Category Archives: Copywriting

Computer Systems Published

Our first Computer Science multi-touch book is now available to download for free on the iBooks Store.

Designed for Year 9 students, we explore the different parts that make up a computer system, and how they all work together to allow you to do anything from write a novel, analyse the human genome and allow you to watch hours of cat videos on YouTube…

Download Computer Systems for free

Audio: The Night Before Christmas

It was a family tradition during my childhood to leave out a mince pie, sherry and carrots for Father Christmas. I’m fascinated by the way traditions and Christmas is celebrated around the world when I speak with friends based in different countries. I decided to record this quickly on Christmas Eve to share with them, as from childhood, I still like to read the poem to myself on a night and think back fondly.


Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hope that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Little Book Valentine

Not so long ago at Harmony, we made the Pocket Book of Creativity

From the Harmony website in 2012 about the project:

It began as a creative exercise turned into a beautiful piece of marketing that can be enjoyed by all. Sometimes creativity strikes when you least expect it, and at other times it appears to be beyond grasp.

Creativity is the cornerstone of Harmony’s work – it is where our clever, innovative solutions for all manner of requirements and challenges shine. We dare to be bold and create solutions for our customers to give them a unique edge in their markets.

We wanted to share our love and investment in creativity – to inspire our clients, potential customers and friends to make today different, and try something new, so the Pocket Book of Creativity was born – a guide to making sure today is different.

The process was simple – as a team we discussed how creative ideas were born, how great inventors found solutions to problems and how ideas could be dashed. The ideas tumbled onto paper to create our vision on why creativity is important.

The ideas were organised into stages of decision making, to ideas of how to induce deeper creativity, and then a set of the creative people we admire through history and across many different disciplines.
“Without ideas and creativity, we lose the ability to solve, evolve and inspire. Too often, we let the needs of the moment occupy our creative minds and forget to look beyond today, to step back and to allow the idea machine between our ears to move us forward.”

“If this pocket book does anything for you, let it be to give you time and inspiration for creativity. Enjoy.” – Company Director, Jason Higgins.

The Pocket Book was lovingly designed by Sarah Francis in her freelance capacity as Creatingle. As well as being a dear friend, Sarah is a brilliant and quirky designer and a great person to put together our ideas and text. Her design was inspirational and drew from our work and her interpretation of Harmony. We wanted the project to be different – to not instantly look like Harmony, so this outside input was invaluable.

The book was printed up by UK company Little Book who do different versions of their book layout, and supply many recognisable brands and events. As they send out samples to interested people, we found out that the Pocket Book of Creativity gets a regular outing in their set of samples. (Edit: Sarah went on to design some more for Autism West Midlands)

Little Book were considering their branding and asked for opinions on their old branding using red bubbles. I was surprised to discover that my comment about the bubbles had been selected as a winner of some champagne and bright red balloons on Valentines Day! Subsequently we were featured on the Little Book blog. I don’t remember ever winning a little competition like that, so it was a lovely surprise!

Anatomy of a QR Code User

700-anatomy-of-a-qr-code-user-usa-2011

 

Statistics compiled as part of research for onvert.com – an Augmented Reality platform. I pulled together statistics from two reports, one from Simpson Carpenter, UK and the other from comScore, both in 2011 to put together the statistics. QR code usage in America is slightly behind the UK, who are again behind Japan and neighbouring countries who are earlier adopters of technology.

The most surprising number for me were the numbers of QR codes seen on television – which seems to be a bit of a daft place to put it unless you manage to keep it on screen for an extended length of time. Waitrose did something similar one year, but failed to keep it on screen for very long. Whereas QRs are commonly described as a good method for viewing sites while on the move, 58% were scanned at home, where one might assume a laptop or desktop computer could be found.

UK Smartphone Usage in 2011

UK Smartphone Usage 2011

 

While studying mobile trends to better understand the market for the benefit of ReallyAppy.co.uk – a joint partnership with Harmony.co.uk and Snow Chicken, I compiled a number of statistics about UK smartphone usage for 2011. With a spare moment I decided to turn this information into an easily-digested infographic. Infographics not only break up data into a visual format (which improves the retention) but adds a bit of colour and diversity to a blog which had mostly focused on text-based entries until then.

