A POOLE stairlift company is celebrating 25 years in business since it started up in Dorset.

Dolphin Mobility sells a range of mobility products including wheel-chair lifts, scooters and hoists and was founded in 1988 by Rob Edwards and John Austin, who sold recon-ditioned stairlifts from the back of a van in Wimborne.

Now, it has opened into a larger company, with 22 branches of the business across the UK, and 11 staff working in the Poole office, on Innovation Close, near Tower Park.

Lin Edwards, office manager, said: “As our customers’ needs have grown, we have expanded what we can offer and we feel that we offer a whole range of products. The key word for us is ‘Choice’.

While Dolphin Stairlifts is no longer headed in Dorset, as the head office has moved to Surrey, Lin, business development manager Steve Petty, and administrator, Lucy Raine, are determined to keep a personal service with their customers.

Steve said: “I think that stairlifts have this stigma about them, but anyone who works in the industry would tell you that they wouldn’t hesitate to get one, if they needed it.”

Lin added: “We offer the whole package, with the best choice, price and service. We know our customers individually and they know us by name.

“I think 25 years in the business gives you scope and a whole range of products.

“I always enjoy the days where we get a phone call from a customer telling us how the product has enabled them to go upstairs for the first time in years, or something like that.”

For more information, go to dolphinlifts.co.uk or call them on 01202 669194.