Wheelchair users visit Ubin, the Navy Museum
Mr Jurani Basri, 52, would look forward to playing football with his friends on weekends. All that changed after a stroke six years ago left him with limited movement on the left side of his body.
On Friday, Mr Jurani was among 120 beneficiaries who visited Pulau Ubin, many for the first time, as part of Wheels@Ubin (W@U), a community initiative that aims to raise awareness of accessibility in Singapore.
This is the second W@U event. The first, in 2015, enabled wheelchair users to celebrate Singapore's 50th birthday.
Apart from touring Pulau Ubin, participants were treated to musical performances by Republic Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic students, and they visited the Republic of Singapore Navy Museum at Changi Naval Base.
Founded by Mr Dennis Quek, 55, and Mr Wilson Ang, 47, W@U hopes to encourage Singaporeans to make themselves more accessible to those with disabilities.
Mr Quek said: "These activities are to remind both our wheelchair-bound friends and able-bodied people that being disabled is not un-abled."
To get to Pulau Ubin, the beneficiaries and volunteers were taken from their homes in SMRT taxis to Changi Sailing Club. where they boarded the navy's fast craft utility boats.
Mr Jurani, a former building maintenance specialist who is a trainee with voluntary welfare organisation SPD's Sheltered Workshop, said: "This event allows me to go outside and to make friends, and it takes my mind off my disability."
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