On Monday at West End Village Stoke Castle Comfort Centre's Keith Simpson and Dr. Neil Stirling were presenting the winners, Brian and Phyllis, who are residents of West End Village Stoke with their Christmas Hamper.
Representatives from Blackfriars School, Donna Louise Trust and the Salvation Army were on hand to be awarded cheques which were the proceeds raised from selling the raffle tickets in local Sainsburys and Morrisons supermarkets.
Many thanks to Jan from West End Village who enabled the presentation to be filmed in the main foyer just before the childrens choir made their entrance.
The video is below click in the middle to watch it.
West End Village is an extracare over 55's housing development that won Best of British design awards when built in 2011. It has 100 apartments available from Staffordshire Housing Association on a shared ownership basis. A 2 bedroom flat is approximately £95,000.
The development has a gym, hairdressing salon and restaurant and there is an amazing lifelike painting in the grounds of a narrowboat from Stoke artist +Rob Pointon
The most often purchased products from our mobility aids showroom are riser recliner chairs, adjustable beds and walking sticks. We have a number of West End Village residents as customers and provide free delivery to any local address.
Update
Some lovely thank-you notes have been received, for our Christmas charity donations. Firstly from the Blackfriars and Coppice Federation which is below.
The next one we have is the Donna Louise Hospice Trust.
And thirdly we have had a note from the Salvation Army in Chesterton who have been able to donate gifts to over 5000 families in North Staffordshire.
Whatever the time of year if you need to be more comfortable with sitting, standing, walking around or sleeping then one or more of our mobility products can help you there. See our website to find out more.
There are tens of thousands of them. What! mobility products? (Also known as daily living aids) Yes, there are a lot of those. Too many to count. But also, tens ofthousands in fact hundreds of thousands of people in the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire and Shropshire (aka Salop) who need them.
Nobody knows more than the staff at mobility products specialists CASTLE COMFORT CENTRE, of Newcastle under Lyme, who have been involved in the supply of daily living aids since 1998. Their speciality flagship products are STAIRLIFTS, RISER RECLINER CHAIRS AND ELECTRIC BEDS, (see some of their clients here happily being filmed) but over the years a very special free service has evolved which helps you locate and purchase any of the many gadgets and aids that are needed for disabled people (or those folk simply getting on a little.)
Of the latter - there are simply millions - and members of the sector who may be fit and healthy for their ages - but maybe in need of a little assistance (just as an older car or machine may need a bit of extra servicing and attention) we affectionately call THE GREY MARKET.
Back to the grey market shortly (or indeed the 'Silver Surfers') but the disabled sector is a little more defined and accounted for in terms of statistics.
Disability and employment - some stats for those interested ...
There are currently 1.3 million disabled people in the UK who are available for and want to work.
Only half of disabled people of working age are in work (50%), compared with 80% of non disabled people.
23% of disabled people have no qualifications compared to 9% of non disabled people.
Nearly 1 in 5 people of working age (7 million, or 18.6%) in Great Britain have a disability.
Over the last 25 years the percentage of the population aged 65 and over increased from 15 per cent in 1983 to 16 per cent in 2008, an increase of 1.5 million people in this age group. Over the same period, the percentage of the population aged 16 and under decreased from 21 per cent to 19 per cent. This trend is projected to continue. By 2033, 23 per cent of the population will be aged 65 and over compared to 18 per cent aged 16 or younger. The fastest population increase has been in the number of those aged 85 and over. In 1983, there were just over 600,000 people in the UK aged 85 and over. Since then the numbers have more than doubled reaching 1.3 million in 2008. By 2033 the number of people aged 85 and over is projected to more than double again to reach 3.2 million, and to account for 5 per cent of the total population. Source:DLF
The Disability equipment market
The total UK disability equipment market has been estimated at £1.46 billion for 2008 compared with £1.34 billion the previous year. Sales of disabled equipment in the UK have increased by 92.6% over the last 10 years and the total market size increased by 9.2% last year. Castle Comfort Group since 1997 have been and important player UK-wide in the supply of products to the 'gray market' and the disability sectors. However the policy of the company has always been to focus on their major flagship products, namely stairlifts, riser recliner chairs and adjustable beds
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OR INVOLVEMENT WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED.
