The community development worker at Burnage library has been engaged in the Age Friendly Burnage project since the official Manchester Ambition for Ageing project launch in January 2016.  She organised a trip to central library in Manchester with the local Burnage history group, many of whom are older residents of Burnage.  Whilst organising this trip, the worker encountered difficulty in arranging for adequate provision of a mobility scooter or wheelchair for one of the women in the group.  They were informed that the one wheelchair they had was in storage, that they would need advanced notice to acquire it and that it was not in great working condition. The community development worker emailed a member of the Manchester Age Friendly Neighbourhoods team who has been helping to support the Age Friendly Burnage project to enquire if they could help in any capacity with this issue.

The MAFN team member contacted the local councillor Carl Austin of Burnage who has been engaged in the Age Friendly Burnage project and enquired about this issue and whether there could be better provision for the group in accessing central library.  The enquiry was sent directly to the Strategic Lead for Libraries, Galleries and Cultures who immediately addressed the issue; purchasing a new wheelchair for the premises and revisited their own policies in relation to access.  Central library have since updated accessibility information on their website along with investigating avenues into working with shopmobility in developing a mobility scooter-lending scheme for members of the public with limited mobility who want to access the building. As a direct result of this, the participant requiring a mobility scooter was able to take part in a research activity and contributed as a co-researcher to the history element of the neighbourhood action plan.