Giovanni (not his real name) came to London in the seventies. As a trained chef, he worked in the catering industry for nearly 30 years, including 15 years of running his own restaurant business. He has lived in the area for many years in a small housing association flat.
Sadly he had polio in childhood, and as he ages, he suffers from other health problems too. So he was finding it more and more difficult to get around and function on a daily basis. A friend told him about the charity and Giovanni asked for a grant towards the cost of a mobility scooter.
Our Grants Officer visited Giovanni at home (as with all applicants) to see how he gets on. This time it was particularly important, to check there was a secure place to store the mobility scooter. She could see his flats have a central courtyard and the housing association agreed he can store it there.
Our Trustees agreed that Giovanni could select a mobility scooter that he liked but the charity would pay a maximum of £500. He chose a fairly expensive model and paid the extra amount himself.
Giovanni received his mobility scooter and treated himself to some special ‘driving shoes’ to wear when he is out. Here he is practising using his new wheels. He is really pleased with the scooter and that it enables him to enjoy his independence.