A chance to see variety of disability aids on offer

NAIDEX is a big exhibition in Birmingham which is held every year and highlights lots of products and services that are available to disabled people.

I have been going on and off for about 30 years and it is a great opportunity to know what is out there.

There are so many products that it is also useful to see what they look like in real life as well as be able to try them.

It is also a good opportunity to see lots of people that I might not see the rest of the year. There are a number of disabled people and some ex-athletes that work in the industry, mostly because at various points there

wasn’t the equipment around that they needed so they set up companies to fill the gap.

I also notice that as I get older my needs have changed.

I’ve never wanted handles on the back of my chair because I don’t want people to come up to me and try and move me.

I will rebel against those as long as I can.

But I have seen some products where the handles fold away so are only available when I allow them to be unclipped or ones that you can attach when you need them.

Although I would worry that I would lose them then they wouldn’t be any use to anyone!

There are so many different types of cushions, mattresses, beds, wheelchairs, sports equipment, ramps, accessories and platform lifts so even when companies have showrooms, they’re not able to display the full range of what is available.

It’s not easy for some of the smaller shops to keep a huge range of stock in when they don’t know if people are going to buy them.

I now have a detachable scooter arrangement that clips on to the front of my chair which I use when I am travelling around London or going over hilly or rough terrain.

I do take note of other people who have the same style and often ask them what they think.

It is important to learn from others’ experiences, not least because a lot of this equipment is really expensive.

Because the potential sales are smaller (due to the specialist need), they have a bigger markup.

Whatever the reason, some products are outside the range of what people can afford and that is a huge shame for something that could make people’s lives a lot easier.

I’ve never wanted handles on the back of

my chair because I don’t want people to come up and try

to move me