he has had for 18 months, is ideally suited to his needs. A demonstration from a Sirus Mobility Advisor showed him how easy it was to enter and leave the car without assistance and Nigel says there is ample space for his sports wheelchair in the back as well as equipment and luggage needed for training camps. Nigel has had ‘push-pull’ hand controls fitted and Sirus also fitted a push button gear selector. He also has an automated wheelchair locking device which secures him into the driver’s position.

Nigel comments: “Unfortunately for disabled drivers, we cannot go into a dealership and take a test drive of a car we like as they do not have any driving adaptations.  The closest you can get is sitting in the passenger seat whilst someone else drives, which is not ideal at all – test drives at the Mobility Roadshow are completely different.”

Nigel continues: “I think it is fantastic that the Mobility Roadshow is returning to Donington. Not only does the venue have good facilities and parking, but having the Donington race track is a real plus point and a great reason to visit. It provides a fantastic opportunity for visitors to test drive adapted and wheelchair accessible vehicles in a safe controlled environment, which gives them a true representation of the vehicle. Without the Roadshow this opportunity would not exist.”