Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Reach New Heights!

Wheelchair accessible vehicles have become a much more common sight on our roads over the past few years but now accessibility really is reaching new heights.

A wheelchair accessible hot air balloon was among over 50 balloons which crossed the English Channel to France, entering the record books in the process. The flight marked the largest group of balloons to complete the crossing.

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Go Hot Air!

Leading aviation company, Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons, had four balloons taking part.  One of their balloons carried a panoramic basket, specially designed for wheelchair access.  Andrew Jeffery, a BBC Online Producer and wheelchair user, was the passenger in the specially adapted balloon basket.

Event organiser Ian Sharpe comments: “We had balloons from all over the country and some from abroad taking part.  We’d been on standby for many months but the weather forecast was finally just what we needed to get us across.”

The event marked the largest mass Channel crossing by balloons.  It was also the first time a wheelchair user had crossed the Channel by hot air power – creating a whole new dimension for wheelchair accessible vehicles in the process!

Sponsorship money raised from the event is going to support three charities, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and the Halow Project, which supports young people with learning disabilities.