The information listed is from Ofcom, 2011.

Project Manager @ Harmony Internet

I have worked for Bedfordshire web design company Harmony Internet, first as a trainee web developer and then as a project manager since September 2008.

I am fortunate to have worked with nearly all the clients in the company portfolio, providing support, updates, copywriting, organic search engine optimisation support, email marketing, template building, testing, researching, analysing, quotes, and simpler development tasks.

My role is very broad, as I am neither design nor development specialist, which means I have niche knowledge and fulfil and eclectic and unusual set of requirements between different projects!

Much more information about my employer can be found on our Clever Web People website.

Part of my role is to undertake copywriting requests from clients and internally for our company.

Examples of articles I have written as part of my job include:

For ReallyAppy

For Mobility Pitstop

For F C Dawes & Son

For our company website

 

Article Published in Smashing Magazine

I was very fortunate to work with Smashing Magazine, a popular online magazine in the web design industry. Writing the article for them in 2010 took research and quite a few rounds of feedback to ensure the article was of high quality, for which I thank my colleagues at Harmony Internet, and Smashing Magazine’s Editor in Chief, Vitaly Friedman for the constructive feedback and support.

The article was originally in short form for Harmony Internet, though was published with Smashing Magazine in August 2010 attributed to me with Harmony Internet as my employer:

Recession Survival Tips for Web Marketing and Online Business

University Research & Writing

I read Internet Computing BSc (Hons) at the University of Hull, Scarborough Campus between 2005 and 2008, graduating First Class with Honours.

During my course, I completed several pieces of technical writing, including my final year project (dissertation) on web storytelling. Overall, my favoured modules included managing a team of fellow students to deliver projects to multiple clients (personas played by our tutors), web authoring modules (HTML, CSS, web standards, accessibility, implementation) and research (proposing hypotheses, conducting tests, drawing conclusions, critical thinking, formal paper writing).

Here are some examples of my writing during my degree:

  • “Has the evolution of 2D Digital Design Technology allowed modern designers more or less creative freedom?”

Short response to the title posed in a second year Animation and Simulation module. .pdf format, December 2006

  • The Disclosure of Personal Information By UK University Students on Facebook and MySpace

Formally presented research paper on social networking in UK universities. .pdf format, April 2007

  • “The Pros and Cons of Living Online” – Mobile Phone Tracking

A response to the theme, in relation to mobile phone tracing in the always on society. .pdf format, November 2007

  • Web Storytelling, Literature Review and Project Summary Presentation

Research project presentation given at the end of the first semester, following completion of literature review and the outlook of the project in the next semester. .pdf format, November 2007

  • Web Storytelling, Final Report – Dissertation

Final report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Internet Computing. .pdf format, April 2008

20 Ways to Improve Your Student Financial Situation

Written for a student employment site, while working for Harmony Internet. The project was suspended indefinitely. Image on a CC license from Philip Taylor PT

Sometimes running out of money at the end of the month is less to do with your job, and more to do with what’s draining it. The less money you have, the more you need to get clever with your spending. Its more about ‘what can I afford to do’ than ‘how can I afford to do that’ thinking in tough times. Well, at least until your next student loan instalment.

1. Shop Together

The corner shop is really handy and all, but its actually expensive for what you get there on a regular basis. Team up with your housemates and do the weekly shop together – cook with each other, try not to buy expensive microwave meals. If you all go together, you can split the cost of a taxi back if it’s a distance, or chip in for someone’s fuel, and get a six pint bottle of milk rather than six single pints.

2. Change Your Supermarket

If you’re not already a regular or Lidl, Aldi and Netto, take a visit. You may find you can cut the cost of your shop for your favourite foods, even if it means walking a bit further, or not buying the branded goods every week.

3. Check Your Internet Usage

If you live in a student house and pay your own Internet bills, check the terms and conditions and your regular usage. If you’re paying for unlimited, are you actually using very much? Would it be cost effective to downgrade to a limited download package or change companies?

4. Share Your Internet with a Neighbour

Don’t install multiple phone lines and Internet unless you really don’t like or distrust your housemates. Share the cost of the Internet bill and line rental. Just be careful that you keep an eye on the amount downloaded and the terms of your contract, as if anything questionable is downloaded, it is the name on the contract who is responsible.

