Free health checks offered to tradespeople Textile designer Aoife shows her work in Paris

A free health-check for tradespeople will take place in Chadwicks Bray on Friday, January 31. People can register at buytickets.at/ntc or simply arrive at the branch.

According to research carried out by the group, amost half of tradesmen (42 per cent) do not go for a yearly health check-up and 38 per cent regularly suffer aches and pains due to the physical demands of their job. The survey into the health habits of 343 tradesmen in Ireland reveals back pain is the most common complaint for those in the industry, with 83 per cent experiencing this issue due to their job. Forty-three per cent complain of sore knees, a third (34 per cent) experience shoulder pain and a quarter (26 per cent) have neck pain.

In response to the research findings, Chadwicks Group has announced the launch of a new nationwide health check for tradespeople across 12 of its locations including Chadwicks, Heiton Buckley, Cork Builders Providers and Telfords.

Screenings will take place in Chadwicks Bray on Friday, January 31. The National Tradesperson Check or NTC for short will offer Chadwicks customers a free health check in partnership with HealthWatch. The screening will take 15 minutes and will cover height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, and finger-prick test gauging total cholesterol and glucose levels.

According to the Chadwicks Group research, over three quarters (78 per cent) of survey participants say they have had to have physio or other treatments for their work-related ailments. Two thirds have missed a day or more of work due to work-related illness or injury and almost a quarter (23 per cent) admit to working through illness so they don’t fall behind on a job while 18 per cent do so as not to miss a day’s wages.

Commenting on the survey results Patrick Atkinson, CEO of Chadwicks Group said: ‘At Chadwicks Group, we know that working in a trade is not only a physically demanding job but also a busy one and finding the time to go for a health check can be difficult. This January we want to help our customers prioritise their health by providing free health checks for tradespeople across the country in our branches nationwide.’

THE WORK of Co Wicklow textile and fashion designer Aoife Mullane was showcased along with four other Irish design and craft businesses as part of the Design Ireland stand in the Today Signature area at Maison&Objet (M&O) in Paris.

The Irish stand at the trade fair was presented by Design and Crafts Council Ireland.

Bray native Aoife studied printed textiles at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin and set up her business in January 2016.

She specialises in creating luxury fabrics for homewares and wearable pieces and is inspired by the ever-changing colours and patterns of nature in her designs.

It was her first time to exhibit at M&O Paris and her unique range of textiles and accessories for the home created quite the impression over in Paris.

An estimated 85,000 international buyers, press and influencers all attended the gift trade fair.

Each of the brands featured on the Design Ireland stand were specially selected by the show for their suitability and fit.