Shopmobility

Ipswich Shopmobility provides free hand-propelled and electric wheelchairs and electric scooters to help people who have limited mobility, whether through permanent or temporary disablement, illness, accident or age, to shop and use other facilities in the town centre.

The Shopmobility Centre is located inside the Buttermarket Shopping Centre, on the Lower Ground level. When arriving by car use the Falcon Street entrance to the Buttermarket Car Park.

Ipswich Shopmobility (Buttermarket)
Buttermarket Shopping Centre
Lower Ground Level
St Stephens Lane
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 1DT

Opening hours

The Shopmobility service is available from 09.30 to 16.30 Monday to Saturday. The service is not open on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

Shopmobility will be closed on:

• Early Spring Bank Holiday - 7th May 2012
• Spring Bank Holiday - 4th June 2012
• Queen's Diamond Jubilee - 5th June 2012

You do not need to book to use the service but to make sure that the wheelchair or scooter you require is available when you want it, please telephone the Shopmobility Centre on 01473 222225 or call in to ask.

Christmas

It is advisable to book in the weeks leading up to Christmas to avoid disappointment as the service is extremely popular at this time of year. Please note: We will not be opening on the Sundays in December.

How Shopmobility works

On your first visit to the Shopmobility Centre you will be asked to produce some identification showing your name and address, to enable the completion of a simple registration card for insurance purposes. Once you have been issued with a membership card, you will need to present it each time you visit in order to obtain equipment.

A member of the Shopmobility volunteer team will show you and any companions how the wheelchair or scooter works and when you are confident that you can handle it - away you go!

At the end of your visit (which is a maximum of 4 hours per visit), you need to return the chair or scooter to base. If you need help, a member of staff will accompany you to bring the chair back. All equipment must be returned by 16.30 at the latest. Please note we only lend equipment on a daily basis and are not able to provide equipment for overnight hire.

Parking

Eleven designated parking spaces are reserved for Shopmobility users in the Buttermarket car park adjacent to the Shopmobility Centre. Shopmobility users who park their vehicles in these designated spaces when using Shopmobility equipment are entitled to two hours free parking.

Volunteers

We are always pleased to hear from new volunteers! If you want to know more about Ipswich Shopmobility, think you could help by giving a few hours of your time at the Centre, or wish to make a donation, please get in touch:

Telephone: 01473 432058
Email: shopmobility@ipswich.gov.uk

Donations

There is no charge for using Shopmobility equipment but the scheme does need all the help it can get to meet running costs, so donations are always welcome.