beach wheelchair for east beach

In 2024, LCDT raised funds for a beach wheelchair.

This will help those with restricted mobility access the East Beach

The chair is free to borrow.

Our volunteer hosts can meet you at the bridge with the chair.

Please read the guidelines and terms and conditions below (or click here to download).

If after reading this information, you feel that the chair is suitable for your needs, that you have an assistant who can push, and you would like to make an enquiry, please email dto@lossietrust.org 

Enjoy your time on the beach!

About the LCDT Lossiemouth East Beach Wheelchair

The chair is a Wheeleez Sandcruiser – https://wheeleez.com/sandcruiser/

It is a fixed frame chair, with elevated leg supports and a lap belt. There are no inserts.

Please ensure that the beach wheelchair is suitable for your needs before booking.
If in doubt, see website above, email for more info or pop in and see the chair.

The chair is currently kept at the Lossiemouth Community Development Trust offices, 8A Pitgaveny St, Lossiemouth IV 31 6NS, a short distance from the East Beach bridge in Lossiemouth.

About our service

• The beach wheelchair is provided free of charge by the Lossiemouth Community Development Trust.  The service is operated thanks to the generosity of our local volunteer beach wheelchair hosts.
• To reserve the chair, email dto@lossietrust.org with at least 24 hours’ notice of your preferred time (see note on tides, below). The default hire duration is two hours, but this is flexible.
• We will try to arrange for one of our voluntary beach wheelchair hosts to meet you. If no one is available at your preferred time, or if the chair is already on loan, you’ll be advised to find another time.
• Typically, one of our beach wheelchair hosts will meet you at Lossiemouth’s East Beach bridge at an agreed time. If you can collect the chair from our office, please let us know.  Due to the risk of puncture, the chair can only be pushed unloaded between the office and the bridge.
• The Beach Wheelchair host on duty will meet you at the agreed location and time with the wheelchair.
• The host will introduce themselves, demonstrate how to use the chair works, answer questions and ask you to complete the paperwork, including name, address, mobile number and proof of address or identification prior to the wheelchair being released.
• If at any time you have any problems or concerns with the beach wheelchair whilst it is in your care, please phone the Beach Wheelchairs Volunteer on duty immediately using the mobile number provided when you collect the wheelchair.
• To return the chair, meet at the agreed time and place or call the host on the number provided.
• Please report any issues on return of the chair.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ

• The host cannot assist you with the transfer to the beach wheelchair from your normal wheelchair.
• You are responsible for ensuring that the beach wheelchair is suitable for your needs.
• You must provide someone who is fit enough to push the chair.
• The chair has a manual brake which must be engaged when transferring the user.
• Please use the lap strap provided.
• Always avoid leaving a user unattended, particularly if they cannot independently step out of the chair.
• Take care on inclined surfaces and do not take the wheelchair onto the sand dunes.
• Take care on the beach, especially near rocks and uneven sand.

• The inflatable tyres can be punctured by sharp objects on hard surfaces. Where possible, stick to sand and grass. The chair must not be taken across a road while a user is in situ.
• The chair is to be used on the East Beach and surrounding grass, and landscaped paving only. Do not take the wheelchair away from the designated area.
• Hard surfaces like concrete can be slippery, especially if covered with sand, making it slippery under the foot of those assisting the chair, particularly on an incline. Assistants should wear suitable, non-slip footwear to reduce the risk of slipping.
• The manual beach wheelchair can be taken into the shallows only (6” or 15cm depth). The seat of the beach wheelchair should not be submerged. Extreme care must be taken. Please be aware of the current sea conditions and always consider that these can change at any time.

NOTES ON THE TERRAIN AND TIDES

• The East Beach is undulating soft white sand above the high-water mark. The wheels are wide and bouncy for the terrain, but it can require effort to push an adult on this surface.  Firmer wet sand is much easier to push the chair over.

• For this reason, we advise checking tide times and avoid using the chair within two hours of high tide. Check tide times online at https://www.tidetimes.org.uk/lossiemouth-tide-times
• The beach is an exposed natural environment. Please take normal precautions whilst out in the elements. A blanket is recommended to keep the wind off feet and legs.

The chair is provided free of charge and operated by volunteers. 

Donations to support the service are very welcome but are not expected. There is a cash tin in reception or PayPal to dto@lossietrust,org.

BACS to Lossiemouth Community Development Trust, Bank of Scotland 80-22-60  12794262
Thank you for your support.