Despite living with hearing loss and the affects of Stroke, Ceyda Sallows, 49 from Frogpool in Cornwall, has been able to regain her freedom outdoors with a Top Gear winning TGA Breeze mobility scooter.
Ceyda has lived in Cornwall all of her life and is openly transsexual, making the transition in 1995. She has experienced a complex life with many difficulties and challenges including losing her mother tragically at a young age. On a positive side, Ceyda has enjoyed a wide variety of jobs and interests including mini-bus driving for Age UK, motorbiking, gaining many tattoos and adopting several rescue cats. Most recently however Ceyda has had to adapt her lifestyle following several severe falls and a major Stroke four years ago. Now living with mobility issues especially in terms of walking, Ceyda would not be able to live independently in such an isolated part of Cornwall, without her TGA Breeze mobility scooter which has off-road capabilities. Ceyda first discovered the robustness of the TGA Breeze when she saw the same model tackling a rugged Welsh hillside on BBC Top Gear. During the BBC 2 broadcast, the Top Gear presenters unsuccessfully competed on customised scooters against a TGA Breeze mobility scooter driven by a young, disabled army veteran. The Breeze was the first scooter to successfully reach the top of a summit in the Brecon Beacons by negotiating rocky tracks, steep slopes and muddy, slippery terrain. This remarkable power and performance appealed to Ceyda as she knew a scooter with these capabilities could change her life. An 8mph Breeze could comfortably drive along her local countryside tracks and across neighbouring fields, so accessing the remote village store would be possible. Her wish became a reality when the local pet shop owner offered her a Breeze as she explains: "One weekend I drove to 'Doggies and Moggies' in Penryn where I have been a regular customer for many years to purchase cat food for my seven rescued felines. The owner asked me if I would like a spare walking frame as her husband could no longer use it and would I like a scooter. I went to their house expecting to see an elderly scooter and was shocked to see a beautiful 2010 TGA Breeze IV. Even more of a surprise was a canopy came with it, which is useful protection against the weather and seagulls who are always swooping to grab my Tatty Oggies (Cornish pasties)." Ceyda continues: "I am now able to travel up and down steep hills to my post office, organic farm shop and pet shop about five-to-six miles away with ease. Its reliability and ability to travel a good distance up steep Cornish hills has given me more confidence and freedom. Without it, I would be housebound as I live in the middle of nowhere. I can also go down gravel and muddy tracks that I haven't been able to do for years as I did when able to cycle and walk. I am also looking at going down a local track with my telescope late one night so I can view the stars and galaxies. I am openly transsexual and I am heavily tattooed but people are generally tolerant. I find whenever I go, people seem to want to chat about my TGA scooter. First time out was to St. Agnes and I got stopped about four times by walkers wanting to know about it. The seat is very comfortable and it's great that the light switch indicators are set up like my old motorbikes and only need the slightest of touches to operate. I upload videos of my many journeys on Youtube and 'pimping-up' my Breeze is now the next project. I will also continue challenging the council, forestry commission etc. into making more paths accessible."
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