'Got an old walking stick? This company will help you get it to someone in need'

The scheme will see sticks and crutches refurbished back to their top quality and redistributed around the world, and has already redistributed mobility aids to over 22 countries

It’s something nice from me this week, for a change!

Do you have any old mobility aids lying around the house? Mobility Aids company Cool Crutches and Walking Sticks in partnership with PhysioNet, has launched the UK’s first walking aid recycling scheme Send Us Your Sticks. The campaign aims to combat healthcare and mobility equipment inaccessibility around the world.

The scheme will see the sticks and crutches refurbished back to their top quality and redistributed around the world. PhysioNet has already redistributed mobility aids to over 22 countries, including most recently Syria, Turkey and Ukraine. According to the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, almost one billion people are denied the mobility aids they need. Comparatively, the NHS disposes of fourteen million pounds worth of unused and unwanted mobility equipment each year.

This is why the CEO and Co-Founder of Cool Crutches Amelia Peckham is urging people to send her their unwanted aids: “We wanted to introduce a scheme that not only changes the lives of people living with a disability, but also tackle the environmental issues caused by the disposal or discarding of these products.”

By Rachel Charlton-Dailey, guest editor and founder of The Unwritten

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Peckham told the Mirror: “There are millions of people globally who unfortunately don’t have access to mobility aids, and experience difficulties in obtaining preventative care and appropriate treatments. This scheme looks to change that and we have goals to help the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities globally.”

David Kaye, Chairman of PhysioNet agrees and praises the work of Peckham in raising disability awareness: “ We are delighted to be working with Amelia and Cool Crutches & Sticks. She shares our philosophy of matching redundant mobility equipment with people with disabilities in developing countries.”

When purchasing a new walking stick or crutches from Cool Crutches & Walking Sticks, the company will send the necessary packaging for you to pack up and send your old walking aid, which will then be hand-delivered to the team of volunteers at PhysioNet.

You also don’t need to make a purchase to send your sticks to Cool Crutches. You can send any unwanted sticks and crutches in any box or bag to the address on the site. If you’re doing it this way please send a note with your full name and email address and what you’re sending.

As a thank you, Peckham is giving everyone who participates in the scheme 10% off their next Cool Crutches order - I almost wish I had any old ones lying around for the code! In a world where environmentalism is being used against disabled people, such as the plastic straws ban, a campaign that centres and benefits us is much welcomed.

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