This week, we met up with Hindhead resident, Derek Alder. Derek’s name regularly pops up on the Haslemere Community facebook groups (and groups further afield) thanks to his dedication in helping those in need of disability equipment.

Derek set up One by One Mobility back in 2022 in memory of his son Geoffrey who tragically died from colon cancer on 20 December 2021, aged just 35. Over the years, Derek has lost count of the number of people he has helped. However, Derek readily admits that this has been as much as lifesaver for him as for those he has helped along the way. When his son died, Derek suffered from depression and helping others gave him something positive to focus on.

In essence, Derek collects a wide range of disability equipment ranging from crutches to wheelchairs, mobility scooters to shower seats and from walking frames to toileting supports. All equipment he receives is donated to him free of charge. He makes sure it is in good working order and then gets it to those in need.

Derek knew that there was a need for this service. He was a carer for 21 years for his first wife who was born disabled and unable to walk so this had given him a deep insight into the need for disability equipment. Then, following his son’s experimental operation in London during his cancer treatment, Geoffrey could hardly move. When he got back to his flat in Haslemere, Derek sourced a wheelchair for him, not from the hospital where you would have expected him to receive one, but instead from a local Facebook page.

Derek is at pains to point out that this is not a business. It is instead a service, helping others free of charge. He provides equipment either at extremely low cost or at minimal cost.

These days, so well-known is his service that people will be referred to him by GPs, local nurses and hospitals. He has also provided equipment to people injured in the conflict in Ukraine. His mobility equipment was delivered to the Zaporizhzhia ambulance station in SE Ukraine by Ukraine Mission in the Winter of 2023. And whilst most of his equipment helps those in Surrey and Hampshire, he has had customers from elsewhere in the UK, including Scotland.

Derek believes the NHS needs to change. He told us that when he started to run his mobility service, ‘people could wait 6 weeks to get a wheelchair from the NHS. Now they can wait up to a year sometimes. The NHS is not able to meet the demands placed upon it. It is underfunded. At the same time, things are made worse by the fact that members of staff are supposed to take equipment back… but in so many cases they refuse to do so and they tell people to keep it or get rid of it themselves. Every single day of the year, thousands of pounds worth of equipment is being turned away by the NHS that could be re-used.’

As we chatted more to Derek, it is clear that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his volunteering efforts. Derek worked as part of the British Red Cross for 21 years. For 16 of these years, he was a volunteer. He initially joined as a volunteer when married to his first wife. He had taken a first aid course to ensure he had the skills needed if she had a fall or another emergency.

A full-time carer, he found it very isolating at home so volunteering offered a chance to meet others. After joining, it wasn’t long before he was asked to take over as the first aid group leader. From there, he became the leader of the whole first aid centre, and was teaching first aid to British Red Cross members and then to the general public. He also wrote a childminding course which was subsequently rolled out by the organisation. From there, he ran special training sessions, teaching Red Cross volunteers how to respond in the event of a major emergency.

In 2004, watching the devastation caused by the Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami, he found he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. He immediately started fundraising to help those affected by the tragedy. Gathering as many Red Cross collection boxes as he could, he started collecting in the evening around local pubs. As soon as he received official permission to collect, he then put together a team of fundraisers, each with a different role. Derek set himself up in Guildford town centre and collected all day long. His daily updates on Eagle Radio raised huge awareness. After a full day collecting in Guildford, he would have a quick bite to eat, and then would be back out fundraising from pub to pub at night. After 10 days, Derek’s team had already raised a phenomenal £18,000. Not surprising then that Derek’s efforts were subsequently recognised by the British Red Cross. Their Special Commendation to Derek was presented to him by the Lord High Sheriff of Surrey.

Back to his efforts supplying mobility equipment, looking ahead to the future, Derek could really do with an extra pair of hands (or two!) In the short term, he could do with assistance erecting a new 10 x 8 plastic storage shed where equipment will be kept. He also needs help in clearing some equipment which is no longer needed.

Derek is still happy to carry on doing what he does for now but he also knows that this is, ‘not something I will do forever.’ Looking to the future, he can see himself continuing for ‘another 2 or 3 years and then I will be stopping it or winding it right down to concentrate on my own future. Next year I get my old age pension. I’m also in the early stages of a new relationship which I want to concentrate on…in order to build a new life.’

We certainly wish Derek all the very best for his and his family’s future and thank him for the enormous contribution he has made to help so many people over the years.

In the meantime, if you can spare some time, or would like to find out more, we know Derek would massively appreciate an extra pair of hands (or two!) and would love to hear from you. Please contact Derek Alder directly on derekalder.1@btinternet.com or message him via social media.