NIDEX Show Birmingham April 09

02 May 2009

NIDEX Show


Good morning from a sunny Newcastle

On Wednesday, I attended, at the request of Handicare, the NIDEX show in Birmingham. The aim to be fitted out with Alex and to see what I would require in addition to the standard setting; different seat back, you have many to chose from with ‘Alex’, seating, I am even told I can have a cruse control on, great as I shall be driving about 40 miles per day. Eddie also explained about the information that is stored in the hand control computer system. I also asked especially that a mirror also be attached. I was then free to drive Alex around the show and start to get use to driving this chair with so many variables to suite my personal driving.

Meeting up with Alex was not the start of this extronary day, just a small part. My day started at 0300 with my wake up call. Why so early? My night staff had to have me ready for my next carer for that day who arrived at 0500 and I had to be ready for a taxi at 0530 to catch the train to Birmingham, this is when the day really started to unfold.

When travelling a long distance on a train in the commuter time people sometimes get to talk to each other. This was no exception in my case.

About two hrs into the journey I had the urge to talk to one of the passengers sitting nest to me, about the challenge and to give the information I had prepared. It turned out that this lady lived by me and was interested in the challenge and would see if she could help with some sponsors. Please remember I need to raise £7000 for the trip and as things stand, I will be selling my Alber Adventure and keeping Alex. This was starting to be a great start to the day. A gentleman, who had heard me talking, as he left the train also asked for my information.

On my tour of the show, I visited many stands and spoke to the BBC’s Ouch program. I was also interested in a stand that made clothing for people, who like me, have difficulty getting into clothing. The are going to look into donating to the challenge in exchange for me wearing their tee shirts with their logo on. As I liked the tee shirt very much, I asked them to contact me.

To readers of this blog, you will know that I am a great lover of ‘Drinkup’; I use their jug at home. They have designed hands free drinking device that will be attached wheelchairs and need to see ‘Alex’ to make sure their device will fit onto ‘Alex’ so I can drink hands free, while on the move. As ‘Alex’ and Chris from ‘Drinkup’ were at the show, Chris was able to visit Handicare stand, look at an ‘Alex’ and make sure that the Drinkup hands free will fit on ‘Alex’. No problem

I will now skip the show, get back into my DHSS power chair and take you to my trip home.

As with most comuter trains people get their computers out, plug into the trains system, and continue as if they are still in the office, typing away.

It was when a certain lady had stopped doing this, (typing on her computer,) that I started to speak to her about the challenge. Believe me when I say her husband has just done the E2E a couple of weeks ago. The lady in question will be back in touch, as she may know of a means I can get some funding. Along comes Jack. See entry Jack Elliot.

My day finished at 2000 hrs at home.

Since Wednesday I have been on the computer, got the press release off, booked our first campsite at Penzance and will be attending tonight a Girkers night at our local Legion.

So there you have it. An update.

Speak again soon