Disabled Chesterfield woman stages mobility car protest

A disabled Chesterfield woman is fighting for her right to keep her mobility car - by getting her friends and family to sit in it.
Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away, Samantha is pictured with family and friendsSamantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away, Samantha is pictured with family and friends
Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away, Samantha is pictured with family and friends

Sam Adams, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), says she will be ‘housebound’ if the authorities carry out their threat to take away the Vauxhall Mokka she has had for the last two years.

The Department of Work and Pensions and its contractor, Atos, say she no longer needs the car as their tests indicate she can walk, unaided, for 20 metres.

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Sam, 41, said: “When they came to get the car last week my friend Kelly was in the drivers seat and just said to them ‘you are not taking it’.

Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken awaySamantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away
Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away

“In the end they said I could keep the car over the weekend but they would be back.

“So on Monday I put in an appeal and until then we just intend on having someone sat in the car at all times - my mum’s going to be in there a lot and I’ll take her a sandwich every so often!”

Sam, who lives on Windermere Road in Newbold, has suffered from MS for the last four years.

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The disease affects the central nervous system and at the moment there is no known cure.

Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken awaySamantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away
Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away

Two years ago she was put on the enhanced personal independent payment (PIP) rate but has now been put on the standard rate.

But in that time she says she has actually got worse, not better.

“Without the car I am stuck - if I have not got that it is like taking my legs away,” she said.

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“I can’t walk to my kids’ school or to the shop to get some milk.

Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken awaySamantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away
Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away

“The car just does everything for me so I have not got as far to walk when I get there.

“My mum has early stage dementia and my little boy has to go to hospital a lot so the car is a real lifeline for me.

“I really don’t want to be housebound and I need some independence as well so I don’t always have to rely on others either.”

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Sam has also been in touch with Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins, other newspapers and TV news programmes to publicise her plight.

Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken awaySamantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away
Samantha Adams is protesting as her mobility car is about to taken away

And they have already got some good news after a kind-hearted viewer saw the piece that was made about her for ITV Calendar.

“After we’d been on a man whose wife suffers from MS called and said I could have his car as he had too many!

“Its good to know they are still some nice people in this world,” she said.

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