MakeAbility is the name of the game for REMAP, a UK based charity with access to a wonderful group of people who help 'Make' custom things for the disabled.
I had a chance meeting while waiting for an eye test a couple of months ago with a lovely lady whos husband is part of REMAP Berkshire. I was in Bob juggling my handbag, phone, umpteen glasses cases that wouldn't all fit in my handbag and a cup of coffee and making a bit of a mess of things. She asked doesn't my chair come with a cup holder which would make life easier and I pointed sadly to the shattered fixings of my last cup holder on the side of the chair that I hadn't quite got round to removing after destroying it misjudging Bob's dimensions on a doorway.
She explained to me that Remap custom make things for the disabled that simplify life and to be honest I felt a little like my cup holder need a little too trivial (even if getting something that fitted on the front where the only available connection was the end of a bit of pipework with a locking screw.
A phonecall and a couple of emails later and a lovely man called Peter came to my house inspected Bob (helped remove the old shattered fixinf for me too) took some measurements (even measured my Costa 'Cup for Life') made some sketches and said I'll let you know when it's done.
A week later, Peter with back with what I can ony descibe as 'The CupHolder that will outlive us all' It's steel, perfectly sized, sturdy and locks into Bob's piping - because I'd mentioned that I'm quite prone to bumping stuff, it's even got a rubber bumper on the outside edge to protect stuff I bump into from my super tough cup holder (my desk has a rubber bumper mark on it from the few times I need Bob at the office).
I made a donation to Remap to say thank you for the wonderful thing that they did for me - it might not seem much but having the use of my hands and not trying to wedge a cup of boiling liquid between my thighs as I moved around - well it was a big deal for me a huge one.
Remap have done a little 'case study' for their website with {SHOCK HORROR} a photo of me in it https://www.makeability.org.uk/project/17056/wheelchair-cup-holder-2/
Please take a look around at the rest of REMAP's site while you're there - it's not just Berkshire it's national. If you know anyone who could do with a little something to make their lives easier that you just can't seem to get anywhere, give them a shout, their talented engineer volunteers can probably whip you something up that's perfect just for you.
Shout out to an absolutely epic organisation and the wonderful things that they can make that are perfect for us.
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