Beach Day

The QuadPara Association of the Western Cape (QAWC) hosted a beach day at St James Beach on Saturday, 4 November 2023, for members, their friends, family and caregivers with food and drinks sponsored by Coloplast and Pick n Pay.

The event provided members with an opportunity to socialise, spend time by the sea and enjoy the accessible walkway between St James Beach and Muizenberg.

Additionally, the event created some awareness as QAWC General Manager Anthony Ghillino said: “While we are here, we create awareness. I think it is quite powerful for all the people attending the beach today to see that wheelchair users like to get out and can get out just like everyone else.”

Once the members had gathered and enjoyed a light meal, the group split up with several members remaining on the grassy banks to enjoy the view of the ocean. The rest of the group ventured onto the 1,5 km walkway between St James Beach and Muizenberg. The accessible path is mere metres from the water allowing beachgoers to enjoy the ocean air without having to venture on the sand. Unfortunately, the walkway is quite narrow so wheelchair users were forced to travel in single-file.

Members were encouraged to venture as far as they were willing before turning back and re-joining the group for some light snacks. One member, Vincent, travelled all the way to Muizenberg and back completing an impressive 3 km trip.

Thank you to QAWC and their sponsors, Coloplast and Pick n Pay, for hosting the beach day, and a big thank you to all the members who joined the event.