PEOPLE with limited mobility will benefit from nine Dorset Red Cross wheelchairs bought with a £1,000 donation from a housing company.

Wheelchairs bought with money from Magna Housing Association are available for short-term loan and are a welcome addition to the Red Cross centre at Poundbury , Dorchester .

Jane Hutchings, care in the home team leader, said: “This will make a difference to a lot of people and we are very grateful to Magna for their help.”

Magna provided the Red Cross with the donation its community initiative fund, which has given more than £1 million to projects in the past 11 years.

Magna residents sit on the panel that administers the fund, which makes donations to projects and organisations of benefit to other tenants.

Jane said: “Lots of Magna’s sheltered housing residents use our wheelchair loan service as do people who come out of hospital who might need a wheelchair but don’t qualify for one long term.

There are also often people who come down on holiday who come to us to borrow a wheelchair.”

Last year, the Red Cross helped 3,500 people across the county by loaning wheelchairs and other medical equipment in exchange for a donation.

If you know of someone who needs a wheelchair on loan, call 01305 215951.