Crowdfunding Campaign Call to Propel Wheelchair Users Forward in Style

PERTH, Scotland - Nov. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- A CROWDFUNDING campaign has been launched to help produce a simple device that will transform everyday life for the world’s wheelchair users with a unique invention called “Grippoz”, a wheelchair push-rim cover that will enable more users to propel themselves with greater ease and comfort.

The brainchild of Paul Lawson from Alyth, Perthshire, whose partner Diana has been wheelchair-bound for six years, Paul made a prototype of his invention after seeing how pain and lack of grip frustrated Diana in completing everyday tasks. Fitting her wheelchair with Grippoz has given her a greater degree of independence.

The plan is for the invention to go into full production, with the push-rim covers made from colourful, durable silicone with antimicrobial element. The social enterprise that has been set up to market the product will sell Grippoz online, with profits being used to help other small businesses and new products in the area. The initial funding needed for the injection moulds is being raised through the established crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter. The campaign will run online until 8^th December and aims to raise at least £22,500.

Speaking about how Grippoz has changed her life, Diana said:

"I always had to wait for Paul to come and push me along. When I first I went out with my Grippoz on, I realised I didn't have to wait for him and went off myself into the hospital for my appointment. Every few metres people were stopping me to talk about Grippoz. The colourful push-rims really make my chair stand out more. For the first time people saw me and were speaking to me in my chair and not the person pushing me. It was just wonderful."

Grippoz are made from injected silicone which offers users additional protection from germs and infection, and their robust design helps to protect furniture from bumps and scrapes. The product is designed for adult wheelchair users and will be produced initially in black or pink to fit a 24 inch diameter wheel (21 inch push-rim).

Paul and Diana want the benefits of Grippoz to help others and are licensing the product to a social enterprise managed by GrowBiz, a successful community-based enterprise support organisation in Perthshire, Scotland.

There are estimated to be 67m wheelchair users globally with around 750,000 wheelchair users here in the UK. Self-propulsion is a highly repetitive task for wheelchair users, frequently resulting in musculoskeletal disorders. It is estimated that nearly 70% of manual wheelchair users will experience upper extremity pain or overuse injury at some point in their lifetime. The ability to self-propel can make a key contribution to quality of life. Having a sense of control, feeling respected as an individual and retaining dignity are all regarded as central to quality of life.

To contribute to Grippoz crowdfunding campaign, visit www.grippoz.com/kickstarter

ENDS

For interviews or comment, please contact Tricia Fox on 07989 955039 or t.fox@volpa.co.uk

Background Notes to editors:

The Grippoz crowdfunding campaign is hosted by Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com

Grippoz is active on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Grippoz ) and Twitter: (www.twitter.com/grippoz1)

If the campaign achieves its target of £22,500, it will then aim to raise additional funding to produce Grippoz for children’s wheelchairs.

Contacts for further information:

Jackie Brierton, GrowBiz:- E: coordinator@growbiz.co.uk M: 07718 955267

Tricia Fox, Volpa: 07989 955039 or t.fox@volpa.co.uk

There are estimated to be 67m wheelchair users globally with c750,000 here in the UK.

Self propulsion is a highly repetitive task for wheelchair users, frequently resulting in musculoskeletal disorders. It is estimated that nearly 70% of manual wheelchair users will experience upper extremity pain or overuse injury at some point in their lifetime.

Yet the ability to self propel can make a key contribution to quality of life. Having a sense of control, feeling respected as an individual and retaining dignity are all regarded as central to quality of life.

Conversely being less able to participate in the community can lead to isolation and depression. Less than half of working age disabled people are in employment and over one quarter feel that they often have no choice or control over their daily lives. Around one third have difficulty when accessing public or leisure services and are significantly less likely to participate in cultural, leisure and sporting activities than non- disabled people.

Less than 1 in 5 disabled people are born with impairments. The majority of disabled people acquire their impairments during their working lives and nearly 1 in every 2 people over the state pension age (currently 62 for women and 65 for men) are disabled. By 2020 it is estimated that 2 in every 5 people over 50 will have a long term health issue.