'For the first time in our history we have closed our waiting list'

Cash plea so kids get the wheelchairs they need

- By Hanna Geissler Health Editor

THE leading charity for young wheelchair users has been forced to close its waiting list for specialist equipment for the first time in its 35-year history.

Around 75,000 children and young adults need the mobility aid but those provided by the NHS can be too heavy to self-propel, unsuitable for outdoor use or lack essential support for the body.

Whizz Kidz provides specialist made-tomeasure chairs costing on average £4,800. They give users greater independence, can improve mental health and cut injury risk.

But with 1,000 people on the waiting list the charity is unable to keep up with demand. It would take four years to clear the backlog at the current rate.