A CRYSTAL Palace fan from Eastbourne has had his new stairlift upholstered in the colours of his favourite football team.
The stairlift designed in team colours was installed in the home of 49-year-old Cliff Gardner. The devoted fan can no longer attend matches in person, so his wife came up with the novel idea of having his new stairlift upholstered in the colours of Crystal Palace – ensuring her husband always feels close to his beloved club.
Cliff was injured at the age of 29 in a work accident after he fell eight feet onto a railway track.Since then he has developed severe osteoarthritis in his spine, shoulder, ankles, hip and neck, meaning he spends the majority of his time indoors.
With his movement around the house increasingly restricted, Cliff had a stairlift installed in January 2011. He said, “I think the stairlift is wonderful – it makes me smile every time I use it. “The upholstery has brought personality to the stairlift and made it a really positive feature in my house that sits nicely with my football memorabilia. It’s something people compliment me on.”
Cliff’s wife Val said, “Cliff has been a devoted Crystal Palace fan his entire life which is why I thought getting a red and blue stairlift installed would mean so much to him. “Now he can feel a part of his club without attending matches in person.”
“The stairlift has also given me the reassurance I can leave the house safe in the knowledge that Cliff can manage on his own for an hour or two. It’s really made both of us more self sufficient and independent.”
Source of this story: Eastbourne Herald Published May 2011