Client:
The Sikh Gurdwara (Sikh Place of worship) in South London caters for a strong Sikh community of 200 – 400 individuals of all ages. With its doors always open to the local community, the Gurdwara has steps up to the front door and an internal lift and staircase inside to take visitors to the first floor worship room. Jasbir Chaggar is the President of the Gurdwara and was concerned to ensure that everyone that wished to, could access the building easily.

Problem:
With steps to the front door rising to one metre above street level, wheelchair users were not independently able to access the Gurdwara for worship.

Mr Chaggar set about finding a solution to this problem and started researching lifts on the internet. He shortlisted three preferred companies and was impressed by the responsiveness of Evolifts. He said: “I was really impressed with the speed they got a quote out to me and we arranged a site visit within a couple of days of our discussion. Demonstrating customer service at the highest level in the business and being offered one point of contact throughout the whole project made Evolifts stand out.”

Managing the entire project from start to finish, Mr Chaggar went a step further than most clients before confirming his order. Putting his carpentry skills to use by building a working model of the lift, both he and the other members were able to see how the lift operated and how it would look in the car park – the ultimate test run!

Solution:
Evolifts supplied and installed an EVO300 External Step Lift, perfect for vertical rises of up to 1m. It was the ideal solution for the Gurdwara, as the overriding priority was for practicality; straightforward, safe access from the car park into the building.

With a 5 year anti-corrosion manufacturer’s warranty and a slip resistant platform surface, the EVO300 Step Lift is simple to use, discreet with a small footprint and houses all electrical components within the unit. A self-closing ramp and upper gate and an emergency stop button were also reassuring safety features. Importantly, it also offers overall low maintenance and running costs and can be installed with little or no alteration to the surrounding building. An internal version is also available, as are bespoke finishes.

Installation:
Installation of the lift was quick and straightforward. Being an outdoor lift, it caused virtually no disruption to the local community. Two minor manufacturing faults arose following installation, but on both occasions a call to Evolifts resulted in engineers being sent out straight away and the issues resolved quickly and efficiently. Mr Chaggar commented: “It’s when there are problems that you really test a company’s customer service. I have to say that Evolifts were excellent in resolving issues that arose from manufacturing faults.”

Result:
The Gurdwara held a big function the weekend after the lift’s installation with many elderly individuals who were delighted with the new access provision.

Steve Coak, Managing Director of Evo Platform Lifts commented: “Following our initial discussion it took a number of months before the order was placed, due to getting building control approval and securing funding. Mr Chaggar was great to work with throughout the project and the lift has ensured that the Gurdwara is an accessible place for the whole Sikh community – that’s something we’re really pleased to have helped with.”