Our OT team at Kidz Up North

Our OT team Heather and Sarah attended Kidz Up North last month in Manchester.This is the first year for Kidz Up North in its new home Event City. The bigger venue allowed more exhibitors to display their equipment; in addition, the voluntary groups and charities, along with information and support services, were on the same floor allowing everyone to visit their stands.

Sarah attended a continuing professional development (CPD) event – “Environmental and Functional Challenges to becoming Continent” by Julie Vickerman of Promocon; a topic relevant for a number of Sarah’s clients.

Heather‘s emphasis was on wheelchairs. She met with David Willis from Chunc to see the new Max E. The Max E is a powered wheelchair design where the joystick controller can be placed at the rear for the carer to use, moved to the front for the client to use and then used alongside by the carer wirelessly, so carer and wheelchair user can engage with each other. Permobil were exhibiting the new Head Array switch system, which one of Heather’s clients was assessed with a couple of weeks ago. This very new technology is well worth a look at – you can see the Head Array in use on You Tube! Heather also managed to make the most of the trip to do some networking as she met with an NHS colleague – one of the group who trained together from 1984-1987 – who also works in children’s Occupational Therapy.

Sarah and Heather were also invited onto JMW‘s stand for the afternoon, it was JMWs first time at the event as exhibitors. Here our OTs had the opportunity to meet solicitors and deputies and to tell them a little more about what we do. On the JMW stand too were The Legacy Rainbow House Hospice a charity supported by JMW.