Napier City Council buys new all-terrain wheelchair for residents to hire

Nathan Taylor, centre, tries out the new all-terrain wheelchair. With him, left, is Rhys Harman, director of lifeguarding at Waimarama Surf Lifesaving Club and surf lifesaving volunteers.

One of the first things to come out of Napier's new disability strategy is the purchase of an all-terrain wheelchair that can be hired from the council.

The wheelchair, which had its first outing at the Halberg Foundation's Hawke's Bay Surf Day at Waimarama last Sunday, was purchased following discussion about access to recreational activities during development of the draft strategy.

The draft strategy is out now for wider community feedback, with feedback to the Napier City Council accepted until Friday, May 10.

The draft strategy sets out six key focus areas: getting around, getting involved, being included, having fun, being safe and having work.

People with a disability make up 27 per cent of Napier's population and this figure is growing.

Napier City Council community strategies manager Natasha Carswell said the principles around working with the disability community could be characterised with the phrase "nothing about us, without us".

The draft strategy was developed through a series of workshops and focus groups with our disability community and also with staff from a range of council departments.

Two key groups from our disability community, the Napier Disability Advisory Group (agencies) and Napier Ability Plus (people with a lived experience of disability) will continue to work with Council as the strategy is finalised.