5. Payphone

If you have a landline and nobody else does, get beer money for people popping in to call 0800 numbers or call centre numbers off your landline instead of their mobile. Just don’t let them get put on hold too long, or call their mother.

It’s a good idea to register a landline with telephone preference, and be ex-directory to avoid unwanted calls, or anyone persistently calling for a housemate on the landline after collecting the number using 1471 or caller ID.

6. Skype for Long Distance

If you don’t want to run up a big phone bill or don’t have a super contract with free minutes you want to spend talking to your mother, set them up with Skype when you go home and teach them how to use it. The voice and video features of Skype make it great for pacifying your parent’s worries about whether you’re looking after yourself if they can see your face. Best of all, Skype is free to use and run to call computer to computer, and just requires webcam and microphone.

7. Direct Debits and Standing Order Discount

Companies you pay monthly may offer you a discount overall if you pay by direct debit or standing order. If you don’t know what these are, look them up and ask your bank how to set one up. If you can use Internet banking, it is easier to keep up on your bank balance and direct debits if you’re worried about your balance and overdraft. Stuploy tip – try to stagger direct debits if possible, and time them after any monthly pay goes into your account from your employer, and before you get too overjoyed with a healthy bank balance to ensure you don’t run into problems with bank charges.

8. Go Paper Free Billing

Banks and utilities may offer a slight discount each month if you go paper free billing. This means less post to worry about losing or not receiving, or redirecting, and you can check your bill online regularly. Win.

9. Switch Banks

If you’re serious about bank charges and switching your accounts, compare plenty of banks for their overdraft charges or sizes, and see if you could save money or stretch your overdraft further.

10. Save on Fuel

Keep an eye on petrol station prices in your area either with your own eyes and friends or by using a website. If you have a friend who shops at a supermarket but doesn’t own a car, ask them nicely if they can give you any fuel vouchers that the supermarket may automatically provide them.

11. Declutter

Sell your unwanted things on Ebay, such as last year’s course books, CDs you’ve stopped listening to, or dodgy Christmas presents from aunts who still think you’re seven. You end up with a lot of stuff as a student, which you’ll often need to get rid of before you leave. Just don’t try to sell the landlord’s furniture.

12. Cheaper Travel on Trains

If you use rail travel, it can be very expensive. A Young Person’s railcard is invaluable, despite the initial cost. Unconvinced? Use a journey planner website such as National Rail or The Train Line and compare a journey with and without a railcard.

Stuploy tip: if you do travel by train, try breaking your journey into different tickets as this sometimes works out cheaper (for instance, London to York, York to Scarborough as two tickets).

13. Cheaper Travel on Buses

Look out for weekly saver tickets if you use the bus a lot, or even pay as you go top up cards similar to Oyster cards. These can reduce the cost of your journeys overall than jumping on the bus and paying full price.

14. Share a Ride

If you know a student who has a similar timetable to you, arrange to share taxi rides, and costs, or if they have a car, get a lift. It’s only polite to pay them petrol money or buy them drinks in return, considering how much you might be saving.

15. Change Car Insurance

Perhaps you have your own transport? If so, don’t just blindly renew your car insurance. Compare different prices, use your own eyes as well as comparison websites, which may also charge a commission, and not include some of the better providers. Don’t opt for the cheapest, compare the perks and advantages of one to another, including legal cover, courtesy car and breakdown assistance.

16. Rent DVDs to Each Other

You can’t technically rent a DVD out for money to someone, but you can all save a bit of cash on renting films by borrowing from each other. You could always barter a drink if its not returned on time, or lost, of course.

University libraries may also have DVD collections to rent, though they’re really meant for media students, they can save you cash – as long as you return them on time. Fines can be hefty.

17. Get Store Loyalty Cards

Loyalty cards and tickets for shops and restaurants you use often can get you freebies with discounts or a free drink for every five or so you buy. Designed to encourage you to use their services, they’re actually quite handy if you do use them regularly by routine.

18. Student ID Card Discounts

Work out with shops and retail chains whether they accept only NUS cards to give you a discount or whether your plain student ID will work. Some retailers will have bought into the deal with the NUS (for which you must decide whether the card is worth purchasing and signing up for) but others will honour a discount with a valid student ID from your university.

