Herts Ability Open Day in Welwyn Garden City - A Huge Success!

On Wednesday 24th September, we proudly hosted our Pathways to Independence Open Day at the beautiful Panshanger Golf Complex in Welwyn Garden City. The event proved to be a huge success, bringing together members of the public, healthcare professionals, driving instructors, local councils, emergency services, and community organisations to discover the life-changing impact of accessible driving and transport solutions.

Our dedicated team of Driving Instructors - with special thanks to our lead ADI, James, who went above and beyond to make the day such a success - alongside our Occupational Therapists, showcased our services through hands-on demonstrations. Visitors explored specialist accessible vehicles, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs), and innovative mobility products from leading suppliers.

Attendees gained valuable insights into adapted driving, safe travel equipment, and the many ways Herts Ability supports individuals living with disabilities to achieve greater independence.

A Community Effort

The day would not have been possible without the support of our brilliant staff team, volunteers, trustees, exhibitors, and partners, including:

• Alzheimer’s Society
• Age UK
• Stroke Association
• Motability Foundation
• SPACE
• Better Mobility
• BAS NW Ltd
• Sun Tech eFoldi
• Steering Developments Ltd
• Waterways Experiences
• Welwyn Hatfield Council
• Barclays
• Right at Home
• Disability Driving Instructors
• Wrights Remedies
• Hertfordshire Better Help Bus
• PB Conversions
• TRUSTEES: Viv Arey, Nigel Dotchin (Chair), Andrew Picken, Alka Chandrayan
• VOLUNTEERS: Dave Cocks, Roger Edgson

Also, thank you to our special guests, Mayor Lynn Chesterman & Deputy Mayor Cllr Michal Siewniak!

A Message from Our CEO

Our CEO, Sean Lawrence, reflected on the day:

“Our ‘Pathways to Independence’ Open Day in Welwyn Garden City was a real highlight for us. It was inspiring to see so many people come together - exploring new ideas, building connections, and discovering the different ways we can help promote greater independence.

A special thank you goes to James for his hard work in pulling everything together, and to our incredible staff team, trustees, and exhibitors who gave their energy and expertise throughout the day.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who joined us. Your support is what makes events like this so worthwhile.”

Showcasing Independent Mobility

Throughout the day, visitors experienced the full breadth of our services, including:

• Children’s assessments (including Bugzi and child car seat assessments)
• Vehicle access assessments for safe entry and exit
• Equipment loading solutions for wheelchairs and scooters
• Fitness to drive assessments for individuals with medical conditions or disabilities
• Driving controls assessments for those requiring vehicle adaptations

Looking Ahead

Our Open Day was not just an event - it was a celebration of independence and innovation, demonstrating how accessible driving and transport solutions can transform lives.

We are incredibly proud of the success of this year’s Open Day and are already looking forward to the next one!

Here’s to the future of independent mobility with Herts Ability!

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