Castle Comfort's experience means that a quick call to any of their help lines, or a visit to the showrooms will result in details being given where these other smaller products can be found ...
ATWHOLESALE OR DIRECT-FROM-THE-MANUFACTURER PRICES. Usually all that is needed is a freephone call by the customer direct to the supplier with the description and reference. The goods will be delivered by courier, usually without charge in just a day or two. Payment can be made on delivery in many cases, or by plastic card on ordering. Buyers are also covered by what is know as 'distance selling regulations' which means that the product can be returned to the supplier without any obligation or cost. So apart from getting any of the following items cheaper (as a mobility shop is not involved making a necessary profit) - you can return them if you wish - and THAT is something you may not be able to do on the High Street. Retail shops only have to make a refund if the goods are faulty or otherwise 'not fit for their purpose' Many people are surprised at this as the policies of retailers like Marks and Spencer "bring it back if you wish for your money back" - are not a legal right at all - they just choose to offer it as a sales gimmick.
So here, as promised, is the beginning of what may be a long long list of things that YOU - or your family need.
AND FOR FREE ADVICE ON HOW TO LOCATE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING AT THE BEST PRICE - just contact Castle Comfort on 0800 007 6959 up to 11pm any evening - 7 days per week. A commode (small or large commodes)
Crutches Commodes Zimmer frame (or Zimmer frames on wheels) Dillonguards Slippers for problematic feet Can opener for arthritis sufferers Phone with large buttons (including mobile telephones with large buttons) Cot side inc single or double cot sides
GRAB HANDLES which may a grab handle for anywhere in the house. Also known as GRAB BARS (Source Wikipedia)
Wheelchair hire Wheelchair cushions Stool for the shower - and even stools for the bath Seat cushions Pingaba braces Walking without wheels frames Scooter covers Scooter cushions Table for bed or chair (often known as over beds tables) Remote control lamp Sensitive or sensitivity lamps / lights Slippers for the disabled Socks for the disabled
Dog Alarm Shoes for the disabled Hand vice Booster cushion Radar Keys Raised toilet seats Extra-wide easy fasten slippers Back scratchers(don't forget to look at this!) An interlude on Backscratchers in Stoke on Trent.
IT MAY BE THAT YOU DO NO HAVE TO SPEND YOUR CASH ON SPECIFIC MOBILITY OR SPECIFIED HOME-AID THINGS -
OFTEN A SUBSTITUTE IS MORE EASILY AVAILABLE AND LESS COSTLY.
BackScratchers.
In 1999, Keith, the founder of Castle Comfort, asked Christine Morgan (his former school friend Christine Evans, of the Edward Orme School Newcastle under Lyme, the following - "Where can a long handled backscratcher be found for one of our customers?"
Christine was at at Disability Solutions, Hanley, Stoke on Trent at the time. She told me to get a long handle shoe horn.
It proved to be good advice and we have since helped cure many itching
backs! They work a treat and cost a lot less than designated products
with labels as ´backscratchers´to
be sold in mobility shops. These can be obtained from many 'pound
shops' and other places often run by the Chinese community, often for less that a
pound. "Thanks for the tip Christine," said Keith. "I have learnt a lot since I left school!" For an alternative backscratcher, and if you can get near enough, try one of the following! These 'super dooper' back scrathchers were spotted in action at The Great Orme near Llandudno North Wales. The cashmiri goats put on an amazing show for passers-by when they have an itch, scratching away. Did you know that these goats were a gift to Queen Victoria from the Shah of Persia?
More of the products we find useful as we get older:- Holder for car disabled passes Blue Badge holders(click on 'blue' for info on this subject) ..and read here how some people are treated badly in this respect
Castle Comfort is the region's favourite mobility products shop offering a range of daily living aids to suit every budget. Established in 1997, Castle Comfort is a great help for many people in the Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire (Salop) areas, as it is so easy to get to, and offers free parking right by the door - which is pretty rare these days with town centres being difficult to get your car anywhere near -and parking charges being far to high.
If you are in need of a mobility aid to help with your independence at home you don't want to have to tackle pavements or have to walk far in order to have a good look round.
