The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, and the president of the TriWWW Association (Together Reaching Illusions World Winners Way), Isabelle Janssens de Varebeke, signed this Tuesday a collaboration agreement through which the charitable association undertakes to facilitate access for the disabled population of Lanzarote and tourists to two wheelchairs adapted for hiking (Joëlette), by transferring their use to the Department of Social Welfare of the Cabildo of Lanzarote.
For its part, the first island institution will be responsible for maintaining the chairs and facilitating their transfer and use to all citizens who require them, as well as providing technical advice, coordination, planning and support to the TriWWW Association for the promotion and integration of people with disabilities in sports on the island.
During the signing of the collaboration agreement, the Councilor for Social Welfare of the Cabildo, Marci Acuña, and the coordinator of CajaCanarias Banca Cívica, Sandra Redondo, were also present, as a collaborating entity in the financing of the chairs.
The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, has especially thanked the TriWWW Association "for its social, altruistic and supportive work, as well as all the collaborators who have supported this project that will allow the Cabildo of Lanzarote, and therefore all citizens who need it, to have one more resource so that people with disabilities or reduced mobility can also enjoy nature."
Janssens, for her part, also conveyed her thanks to the Cabildo of Lanzarote and the Department of Social Welfare, "for the support received", as well as "to the families and children who have trusted the association and are the true protagonists of this social project."
Marci Acuña, councilor of the area, explained that "the Joëlette is a wheelchair designed for hiking and rough terrain, which to function requires several volunteers or companions who, without the need for great physical skills and without difficulty for hiking, but with an open mind and heart, are willing to offer time, availability or means, in exchange for an intense human experience and enjoyment with nature."
The councilor also pointed out that the chairs will be available to all those tourists and non-residents of the island who need them and want to get to know the island's nature in another way, "thus allowing accessibility to our trails and some places in Lanzarote."
Requirements for the loan
Through the Department of Social Welfare of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and the association itself, the use of the Joëlette chairs can be requested. In the event that the loan is made without an authorized monitor, it will be necessary to have received training on it or demonstrate accredited experience to guarantee the safety and movement of people.
Within the requirements for the basic use of the chairs, both entities understand that there must be 3 or 4 companions and volunteers per Joelëtte. Before choosing a circuit, the TriWWW Association also recommends "knowing well the difficulty and duration of the route and, of course, that the passenger is with all the appropriate safety measures, such as seat belt and helmet use".
TriWWW will participate on October 1 in the Haría Extreme with the two Joelëtte chairs and two special passengers, who will also be able to enjoy nature and the trails planned in this test.