A CHARITY that helps people with mobility problems has made a New Year's resolution to raise thousands of pounds to keep it running.

Kendal and South Lakes Shopmobility needs to find £127,000 over the next three years to keep its service going because its National Lottery Community Fund cash will run out in June.

At Kendal's Westmorland Shopping Centre this week the charity's new patron, the Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, James Cropper, and president, county councillor Alan Bobbett, helped launch the fund-raising drive.

The popular charity provides scooters and wheelchairs to anyone who has difficulties with mobility, including people with disabilities, pregnant women and people with injuries, and is linked to shops and stores which have scooter and wheelchair access.

Project development officer Pam Flitcroft said the scooters were used more than 3,000 times a year, and the people who used them spent between £50 and £100 each trip.

Mrs Flitcroft said the fund-raising slogan the charity was using was "Shopmobility going forward".

"We intend to carry on, no matter what," she said.

The charity encouraged shoppers into the town, Mrs Flitcroft added, and they hoped businesses in South Lakeland would in turn be able to support the fund-raising.

Mr Cropper said he had agreed to become patron after being asked by Coun Bobbett, who worked at Croppers for many years.

"I always admired the way he got around and made light of his MS, and when he got a scooter it made all the difference because he was able to get out to parts of the mill that when he was on crutches he found very difficult.

"I would really like to help Shopmobility in its bid to trusts, business and the retail sector to try to get the funding they need to continue, because it's a priceless asset they have got here."

Coun Bobbett said although he had his own scooter he

used Shopmobility scooters regularly to get around Kendal, because the charity delivered the vehicle to his car.

Attending the fund-raising launch were representatives of Boots, Kendal Library and the Dot Caf which had been nominated as the best major retailer, independent retailer and public amenity respectively by Shopmobility users for ease of access and friendliness and helpfulness of staff.

January 9, 2003 14:30