A LITTLE girl’s world is opening up thanks to a smart invention at Lochore Meadows and a successful £10,000 fundraising appeal.

Caoimhe Potter has cerebral palsy and spina bifida and the new Drivedeck is giving her – and others with severe mobility issues – the chance to explore the country park and enjoy the great outdoors.

It’s a clever innovation that holds the six-year-old’s wheelchair in place and, with a button to press, she can propel it forward as it follows a track on the ground.

Drivedeck was on loan but park manager Ian Laing said: “Thanks to the generous donations from project fundraising, enough has been secured to make the Drivedeck a permanent feature at the Meedies.

“We’re exceptionally proud to be able to offer this facility for park visitors. Any extra fundraising that is secured with contribute towards additions to the track.”

In an inspirational film on the project, Caoimhe’s mum, Katie Macmillan from Dunfermline, explains: “There’s not many things she can do by herself but she’s a happy, lovely little girl.

“She’s used to having everything done for her and I feel the Drivedeck lets her be in control and do things herself.

“It’s offering something hugely different to just being driven everywhere. She’s the driver.”

She added: “She loves people, she loves chatting and getting involved with everybody. She’s definitely more interactive and now, as soon as I put the switch on her tray, her hands go right for the switch. She just wants to go and be off.”

NHS Fife, Fife Council and Lochore Meadows have all helped and Mr Laing said: “Drivedeck is brand new, it’s the first one in Scotland, the first one in the UK, the first one in the world, as far as we can ascertain, where an outdoor facility is offering that range of equipment to people that have particular disabilities.

“It’s not just children but for people who are older but confined to a wheelchair.

“They may have the use of one finger but they can, at long last, use something that gives them the ability to propel themselves from A to B without needing to get someone else to do that for them.”

Hazel Golon, occupational therapist at NHS Fife, said: “Being outdoors is immensely beneficial to someone’s wellbeing. A lot of children with additional needs, especially mobility, don’t get that opportunity to be outside, to be amongst nature.”

She added: “Children with additional support needs would be quite passive, watching other children doing things, whereas with Drivedeck, children can actually participate, they can be part of what’s going on rather than just watching.

“Caoimhe’s mum, Katie, said there’s not many things in the community they could do as a family together and that inspired us to get involved in taking this project forward.

“It’s not just about the child’s wellbeing, it’s about the family as a whole.”

Smile Smart Technology, based in Berkshire, supplied the Drivedeck and in an added twist, there’s a local connection.

Esther Dakin-Poole, Head of Education and Development at Smile, told the Times: “It’s a place that means a lot to me personally as I used to live in Blairadam a long time ago and the park is such a beautiful part of the world.

“This was entirely coincidental. Smile agreed to loan the Drivedeck to the park for the summer, giving time for the fundraising appeal to raise the funds. The response to the campaign has been tremendous.

“The early form of this technology was developed with Edinburgh University some 20 years ago and it is wonderful to see Scotland still taking a lead in technical and social innovations.

"Smile are thrilled to be involved in such an inclusive project and for this to be the first Drivedeck to be used in a civic space.”

Lochore Meadows is included in Euan’s Guide (euansguide.com) which lists it as a great disabled friendly facility and, as well as Drivedeck, they have disabled buggies which can be hired free of charge and full changing places.

With Sense Scotland – which works with children, young people and adults who have communication support needs – they hold outdoor education programmes and there is also a Sailability project on the loch for people to learn how to sail.

Mr Laing said the aim was to make the park as accessible as possible for everyone and the next additions could be a sensory garden and a swing for kids with additional needs.

Ms Dakin-Poole added: “The list of facilities is endless and that is an incredible resource for both The Meedies community and visitors to Fife.

“The level of provision for entire families, from the young to the elderly is exemplary at Lochore Meadows Country Park and their plans to extend these facilities grow daily.”

View the films about Drivedeck and Lochore Meadows at facebook.com/smilesmarttech/videos/1637207453073162/ and facebook.com/368554453282620/videos/611970925864848/