This week’s Good Sort is a Wairarapa woman with a simple wish for everyone to be able to enjoy the beauty of her local beach.
Helen Welch came up with a solution to help those who struggle on the sand – a specially-designed all-terrain wheelchair.
“It’s a really, really amazing little chair that can go on the water,” Welch explained.
She said the youngest person to use the wheelchair was three years old, while the oldest was 89.
Welch was motivated to design the wheelchair in honour of her late father John, who had multiple sclerosis.
“When I was really young, I struggled with it because I wanted him to be like everybody else and he wasn’t.
“He just never felt sorry for himself.”
Welch started a charitable trust and raised $20,000. While she began with just one chair, she’s since gone “the whole hog”.
“I only ever thought we’d have one chair and now we’ve got three. I’m really happy,” she said.
Now, anyone can come to Castlepoint Beach and use Helen’s wheels – for free.
“It’s just to see smiles on people’s faces – that’s what it’s all about.”