Rotarians, UK visitors donate wheelchairs

Representatives of the Wheelchair Foundation UK and also members of Rotary clubs in the UK accompanied by members of the Rotary Club of Pietersburg 100 handed over wheelchairs for use by residents of Centenary House of the Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD) Limpopo last Thursday.
The group of five visitors from the United Kingdom also visited the Rotary clubs of Pietersburg 100, Polokwane, Haenertsburg and Louis Trichardt over the last week to be briefed on the clubs’ sustained involvement in the distribution of wheelchairs.
Chairman and founder of the foundation, Milton Frary said that Wheelchair Foundation UK is based in Yorkshire and was established in 2003 when he retired as a bank manager. “We receive no government assistance and is totally dependent on donations from our trustees from more than 30 countries all over the world. The foundation is recognised as a Rotary charity and as a past district governor of Rotary District 1040, we work very closely with the Rotary clubs to identify recipients of the wheelchairs and assist with the hand-overs,” Frary explained.
According to Frary, the foundation has donated 35 147 wheelchairs to date, of which more than 16 000 were distributed in South Africa. “A great deal of our funding comes from South Africa and we aim to make the donations to the countries where the funding originates from. Once we have received enough funds to procure a container of wheelchairs and have it delivered, it is directly dispatched from the manufacturer in China to the final destination,” Frary added.
Frary was accompanied by his wife, Elaine and trustees Sam Reeves and David and Jennifer Henderson and the party also spent three days in the Kruger National Park.

Story and photos: BARRY VILJOEN
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