St Andrews and St George URC

This impressive Grade 2 listed Church with large stained glass windows and lofty pillars has stood proudly in the centre of Bolton for hundreds of years.

The United Reformed Church of St Andrews and St George provides wonderful facilities, not only for the worshipping congregation, but also serves the Bolton community in general.

Extensively refurbished in 1996, when access for the less able into the building was provided by an inclined platform lift fitted to the main entrance staircase. Giving reliable service for twenty years the decision was taken in early 2016 that the existing lift was just not up to the job anymore and needed to be replaced.

Technology in wheelchair design has improved considerably and the existing platform lift could no longer cope with the demands of modern wheelchairs from either a safety or capacity perspective.

Ability Lifts of Sheffield were contacted to resolve the problem and were presented with some very challenging issues. The new lift had to be large enough to cope with modern electric wheelchairs, be capable of continued use for the aging congregation and also be fitted to the existing stanchions to avoid the need for costly builders work.

After consultation with Ability Lifts it was decided that the standard battery system would not be sufficient on Bingo night when the lift is in constant use over long periods and that the lift needed to be wired directly to the mains supply. The hard wired version of Optimum 200 was selected to do the job and after a careful survey was undertaken detailing all the positions of the existing stanchions and the new Optimum 200 hard wired unit was fitted in less than a day. With a 300kg load capacity, all types of wheelchair access can now be accommodated.

To find out more about the Optimum 200 wheelchair stair lift, visit www.abilitylifts.co.uk, or give their helpful staff a call on 0204 571 3357