From left-to-right: Natasha Johnston, Zara Bradley, Laura Patton, Jodie Evans

Four students from Magherafelt High School have secured a place on the finals shortlist of a national competition with their bright ideas to help improve the lives of disabled people. They now have a chance to win the 12 to 16 years’ category and eventually become the outright winner of the competition.

In its fifth year, the Ready Willing & Mobile competition organised by the Mobility Roadshow seeks concepts from young people - both disabled and non-disabled aged 7 to 16 years - that will help others with disabilities to be more independent and join in more at home, at school and at play.
Jodie Evans, aged 12, has devised a talking toaster to help blind people. The bright idea from Laura Patton, also 12, is an electronic sensor stick that alerts blind people when a cup is full, and a team of Zara Bradley and Natasha Johnston (all 12 years) has come up with a range of gadgets to help young disabled people take part in a range of sports including horse riding, cycling and swimming.

The winners and runners-up will be announced and prizes presented at the Mobility Roadshow at Kemble Airfield near Cirencester on National Young Disabled Persons’ Day, Saturday 6th June.

As well as £1,000 cash prize towards equipment or projects and £250 worth of STAEDTLER art and craft materials for their school or club, the outright winner bags arts and crafts materials for themselves, a digital camera plus personal printer, £100-worth of HarperCollins books of choice, ·a weekend break for four in London with a trip on the London Eye, as well as the VIP visit to the Mobility Roadshow. There are great runners-up prizes too.

The competition has been widely applauded by teachers as an ideal project for team building and classroom discussion and for many it has become an annual event in the school calendar. “This is an excellent competition that encourages children to consider inclusivity from an early age,” commented Laura McCracken, Magherafelt High School. “We introduced it as a project and I am thrilled that some of our pupils have made it through to the final judging.”

Jacqui Jones, executive director, Mobility Roadshow said: “The competition is building year on year, with an increasing number of entries and new schools taking part. We continue to be amazed at the creative energy and thoughtfulness of young people whose willingness to help others is sometimes underestimated.”

The competition is organised and administered by the charity Mobility Choice, organiser of the Mobility Roadshow, the UK’s premier mobility and independent lifestyle event, and is supported by Aspire, Harper Collins Publishers, Holiday Inn, Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, Phab Kids!, RNIB, Royal College of Art, STAEDTLER and Vauxhall.

5th May 2009