Posted on behalf of a member - Alan Smith
by his request

I am a member of the D.P.S. Some years ago I was badly injured in a road traffic accident, and since then I broke my back. Needless to say I suffer from pain, and cannot walk far, and can't stand for long without painful spasms. I won't harp on about my predicament, we all have problems to bear. However this was seriously affecting my ability to get out and about with my camera, so I saved up for some years and bought myself a disability buggy. Because of my weight I found that the distance my buggy was capable of was a gross exaggeration, and if I went too far, and the battery went flat, I was stranded and had no way to get myself or my buggy home. So I was restricted to short little trips locally, which still left me with a problem of how to get out and about with my camera.

I live in a rural area, and was longing to go places and take photos. I do not drive, so was reliant on friends getting me out and about, and on the odd occasion when I managed to get out I was a passenger in a car, without my buggy, and needless to say still seriously hampered in my ability to go places, but mightily pleased to have the chance to get out of the house at least. I don't want to seem ungrateful or selfish, but I was still longing to take photos wherever I wanted. Then recently a friend changed his car, and the new one had a towbar, so he suggested that I look into getting a trailer, so that whenever he was going somewhere out of town he could put my buggy on the trailer. Then at least I would get the chance to photograph fresh pastures.

This left me with another dilemma, the trailer would have to be kept outside the garage where my buggy is kept, so it had to be light enough for me to manhandle to get my buggy out of the garage, and also be able to stand up to a permanent life outdoors. During my research I discovered www.autowbars.co.uk who can be contacted by phone on 01274-416116. They manufacture made to measure custom disability trailers, which are extremely strong, but light weight, and balanced like a fine shotgun. Nothing was too much trouble, They were extremely helpful, and more importantly understood my needs exactly, and any questions were anticipated, and modifications discussed. It was decided to galvanise my buggy trailer, so that I could expect a few years use, and at a very reasonable price. Once I had placed my order it was ready within the week. My friend took me with him to collect the trailer, and could not believe how easy it was to move around and hitch up. Now I have a new freedom for which I have waited many years.

Whenever my friend is going somewhere it is relatively easy to hook up my trailer with buggy on board.
We both have cellphones, so he can go and do his own thing, I can wander around with my camera, and in the event that my battery gives up I can call him on his mobile, and the trailer can be brought to me later.
I no longer have the fear of being stranded, he can go off and leave me to it, and we can arrange to meet up later. I now have a sense of freedom that I had dreamed of and hoped for for so many years. I can now go almost anywhere except steep inclines, which has vastly improved my photographic scope. I felt it only fair and right to pass on this tale to other photographers with disability, in the hope that someone else may follow my example, and perhaps hopefully find the freedom that I now enjoy.