The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Francisco Candil, wanted to highlight the Ministry's ability to identify the needs of vulnerable groups and make proper use of European funds.
“Having more accessible beaches for people with mobility issues is one of the goals of the Department of Social Welfare. Therefore, today we are handing over three of the 76 special wheelchairs funded by the Executive branch. This will allow beach users with reduced mobility to have access to a specifically designed vehicle that will facilitate their access to the sand and allow them to enjoy a day at the beach with their family,” stated the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Francisco Candil, during the presentation of the three amphibious wheelchairs that took place at Playa de Inglés, in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
“Inclusion involves providing people who need it with the available tools that facilitate their interaction within the community. We have identified the need in this area and have seized the opportunity provided by European funding. Without a doubt, providing coastal municipalities with amphibious chairs that improve the accessibility of their beaches not only helps people in this group, but also enhances us all as a society,” stated the Deputy Minister, who noted that this action is part of the measures promoted by the Canary Islands Government to eliminate barriers and improve social inclusion among people with disabilities.
For her part, the Director General of Disability, Dulce González, clarified that San Bartolomé de Tirajana is one of the five municipalities in Gran Canaria, along with Ingenio, Telde, Mogán, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, to which these special wheelchairs are being delivered in the final days.
“The arrival of these three new amphibious chairs represents another step in our commitment to accessible and inclusive beaches. This resource complements the line of work we are developing at the Department of Beaches, with which we aim to build a coastal model adapted to the real needs of users, with services designed for everyone. This new service comes into operation at a key moment, just as the improvement works at the coastal access points have been completed, thus reinforcing our goal of launching a more egalitarian, more accessible, and better-prepared municipality to welcome all people in conditions of dignity and autonomy,” emphasized Alejandro Marichal, First Deputy Mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, who attended the presentation ceremony alongside Dimas Sarmiento, Councilor for Social Services.
The set of three adapted wheelchairs delivered today to the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council is part of the total of 76 amphibious wheelchairs (56 for adults and 20 for children) that the Ministry of Social Welfare, through the General Directorate of Disability, has acquired through the Next Generation Recovery and Resilience Facility (MRR) funds. The wheelchairs have been distributed among thirty municipalities in the archipelago.