19. Switch Energy Providers

If you are able to switch energy providers for your utilities of your student house, it could save you money. If you rent, you may have to check the technicalities with your landlord, and beware of long term contracts you can’t cancel.

20. Use Less Energy to Reduce Bills

Perhaps there’s no way to switch your provider and you’re stuck with a coin meter for your electricity and heating. If so, reduce your consumption by switching lights off, and switching bulbs to energy savers.

Throw an extra duvet on the bed, put your heater on a timer plug and wear warm socks. If your windows are single glazed, try some temporary double glazing from a hardware shop to keep out the draughts. Do a Blue Peter and make a draught excluder if you find your front door is particularly guilty of letting in cold air in winter.

At worst, learn the fine art of nursing a beer for a long time in your local and enjoy their heating instead!

10 Unusual Ways to Make Money

Written for a student employment site, while working for Harmony Internet. The project was suspended indefinitely. Image on a CC license from doug88888

There is the expression ‘thinking outside of the box’ which entirely applies to finding unusual ways to make money as a student. Not all income will be from a job during the holidays, or part time as you study. Sometimes opportunity will present itself; sometimes you need to get a bit creative. Here are our suggestions for unusual ways to make money.

1. Teach

If you have a skill, whether it be playing the piano, speaking a second language, fixing computers, advertise your services. This may be amongst fellow students (but remember they probably won’t have any money too), the university community and the local community. Even if you have no formal teaching qualification, teaching your degree subject to a GCSE or A-level standard privately for a family can be a way to make a little money. Foreign visitors wishing to improve their English could be a way to teach a language without knowing a second one fluently.

2. Catalogue Companies

If you have a little capital to allow for an initial outlay, and enjoy sales, then catalogue companies and similar may be a good way to make some money. Companies such as the Body Shop, Avon, Anne Summers, Virgin Vie and Littlewoods all have a network of representatives working from home to promote their products. Avon may involve distributing catalogues and delivering orders to homes, Anne Summers and Body Shop may involve running parties for groups, for which you may need some transport.

3. Leafleting & Promotion

Clubs and bars, student union events, shops all need promotion. If you’re willing to stand on chilly street corners with a bunch of flyers in your hand promoting a club night, seek out such roles with local entertainment venues. If you’re lucky, you might get a mascot costume to wear…!

4. Get Crafty

If you’re artistically minded or inclined, get crafty. Make greeting cards, offer your services in web design, offer to take photographs for a band for a fee, sell your wares at fairs, or online at Etsy or Ebay. This may mean you have an initial outlay, but if it’s a strong talent, you could command good fees.

5. Wordy Business

Perhaps words are more your forte? If you are good at spotting mistakes in essays, offer your services as a proof reader. You could read all manner of short essays, enormous PhD papers, lab reports, or even drafts of books for overseas clients if you set up online. If you don’t fancy so much reading, turn your creative talent to writing articles and reviews for websites or publications, or write short stories.

6. Drive Up Cash

If you are lucky to have a car and a license while you’re a student, it is no doubt a bit of a drain on your finances. If you’re not using your car quite so much, consider services to rent out your car – such as Whipcar, or become a courier and pitch to deliver parcels for people at stuff2send.com.

7. Park a Pound

Perhaps you’ve no car, but a car parking space or a driveway? If you live close to the university or a busy train station where parking is charged at a premium, rent out the space for money to a commuter. Parkatmyhouse is a site to help you to do that.

8. Wash Cars

Dab hand with the bucket and sponge in cold weather? If your local market hasn’t already been saturated by the cheap valet services appearing in hardware store carparks, offer to wash cars for a fee. Get creative, consider where you’ll get the water from, what equipment you’ll need. Find a few business people who need their company cars kept clean.

9. Enter Competitions

Enter competitions and surveys asking for opinions or market research. This is a whole process known as ‘comping’ where you can strategically enter competitions and fill out surveys to maximise the likelihood of receiving a prize or cash in return. This does come with an element of risk, so be savvy how you go about this and seek advice from the existing comping network.

10. Review Music

If you enjoy listening to new music and can review it objectively, then music review site slicethepie.com may be your thing. Get paid for listening to tracks it selects for you to review. With some dedication, you might earn some fairly decent beer money.

