Gear, Gadgets and Gizmos: Recent Episodes
Phil Friend:
Dr Phil Friend (OBE FRSA) himself a wheelchair user, is acknowledged as the UK's foremost consultant on disability matters. A powerful and highly popular communicator, he has provided consultancy to many of the country's best-known companies. In addition to his professional activities, he is also a respected champion for equal opportunities and diversity in general, where his special blend of humour and direct speaking has won admirers from around the world.
Sue Kent is a massage therapist who uses her feet to massage. She pioneered this technique due to an upper limb disability caused by the drug thalidomide. She has 8- inch- long arms and seven fingers and no thumbs. She has little strength or grip ability in her hands. Sue uses both her feet and … Continue reading "Feet and Hands in Harmony."
Rudi has been a wheelchair user since 1971 following an accident which paralysed his legs, arms and hands, although he can still use his hands to some extent despite having no finger movement. He says that he was fortunate to have been able to receive a university education, albeit in an ancient, entirely un-adapted environment. … Continue reading "Rudi Breakwell-Boss – Bent Spoons and Gobbledegook"
Ross Hovey works for Lloyds Banking Group as their Accessibility Manager. His role is to create an inclusive environment for disabled colleagues and he leads on the workplace adjustment programme. Outside of work, he is a board director for Changing Places (campaigning for better toilet facilities for the most severely disabled people), a co-chair of … Continue reading "Ross Hovey – Red Through and Through"
Shannon Murray is an actress, writer, disability consultant and a solicitor, on top of this she is also an accomplished keynote speaker. Shannon was left paralysed from the waist down after a diving accident when she was 14 years old and first received international media attention a few years after her injury when she won … Continue reading "Shannon Murray – Cars, Sticks and Toilet seats!"
In this Gear, Gadgets and Gizmos episode from the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RIDC), I’m in conversation with Vivek Gohil who has managed to find ways to enjoying gaming by bending technology to his will. Vivek is 29 and from Leicester, he lives with the muscle-wasting condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, he uses a ventilator … Continue reading "Vivek Gohil – Gamer Extraordinaire."
Born in 1960, Rosie’s impairment is four-limbed Phocomelia caused by the drug Thalidomide. After graduating with a BSc., (Hons) Degree in Psychology through Cardiff University in 1985, Rosie joined the Civil Service and remained with the Department of Trade and Industry at Companies House Cardiff until 1993 at Executive Officer level. In 1995 Rosie formed … Continue reading "Have Spoon Will Travel"
Rick Williams runs his own business based in Brighton. The company have been around for about 20 years and supply consultancy and training services to organisations that want to improve their employment and services provided for disabled people. Rick went blind in his mid-40s as a result of retinitis pigmentosa and this explains his lifelong … Continue reading "It’s all about finding your way around says Rick Williams"
I’ve known Simon Minty for many years in fact for a number of those years we were business partners, so I feel I know him pretty well. In this conversation, Simon talks about the things he finds invaluable in helping to maintain his level of independence and I must admit there were one or two … Continue reading "Simon Minty on his most useful gadgets"
Hello everyone and welcome to this the inaugural edition of the Gear, Gadgets and Gizmos podcast. We’re delighted to welcome as our first guest Geoff Adams-Spink one of the trustees of Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC). Geoff was born with multiple impairments as a result of thalidomide. He has shortened upper limbs, a missing … Continue reading "Geoff Adams-Spink talks about his favourite gadgets"
Hello everyone just a quick note to let you know that I’m planning to develop a new podcast in which I interview disabled people about the things they use to overcome the barriers they face because of their disability. I’ll keep you posted as to when this will become available. In the meantime you might … Continue reading "Gear, Gadgets and Gizmos"