Terrainhopper wins Innovation award
Lincoln Seventh-day Adventist Church Elder, Sam Dantzie, turns his hand equally to a sermon, Bible study or pastoral visit – as well as to his computer as he designs complex off-road vehicles designed for the less able. As Managing Director of Terrainhopper Sam Dantzie received the recognition of the medical industry as his product won a major honour for product innovation in the East Midlands finals of the Medilink awards.
Medilink EM is the East Midlands life science industry association, whose aim is to help companies establish, develop and grow. Medilink run local and national awards to highlight outstanding achievement in medicine and patient care.
Featured on BBC’s local news programme Look North on the Thursday of the award ceremony. Writing of the programme Vicky Murphy, from Grantham, stated, “Thursday 13th of July proved to be a very special day for Sam and Deborah Dantzie. Tara Welsh from BBC’s Look North news reported on their new type of mobility scooter. The report showed that the vehicle is designed to access all areas such as the beach, fields, woodland areas and even through shallow steams and fords. Designed and made in Lincolnshire, it has attracted attention from people all over the world.”
The TV presenter interviewed young people with disabilities from North East Lincolnshire to find their views about the Hopper. ‘I love it’ said James Howells, ‘I’ve never been on anything like this’.
Tara ended her report by saying that this ‘new vehicle might have a bumpy ride but it’s taking people to places that they have never been before’.
I want one
The idea for the vehicle came about as Sam and Deborah began their own family and realised that they needed to incorporate the practicalities of using a pushchair while continuing their outdoor lifestyle. They soon learned from experience that the two didn’t always go together well. Thus the idea of the ‘Terrain Hopper’ was born and Sam, a designer, created his own off road vehicle, initially for his family to use.
The potential for the Terrain Hopper was soon seen by a friend, who then commented on it by saying ‘... if that was in the shop I’d buy one’.
Seventh-day Adventist Christians don’t just live decent lives and worship God. They give back to the society around them. Recognising that the design and engineering excellence of the product has been noted by experienced engineers Sam Dantzie says of his design, that he sees his role in the design as, “doing God’s work, setting people free” and then adds, “the Terrainhopper gives people the freedom to go and get a bit of their lives back.”
