I just couldn’t do it on my own anymore

The Winter Family

Kevin Winter has lived in Basingstoke for over 30 years. He was born with cerebral palsy, a condition which leads to abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, or motor development and coordination. He has been a wheelchair user all of his life. A popular and social man, Kevin is a keen ice hockey fan, and regularly visits the local ice rink on Saturdays to support his favorite team. He’s also an avid football fan, and always makes sure he knows the latest Tottenham Hotspurs score!

As a young boy, Kevin’s parents were easily able to transfer him into a standard vehicle, but as he grew older and heavier, they began finding the process more and more difficult. They knew Kevin would soon want to go out with his friends on his own – a sociable boy, he never let his disability hold him back. One day, when Kevin was about 8, his mum came outside to find Kevin’s friends playing in his wheelchair, and Kevin sat watching on the ground! He didn’t mind, he just joined in!

As Kevin grew, it became a real problem for his mum and dad to transfer him to a standard vehicle. They recall ‘It became a real problem to lift Kevin in and out of our car, and I just couldn’t do it on my own anymore’. As one of Kevin’s main carers, it was vital that his mother was able to transport Kevin easily and safely. As a family, they were unable to go on holidays, or do the normal things that other families take for granted – even just getting out to the shops became difficult for the family.

 The couple struggled on for 29 years without a converted vehicle, and came to realise that in order for Kevin to have his independence, they would need a wheelchair accessible vehicle to allow him to lead as independent a life as possible. As a young man, Kevin was keen to get out on his own, and not rely on his parents to take him to meet his friends.
 Kevin Winter and his family have a long history with Gowrings Mobility. From their very first encounter when they bought their first wheelchair accessible vehicle, to their newest purchase of a brand new Renault Kangoo, Reg, Kevin’s father, always remembers how smooth the service was, the lengths that staff would go to and the way the vehicle changed the family’s life forever.

Kevin said “My friends and I all have Gowrings Mobility vehicles, there are three of us – I have the red Kangoo, and my friends have silver and green! It’s changed my life, and has made everything so much easier. Since I’ve had my car, I’ve been down to Bournemouth with my friends, I go out every week for lunch to meet up with my mates and I’ve just been to my first concert!”