Cambridge teaching assistant raises £3,000 in a day for wheelchair with 'life-changing' crowdfunder

A man who raised the £3,000 he needed for a new wheelchair in just one day with a crowdfunding campaign has called the kindness of strangers "life-changing".

Robert West, a 35-year-old teaching assistant who lives near Cambridge, received funding for part of the cost of his £11,000 chair, but still needed to contribute nearly £3,000.

Without the money himself, he took what he described as the "embarrassing" decision to launch a crowdfunding campaign and within a day had raised the funds he needed.

Mr West, who has cerebral palsy, said: "I am very grateful, the idea that complete strangers would help someone they hardly know is stunning. It's an amazing display of humanity.

"I was happy with people just sharing my link. But for people to part with their hard-earned money? Incredible."

Mr West's old wheelchair is seven years old. He said that when he asked for help from his local wheelchair services last year he was told they "no longer support clients beyond their own front door", so he was not eligible for help.

Through the Government's Access To Work scheme he received about £8,000 towards the new chair but had to source the rest of the money himself.

Although delighted to now have the funding in place, Mr West was disappointed to have to ask for help.

He said: "I'm not someone who feels sorry for themselves regarding their disability, but I do resent being taxed for leaving my front door.

"I want to go to work, I'm good at my job, but there's a tax for me to 'walk' to work. How's that right?"

Among the features on the wheelchair are a seat riser, which enables him to reach things he would otherwise need help with, and a reclining back rest, which allows him to stay in the chair for longer periods without becoming uncomfortable.

Mr West hopes to have his chair ordered within a few days, and in his possession within a couple of months.