Club of the Week: Mobility Scooter Club

They might be just thought of as simple get-abouts for the elderly to get to the corner shop but mobility scooters can be so much more for the roving members of a group of Tauranga clubs.
The city's mobility scooter clubs in Greerton, Mount Maunganui and Otumoetai and Matua, all co-ordinated by Gary Darkes of Tauranga firm Home, Health and Mobility, offer scooter users a friendly way to learn more about their machines and how to ride them safely.
David Hartwell, who joined his club six years ago, has travelled from his Mount Maunganui home to Papamoa, a half-hour trip, and across the Harbour Link to Pak N' Save in Cameron Rd, an hour's ride away.
"I've been around the Mount eight or nine times. I honestly don't know what I'd do without it. If anything goes wrong, Gary will be there in a flash to help."
Richard and Veronica Hitchman of Mount Maunganui set off on adventures sometimes three times a week and describe the scooter-bound journey over the harbour bridge as "a beautiful ride".
"If you've got an illness or anything and need a bike, it pays to join a scooter club. You can get all the whys, dos and don'ts that you wouldn't get otherwise," Mrs Hitchman said.
"There's all sorts of things you need to know, like how to ride around other people on footpaths. I'd really recommend it."
Mr Darkes holds meetings every three months and has been running outings since 1997, the first being the inaugural Cherrywood to Kulim Park mobility scooter rally.
"The last fun event was down at the Historic Village on Melbourne Cup Day," Mr Darkes said.
"The most rewarding trip for me and the mobility scooter users was when I took 20 scooters around the Mount. It was great fun, new friends were made and we ended the day with a barbecue, which went down really well. People still talk about it today.
"One of the people that encouraged me to continue with these clubs was the Tauranga City Council travel safe co-ordinator at the time, the late Maree Kingsbury. She was an inspiration and very encouraging, and mobility scooter users today have a lot to thank her for.
"The aim of the clubs is for people to meet and talk about issues they may have with using their scooters, such as pavements, traffic, pedestrians and overhanging vegetation.
"We talk in a positive way and together help find solutions to any issue over a cuppa. The important overall message is about safety. The clubs are a lot of fun, we will sometimes have a guest speaker and pass on funny stories. All scooter users leave happy and smiling, orange flags flying, fluoro vests glowing, and goody bag flapping in the wind."
THE DETAILS
Name: Greerton, Otumoetai/Matua and Mount Maunganui mobility scooter clubs. Established: 2005.
How often they meet: Meetings are held every three months, with outings held once a year.