I’VE got a pal who says getting her independence with her mobility scooter gave her back choice and so dignity within her relationship. Who would have thought that decades ago, two wee rapscallions who were never away from my door asking: ‘Hey Mrs, you got any ginger bottles?’ would really get this and be the champions of this week’s story.

Growing up with Kelvingrove park as their backyard, these two brothers spent their childhood there, but it was at the time of the, aptly named, ‘Commonwealth’ that the wheels of their idea started turning.

On a bench, quote, ‘enjoying the park’, they witnessed a man in a wheelchair, sweat and gasp, as he tackled the steep incline at the Eldon Street park gates.

Our heroes were just back from Spain where they had seen folk zap about on mobility scooters on the Esplanade in Lanzarote. It was then that they decided to set the wheels of ‘PARK MOBILITY’ in motion.

Now, in this dear green place of ours, you would think that supporting this ‘not for profit public service’ was a no brainer but our guys have had the run around trying to get funding.

Asked repeatedly to demonstrate a need for this service, whilst care homes across our city, house chemically coshed residents, parked on couches for most of the day.

However, it was in the Glasgow room of the Mitchell Library, whilst trawling the minutes of council meetings as far back as 1861 that the oil for their wheels was found. During this time, of heavy industry, it stated therein that, ‘Green space was a right for all citizens.’

Now with new government administration and donations, things are looking up and there are now available for free hire, a fleet of a dozen scooters!

Some are for single use, some have two seats with room for a loved one, a carer or a pal.

The base for picking up your scooter hire and helping to keep it all free, is their fab wee café Chaiwallah, housed in the old loos at the same gates, on Eldon Street.

With each purchase there off the menu contributing to costs it’s a win-win. Can I heartily recommend their gourmet cheese melts on gluten free!

The brothers want to see this initiative throughout all of Glasgow’s parks. If you want to support or volunteer, there are lots of ways you can. Come to the café at 55 Eldon St, Glasgow G3 6NJ to meet the boys or email info@parkmobility.org. Or phone 0141 334 9559. You can even sponsor a scooter, as it’s planned that, just like in Wacky Races, each scooter needs a name and an identity.

THIS WEEK’S HIGH FALUTIN’ CONUNDRUM:

Reticence is the more efficacious component of intrepid endeavour.

LAST WEEK’S HIGH FALUTIN’ CONUNDRUM:

A person lacking in good judgement will imminently be disunited from the most common medium of exchange.

ANSWER:

A fool and his money are soon parted.

YOU KNOW YOUR OLD WHEN:

You know where you would be, if found stood waiting at:

‘Dizzy Corner’.