Accessibility Milestone at St Andrews West Sands
St Andrews West Sands Beach has now become fully accessible, thanks to the arrival of an all-terrain automated wheelchair.
St Andrews Beach Wheelchairs, run by The Hamish Foundation and St Andrews Environmental Network, have taken delivery of the XT4 chair thanks to local funders and a donation from Dundee-based charity, Freddie’s Ataxia Fund (FAF).
The Freddie’s Ataxia Fund was established in 2025 by the family and friends of Eilidh Kiddie (17), who was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) in 2019. It raises funds to support people living with this rare genetic condition. Eilidh recently spoke at the charity’s first birthday celebration at her school, Harris Academy, Dundee, where around 200 guests helped raise around £6,500.
She became the first to try out the chair when she visited the beach with her family on Easter Sunday, as St Andrews Beach Wheelchairs reopened for the season. She said, “Trying the chair for the first time was beyond words. I’m incredibly excited to finally walk my dogs on the beach. Freddie is three now, and it’s his favourite place, yet I’d only managed to go with him about three times before this. I’ve never liked being pushed, so having full independence on terrain that used to be so inaccessible is everything. I hope this chair opens up new opportunities for others and to get close to their pets. The world is becoming more accessible, and I’m so glad!”
Debbie MacCallum, Trustee of The Hamish Foundation, said, “Several years ago, we began to realise just how inaccessible our beautiful beach was, and we’ve been on a mission ever since to turn that around. We have since funded an accessible walkway, the Bruce Embankment toilets’ Changing Places facility, and a fleet of 10 beach wheelchairs, all free at point of use. However, what we didn’t have was an automated chair which the user can power themselves, so we embarked on a fundraising drive to secure one at the cost of £16,000.”
That’s when Sally Kiddie, Eilidh’s mum, got in touch.
She explained, “Freddie’s Ataxia Fund provides financial grants to contribute to the costs of adapting to life with FA. That could be anything from the cost of a wheelchair or a digital learning kit to funding physiotherapy or mental health support, and we’d urge anyone living with FA to get in touch. When we heard St Andrews Beach Wheelchairs were just under £3,000 short of their fundraising target, we got in touch. As a family, we’ve always loved the beach, but the last few years have made that really challenging for Eilidh. Like many young people, she doesn’t really want to be pushed in a chair. She’s an independent young woman and needs to do her own thing, to feel the freedom we all do on the beach, so we were delighted to support the purchase of this new chair, not just for Eilidh but to ensure that everyone can access and enjoy the beach.”
Debbie added, “Most of us have the freedom to walk on the beach when we want to, but lots of people are unable to access it, for a huge array of reasons, including many which aren’t visible. We believe in making the world-class destination of St Andrews as accessible as possible. You just can’t beat the feeling of being on the beach, feeling the wind in your hair, that total independence. Now, everyone can enjoy that, as they should, and the longer-term benefits it brings to the individual and their wider group of friends or family.”
For more information about Freddie’s Ataxia Fund, visit https://www.freddiesataxiafund.co.uk/
For more information about St Andrews Beach Wheelchairs, and to book a chair to rent, visit https://bookwhen.com/standrewsbwc or call 03000 122 014
ENDS