Copywriting: Mobility Insurance & Legal Issues

NB: The copy below was commissioned by mobilitypitstop.com while I was working at harmony.co.uk. It was part of the SEO work undertaken, though was chiefly aimed to provide useful information to the site’s audience. The original article can be read at their website. Image by antphotos on flickr, CC license.

Legal Issues and Insurance for Mobility Scooters and Powered Wheelchairs

The Law on Scooters and Powered Wheelchairs

There are UK laws that cover the use of scooters and powered wheelchairs outdoors off private land. In law, these are still referred to as “invalid carriages”. The powered scooters and wheelchairs fit into two classes:

Class 2

  • Pavement vehicles
  • Cannot go on the road apart from to cross them
  • For use on the footway “a portion of a carriageway that is set aside for use only by pedestrians”
  • Limited to 4mph

Class 3

  • Constructed or adapted to go at 4mph, but no more than 8mph
  • Cannot exceed 4mph while on a footway
  • Tend to be larger vehicles than class 2
  • Often there is a switch to change from 4mph speed to 8mph speeds
  • Not permitted to drive on motorways, cycle lanes or bus lanes
  • Must have lights, indicators, horn, rear view mirror, brakes and rear reflectors

Drivers of both classes must be disabled, and at least 14 years old. Drivers of these do not need to hold a UK driving license.

Mobility Scooter Insurance

Insurance is not required by law for your mobility scooter, but it is a very recommended essential. At the very least, you should insurance yourself against claims from third parties.

Insurance will cover you if you knock someone over, run over a person’s foot, knock a display of expensive goods over, scrape a parked car, or cause an accident.

When looking for a policy, look for:

  • Comprehensive cover, including loss or damage as a result of accidental damage, fire, theft and vandalism.
  • Equipment replacement, new for old, so that if your equipment is stolen and not recovered, or damaged beyond reasonable repair, you can get a replacement, as long as the equipment is less than two years old.
  • The option of a daily allowance to cover you if your equipment is unusable following an insured event.
  • Public liability cover for you or your carer to cover third party injury or damage by using your equipment.
  • The opportunity to add cover for ongoing repairs, though the insurance cost may go up substantially if you add this

Costs vary between companies, but are usually between £40 and £90 per year, with the usual discounts for paying up front or in advance.

Remember, unlike a car, there is no recovery service you can call out if your equipment goes wrong while you are out. However, some insurance offers you to cover yourself for the cost of getting home, if you are stranded by breakdown or accident.

It is good practise to protect yourself from accidents by wearing a fluorescent waistcoat while driving your scooter outside, especially near or on roads. By hanging one on the back of your seat will increase your visibility to others, especially vehicle drivers.

Drive your scooter with care and attention, wearing your spectacles and hearing aid if you need them. Look out for small children, those with limited mobility and the visually impaired in pedestrian areas. Be considerate.

Always avoid leaving your equipment unattended, as equipment thefts do occur. If you do have to, ensure it has a key operated switch, and that you take it with you when you park up. Another way to secure your equipment is to use a cycle lock to secure it exactly as you would a bicycle. If you fail to do this, the insurers may not pay out for theft of vandalism, as they will claim you have not taken proper precautions to prevent an incident.

Copywriting: Mobility Scooter Buying Guide

NB: The copy below was commissioned by mobilitypitstop.com while I was working at harmony.co.uk. It was part of the SEO work undertaken, though was chiefly aimed to provide useful information to the site’s audience. The original article can be read at their website.

Writing about mobility had to be done with care – its very easy to think that only ‘old people’ use mobility scooters, but its simply not the case. The project included a couple more articles which were released periodically and remain part of the website’s advice section.

Photo by TempusVolat/mrmorodo at Flickr on CC license.

Choosing the Right Scooter for You

Anyone struggling to carry out their daily routine due to limited mobility can benefit from a scooter, whether it is to move around their property and garden, visit the local shops, visit friends or explore places further afield independently. Mobility scooters are easy to use, economical to run and require low level maintenance to look after them.

