John Moutrie [Westhoughton], myself and Paul Wightman [Bolton le Moors] were “Dragons” when pupils of Sharples School in Bolton, were challenged to design aids for people with disabilities.

We are members of Remap, a national charity that provides bespoke equipment for people with disabilities and have given talks at various Clubs in District 1285 over the last 2 years.

Stephen Metcalf MP is the Her Majesties Government’s Special Envoy for the “Year of Engineering” which was announced in November; this was the first project he has visited.

The children were challenged to solve problems for disabled people: -

1. Lady suffering from epilepsy is worried that she may lose control of the baby buggy if she had an attack.

2. How do you hang the washing out if you can only use one hand?

3. Lady with arthritis has to have eye props administered by her husband every 15 minutes. How can she do it herself so that her husband can go out?

4. Fisherman has had a stroke and can only use one hand. How can he bate the fishing hook?

5. Occupational Therapist need a device that can measure the wrist rotation as it improves with exercises. For young children it has to be attractive with some feedback so that it engages them.

Roy Gibbins
Bolton le Moors Rotary

This link outlines an event on Monday 15th January at Sharples School in Bolton (See photo 10)

Editor's note - the Bolton clubs will also be running a technology competition for Bolton Schools on the 7th Feb (at Sharples School)