Naidex 2010- Ruth Diary

Day 1- Monday- set up
Today starts early with a trip to TNT to send off this week’s StairSteadys, then on to Birmingham, the car piled high with the stand. We arrive to a mass on half built stands and tools and machinery everywhere. After a sandwich the lads get to building the stand.







Video- before we start

Picture- making a start
Picture- starting to take shape
Picture- and were done
Video- how big the show is!







We leave at 6.30 ready for some food. I’m almost asleep into my rice.
Its a long day and I’m asleep by 8.30 as its going to be a long week!
Day 2- Tuesday
The day begins at 6.15 with a shower and a cup of coffee for mum breakfast at 7.00
Picture- mum and Phil enjoy breakfast
Picture- my Wheatabix
.... and were all ready to meet Matt at 8.30. We arrive at the show at 8.45 and the finishing touches are made (leaflets are put out, caffeine is pumped into the body) and at 10.00am the show opens and the people pour in (literally). We have a busy day demonstrating and handing out leaflets.
1300
Huntleigh’s demonstrations break up the day nicely and its fascinating seeing their bariatric equipment. Putnam’s vibrating pillows are selling like hot cakes and the contacts we are getting are fantastic. The guys next door let me stand on there AMAZING gel when me feet hurts...

... and cosy feet are doing a roaring trade.
1600
People have started heading home and the show is starting to get quiet.
1700
The show ends and the quiet StairSteady team decide to give the post show drinks a miss as we are all on our last legs.
1830
A debate about where to eat is taking place, we have ended up just driving around looking for food.....we have found an Ikea! Meatballs it is. (I know not the most normal thing to have, but very yummy)
1930
After getting very lost trying to find out way out, we decide to join the coach trips in the bar... one drink later and were all ready for bed!
2100
I’ve done well, managed to stay up an extra 30min J night all.
Day3- Wednesday
It’s a frantic rush this morning as the hotels electricity runs out. So they guys beat us to the NEC. (Dad bringing my supply of frozen juice- I’m mostly drinking liquids because of having my wisdom tooth out so it was a careful plan of who was bringing me up my homemade juice so it stayed fresh- it seemed a good idea at the time)Today we have got so much help on the stand! Mum, Dad, Peter, Phil, Matt and Reg are all there to help me. We have our new black StairSteady Shirts and they all look very smart.
It’s busy again and I leave the team in the afternoon for a meeting with Mike Lord (Minivator). Mike spends a few hours with me looking at how we are going to be moving forward. It’s a very thoughtful meeting, but hopefully the outcomes will help StairSteady go from strength to strength.

1830
After another long day Mum, Reg and Phil head back to Sheffield and Matt, Dad, Peter and me all hit the Chinese (I know my second Chinese in a week)
1930
By now we are running low on leaflets so in true StairSteady style I spend a couple of hours printing off and folding a couple of hundred leaflets.
Day 4- Thursday
Last day and the guys all look very smart in there suits. The show is not quite so busy today and Russ (Matt’s Dad) joins us at lunch before taking Matt home to do some revision. Today we get to visit some of the other exhibitor’s stands; I am always amazed with how many brilliant ideas are out there!
Mike joins us for a bit in the afternoon and quizzes the OTs on how we can get the StairSteady into more council. Minivator even let me have a go on one of there Stair Lifts!
The day ends at 1600, but the work is only just beginning as after a quick change its time to take down the stand.
I learn how to use the power tools and Dad, Peter and me get the stand down in record time.
Were on our way home by 1930
2100
I arrive home and collapse onto the sofa while Phil makes me a cup of tea, my Mum brings me my tea (they look after me well) and I can barely keep my eyes open.
Day 5-Friday- unpacking and sorting out
Friday is usually spent unpacking the stand and storing it, sorting out leaflets and lists and working out where ‘this thing’ used to live.
Suitcases fill the house and someone always manages to fall over a bit of a StairSteady. It chaotic, but it’s a team effort and that’s what I love. The StairSteady team all pulling together and working hard.
Thanks Team
Ruth x

Naidex 2010

I cannot believe it was a year since the last Naidex; it’s the night before the week of..... Well sleep deprivation, madness, excitement, tired feet and fun.
Naidex is big on the StairSteady calendar, however tiring it is it will always have a special place in my heart. It was the place that I launched the StairSteady, where I first met Mike Lord and the Minivator team, it’s also a week I get to spend with my family, they take time off to help man the stand and the time we spend together is fantastic!