Before you look at a range of mobility scooters, you will need to consider quite a number of factors to find the best fit mobility scooter for your needs. Always compare prices of scooters, and services such as maintenance contracts. Compare many scooters, and always test the stability of the machine yourself, and read the manual before you make the important purchase.

Here are some useful questions to help you decide the type of scooter you should consider.

Where will you be using the scooter mostly?

If you will be using it mostly indoors, it will need a small turning radius, be easy to manoeuvre, and compact. You may also want to consider a scooter that folds down for easy storage if you haven’t got much space. Consider portable scooters with low speed.

If you will be using it mostly outdoors, it will need to be a stronger scooter than a portable one, so it can handle the uneven ground outside. Stability and speed is important, so go for a scooter with 4 wheels. It may be worth choosing puncture proof tyres if you know you will be covering stony ground regularly.

Outdoor scooters come in two types, the 4mph version, which is suitable for driving on pavements only, and the 8mph version, which can drive on pavements at 4mph and on roads at 8mph as long as it is fitted with headlights, indicators, rear view mirror, horn, brakes and rear reflectors.

The disadvantage with outdoor scooters is that they are larger, and have bigger turning circles making them harder to manoeuvre. However, they will go longer distances, over more challenging ground.

How far do you wish to travel in your scooter?

The further you wish to travel in your scooter, the longer your battery life and power will need to be. Small, fold away scooters will not go as far as a larger, 4mph outdoor scooter, or even a 8mph scooter.

If using your scooter outside, will you need to go up hills or up and down curbs?

If you need your scooter to do either of these, you will need 4 wheels and extra power. Test your scooter out before buying it to check it can handle the slope to your front door, or behind your house on the route to see your family.

Will you need to drive your scooter where there are no pavements, such as on the road?

Check your local laws. A scooter that drives on the road must be able to travel at 8mph, have working headlights, tail lights, indicators, horn, brakes and rear view mirror before it can go on a public road. You do not however need a car driving license, just be over 14, and entitled to use a mobility scooter for health reasons.

Does your home have restrictions on the scooter & where will you store it?

Look at the width of your front gate, and avoid buying a scooter that you will not be able to access your property with, unless you plan to widen the gate.

Look at the width of your front door, if you plan to keep or use the scooter indoors and the garden. Can you fit the scooter through the front door? If you don’t plan to use it inside, where will you store it outside, do you need a secure container?

Are there steps up to your front door? Will you need a ramp, or will it be more practical to store the scooter in an outdoor, secured location out of the weather?

Is there much room to store the scooter inside? Do you need to fold it down or dismantle it to fit it into the space?

If you live in shared accommodation, or a block of flats, and plan to keep the scooter in the hallway, will your landlord consent, or can they help with alternative storage solutions?

Does your storage location have a mains power point?

Does the place you will store your scooter have a nearby power point for recharging the batteries? Is it suitable to install one, if not?

Will you be comfortable sat on your scooter and while driving?

Make sure your scooter has enough leg room to accommodate your legs, particularly if you are tall, or cannot bend your legs very far. Consider a model with a swivel seat to help you get on and off the scooter, or improved suspension for your comfort when travelling over uneven ground.

Consider your height and weight. Don’t sit in a position that will cause you extra aches and pains. Can you turn tight corners and still be in control of the scooter with your hands? Do the controls need moving to help you reach them or use them?

Will you need to transport your scooter in the back of a car?

Foldable scooters will fold down into the back of cars, or dissemble for reassembly at your destination – without the use of tools.

Seek advice from your supplier on the suitability, ease of assembly and size of the scooter with respect to transporting it. Scooters that dissemble will often come apart in pieces such as the chair, rear wheels, front section and battery, not only making it easier to fit, but reducing the amount of weight that needs to be lifted.

Decide who is most likely to be dismantling and putting the scooter into the car. Is it manageable for them, and are you still able to safely get into the car? Will you need a small hoist fitted in the car boot, or would it be better to have a ramp?

Do you want to take the scooter on public transport, such as train, bus, tram or taxi?

Scooters are unlikely to be accepted in taxis or on public transport, unless the user can demonstrate they can fold or dismantle them to go on the transport, and the user can sit in a standard seat. A powered wheelchair is more widely accepted on public transport, within size restrictions. Seek professional advice if the use of public transport is important to you, and you are considering a mobility scooter.