PhysioNet, created by Rotarian Peter Thompson from Knaresborough Rotary, North Yorkshire, will be dispatching its 108th container since 2009. The container will contain the  15,000th wheelchair the charity has sent overseas.
PhysioNet, staffed by volunteers is a UK based humanitarian organisation dedicated to helping some of the most marginalised people in the world by supplying children and adults with disability equipment.
So far, nearly 60,000 pieces of recycled disability equipment have been delivered across twenty-eight countries.
The bought new value of the items in the UK would exceed £10 million and would weigh 600 tonnes most of which would have ended up in a UK landfill.
If all the wheelchairs delivered were to be placed in a straight line; they would stretch from Leeds to Bradford”
Instead of being disposed of, the equipment is donated to PhysioNet who clean, inspect and repair the items ready for transportation, usually in 40-foot containers around the world.
Physio Net was started up by Peter who in 2004 was visiting Sarajevo and was involved with a charity called ‘Hope and Homes for Children’. The charity supports children orphaned by the Balkan War.
It became apparent to Mr Thompson that it was the disabled children that were in need of special paediatric equipment which was unavailable in Bosnia.
Collage of work completed by PhysioNet
So on his return to the UK, Peter found surplus aids for people with disabilities which included wheelchairs, crutches and walking frames. After meeting the needs of Sarajevo, he found there were more countries that need such help.
Physio Net was then started in 2005.
Wheelchairs have the highest-profile of the fifty categories of mobility equipment the charity supplies.
If all the wheelchairs delivered were to be placed in a straight line; they would stretch from Leeds to Bradford, which is equivalent to covering fifteen football pitches if they were placed side by side.
PhysioNet may not be able to help everyone in the world but they make a world of difference to one person.”
Physio Net would like to express thanks to all of our Rotary friends for their continued support and in particular the following clubs:-
Rotary Clubs of Knaresborough, York, Horbury and Ossett Phoenix, York Ainsty, Osgoldcross and Elmet (D 1040). Rotary Club of Saffron Walden (D 1080). Rotary Clubs of Dartmouth, Tottnes, Paignton and the other clubs in the area are collectively known as ‘The Bay Eight’ (D 1170). And finally, Rotary of Inverness Culloden (D 1010) Scotland.