Don't get me wrong it’s a lot of preparation and (as I’m still not finished working at 8.50 on a Sunday night having worked a lot of the day) its hard work, but I LOVE IT! Naidex is a chance for everyone to get together, trade, the public and healthcare professionals. It the biggest show of its kind within the UK, and although it’s not cheap, it is worth every penny.

Now I’m saying all these fantastic things, and I’m not even there yet (I may be blogging with a different tone tomorrow) but this is my past experience.

Tomorrow (Monday) is set up day and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the doors are open and we take down Friday. It’s a full week.

I find tomorrow a really interesting day- I think it’s the engineer in me- three big empty halls get turned into a miniature village, for three days halls and the NEC, Birmingham become the mobility and healthcare centre of the UK. Filled with members of the public wanting to find out how to solve there everyday problems, healthcare professionals wanting to find out the newest developments in the marketplace and the trade looking for the next big thing.

It’s one of the most organised shows I have ever done, visitors badges are colour coordinated, online manuals are available for exhibitors, and the accessibility is second to none.

I would urge you, if you want to know more about what is to offer, how to solve a problem or just to see how a StairSteady works, then come to Naidex. More details can be found at www.naidex.co.uk including information on the workshops and demonstrations that are lead each day.

And remember, if you are visiting, come visit us at stand A52, we would love to see you!
Ruth x

Where have i been?

I have been so busy with talks, a meal at James Caans and a trip to Downing Street to name a few (selection of pictures to follow).

A Celebration of Womens Contribution to BritainMr Brown welcomes all the Ladies
Sarah Brown talks Duffy
I have also been talking a lot as well as judging at the Big Bang Fair (very fun and exciting) where I made new friends and caught up with old. I was very privileged to sit on a fantastic panel of judges, catching up with some old friends (Kate Bellingham) and made new friends (Jim Al Khalili and Liz Bonnin). Incidentally Kate and Liz are on the Museum of Life programme on the BBC- it is FANTASTIC, so well shot and Liz and Kate are as fantastic as ever. Kate BellinghamLiz Bonnin
Jim Al Khalili
I also got to meet the rest of the ‘Bang Goes the Theory’ crew, very talented people. The Big Bang was hold in Manchester and was a fantastic 3days and they let me talk at the sponsors dinner, a real privilege.
The Bang Goes the Theory Team
Young Engineers will always have a special place in my heart, without them StairSteady would not have taken off as it did and for that I will be forever grateful.

So as well as these amazing opportunities I have been working harder than ever, we have been spending a lot of time trying to get the StairSteady to be the perfect product. We have a possible new powder coaters ‘Apple Aluminium’ a local company in Sheffield, they have been fantastic and I had a meeting with Adam who runs it and its seems like it will be a fantastic working relationship (there turnaround time seems to be unbelievable) but only time will tell.

We have been looking into new packaging, TNT seem to like to play Basketball with our StairSteadys and so we have been trying a lot of new packaging and it seems promising.
I will try and blog more, next week we are at Naidex, so I will try and get some picture, video and possibly blog (depending on time). However, please follow my tweets @RuthAmos

More to come sooner.....
Keep Moving.......
Ruth x

New Price List

Prices as at 1st April 2010


Standard rail (fitted) £500.00 +VAT

Total (without survey) £587.50

Survey £50+VAT

Total (with survey) £646.25

....

Dog Leg rails (fitted) £650.00 +VAT
(Includes a Standard rail and a smaller one for the Dog Leg)

Total (without survey) £763.75

Survey £50+VAT

Total (with survey) £822.50
....

Extra handle £30+VAT

....
Survey is on the property (not the user) and can be done by the purchaser. However, should we not be able to fit due to any inaccurate information given or an inaccurate wall survey, then an aborted fit cost will be charged at £50+VAT.
Price quoted is for an individual order of a standard powder coated steel rail and handle in cream colour. A range of handles, alternative colours and bespoke hardware are available at additional cost

Fitting is compulsory
There is an aborted fitting fee cost of £50+VAT

There may be additional discounts available for multiple orders
Grab rails are not supplied with the product although we can recommend suppliers.

Prices are per fitting of a standard StairSteady within most mainland areas of the country, there is a supplementary cost for some outlying areas.
For the cost of multiple fittings at one site please contact Ruth Amos