For local people we even offer a door to door pickup service by our friendly staff, and can also arrange for an in-home demonstration of a riser recliner chair or stairlift if you would like us to arrange that.
Please call us on 08000 832 797 to enquire about how we can help you.
Our mobility shop sells top branded quality mobility aids like walking sticks, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, riser recliner chairs, adjustable beds, bathing aids and stairlifts. For a detailed account of which mobility products we can help with go here- We also offer an advisory service for other daily living aids like raised toilet seats and commodes, grab handles, wide fit slippers, zimmer frames and other assorted items and equipment including those required for incontinence.
Here is some info on the zimmer frame, if you are looking for one in Stoke on trent.
Zimmer frames
At Comfort Centre Mobility Products in Newcastle
under Lyme, we are always delighted when folks come to see us and
leave with a smile on their faces. Sometimes they leave laughing their
socks off (even disabled
socks.) Why? Because we share the same building as one of the
principle doctors´practices in Wolstanton Village. Often, after visiting the doctor, and maybe being given further medicine or a reminder that they are ´not as young as they used to be'
people pop in to see what we have on offer.
Regular visitors to Stoke
on Trent´s most well-known mobility products store, know that at least
they get a cuppa! But ... does a cuppa alone make them laugh? No - WE
DO.. see this ............
Amusement is especially
guaranteed if our beloved and highly respected Doctor Stirling is around. Please see Dr S's life story
here,
to refresh
memories up with a few of the remarkable things that have gone on in his 86
years. Many of his former patients are unaware of some of the facts
about the life of this very special medic.
Also, a take a quick our cartoon website, then you´ll believe Dr S´s claim 100% that indeed... 'laughter is the best
medicine.'
If further evidence of humour being a vital ingredient of a happy old age, then just look at this photo here ..
Do you know about blow up Zimmer
frames! One was brought in to our Staffordshire mobility showroom by one of our clients some years ago, a lady who herself uses
a walking frame. A touch tired of her grandchildren begging for a
'quick go' of Nan´s 'aid to safe transport' - she bought one for them to amuse themselves with.
THE MANUFACTURERS DO STRESS, HOWEVER,
THAT AN INFLATABLE ZIMMER FRAME IS A NOVELTY ITEM AND NOT FOR USE AS A TOY. At Wolstanton we intend
to keep one on show, but they are a little hard to get, and amused
visitors buy them from us at cost price (a modest three pounds each) as
fast as we can get them.
The instructions curiously advise - 'Ideal for the decrepit and all washed up. Please drive carefully.'
But
whilst most in need of Zimmer frames may not feel too amused about the subject, we hope a little chuckle may boost the spirits.
Please call us for fast and courteous help whatever your personal requirements. We are always glad to help.
Below are a couple of testimonial videos's from past repeat customers of Castle Comfort who have both decided that we are the firm to deal with when it comes to buying different daily living aids in Stoke on Trent.
Click the above video to see 80 year old Gladys from Stoke on Trent demonstrating her recent proud purchase - a Spanish massage chair which was delivered by Castle Comfort Centre, which has a reclining massage chairs showroom in Wolstanton.
On the video she explains her daily routine for using her massage chair, which she bought from Castle Comfort to help her alleviate some of the "agony" she has experienced with her back,leg and shoulder pain.
Watch as she demonstrates the reclining relaxer programme on the chair, and you can clearly hear her enjoyment of the experience. There are many settings to choose from depending on your requirements, it's just a case of pressing the buttons to dial in the requested massage treatment.
When an equivalent massage from a physiotherapist or masseuse will cost you around £40 per session you can see that getting a massage each day like Gladys enjoys would soon force the average pensioner to give it up because of the prohibitive expense.
This is not the case with a massage chair from Castle Comfort which day after day, 7 days a week, morning, noon or night is ready and able to tailor the perfect treatment for you. Once you have one there is just a small cost for the electrical power. Why not come down to the showroom to see and try one for yourself - feeling is believing!
All part of the service at Castle Comfort is free regional delivery and we can install it where you choose before a final demonstration on the functions for you to be able to use it on your own. Give us a call for free on
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