New trolley moves mum to tears

Lower Hutt mum Melanie Gardner held back tears all day as she reflected on her last trip to the grocery store.

Her 3-year-old daughter Mila has cerebral palsy, which makes it hard to move her body from the neck down. Mila’s too tall for most trolley seats, which mean they can hurt her.

So Melanie had been stuck trying to either push a wheelchair and a trolley, or to carry her 12kg daughter while holding a basket and trying to pick up the necessaries.

But when Melanie went to Countdown in Queensgate, Lower Hutt, she was overwhelmed when she discovered a new, life-changing trolley. The new trolley meant Melanie didn’t have to struggle to get through the regular family shop.

Previously, Melanie would avoid grocery shopping “at all costs” unless desperate. The trip around the store would be hurried and tiring — Melanie would prop a leg up at the self-service checkouts to balance Mila’s weight while scanning items through.

“A lot of people don’t think about how hard it is for us, but it’s a real struggle,” Melanie said. “It’s just diabolical.”

She had “a little bit of a cry” after leaving the supermarket yesterday as she thought about the difference the simple change had made.

“It wasn’t until I was reflecting on the drive home last night just how good it was to just talk to Mila . . . we could go around and look at the different prices on everything . . . I got some frozen things and she could touch it, open her little fingers. It was a real sensory experience for her, it was just so lovely.”

In a post to the Countdown Supermarkets Facebook page, Melanie expressed her gratitude. The post attracted thousands of reactions and comments.

Melanie was “overwhelmed”. She said she would always shop at Countdown Queensgate now.

“My youngest is one year old. I was daydreaming about her sitting next to Mila in the trolley and those two being able to share that experience together.”